A visit to construction site

On a Wednesday in March, all is going according to plan on the Kiasma construction site. According to foreman Heimo Hantula, everything is on schedule and no unsurmountable problems have appeared. Unconventional architectural solutions have necessitated pre- planning, reflection, and creative problem-solving. Some one hundred men and two women are permanently working on the site.

Carpenter Jarmo Lindholm is placing welding spark protective shields on Kiasma theatre's upper terrace which is under construction: "When I started work two months ago, the building was a mere series of frames. Now it has begun to appear more massive."

Standing inside the future Museum collection premises, Electrician Osmo Lindell notes: "This is a very different mounting operation from a structural standpoint than previous construction sites. There are hardly any fixed points."

Steel construction mechanic Pentti Ojanperä is supervising the welding of bow windows on the rooftop: "A challenging job since there are hardly no straight surfaces. I can't complain about the view. Even the bosses are close by. I've been building such "cottages" for 17 years, yet I've never worked on anything like this before."

Cleaning lady Kaija Raatikainen is tidying up the café area. "In nine years on the job I've bumped into only a couple of other women. I do all kinds of work from cleaning to carrying boards. This is sure becoming a splendid building. However, I'm often a bit lost in these indoor labyrinths."

Jaana Hirvonen