The Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association has named the Port of Helsinki's brand-new passenger terminal the Steel Structure of the Year 2017.

The award went to PES Architects, lead designer of the new terminal, as well as to the Port of Helsinki, the project's client; Sweco, the structural designer; YIT, the lead contractor; and to Normek, the supplier of the steel frame and the glass facades.

According to the rules of the competition, the recipient must be an architecturally high-quality building project that has made use of both steel and other metals in an innovative manner during construction.

This year a total of nine nominations has been chosen for reviewing by the jury.

The new West Terminal 2 consists of the actual terminal building and two passenger corridors on either side, through which passengers can move between ships and the terminal.

In its verdict, the jury said, "The new terminal for passenger traffic to and from Estonia in Helsinki's West Harbour is a new and impressive landmark for Jätkäsaari. The architecture of the sleek and dynamic building is reminiscent of ships and the movement of the sea."

"The sculptural and clearly defined building provides an excellent first impression to those arriving in Finland for the first time. The designers' extensive experience in designing terminal buildings is reflected in a positive manner in the functional and architectural clarity of the building."

"One particularly impressive feature is the departure lounge on the second floor, the central architectural element of which is the steel-trussed and wood-panelled curved ceiling."

The Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association has been granting the Steel Structure Award since 1980.

Click here to go on a virtual tour inside and around the West Terminal 2 >>>

Photo: Port of Helsinki/Kuvio Oy