Helsinki's Kruunuvuoren Bridge will be awarded the Concrete Structure of the Year 2025. Kruunuvuoren Bridge is an exemplary large-scale project that is of great significance to both urban traffic and the environment. The sustainable development principles implemented in the project and its consequential effects will lead community and environmental development in a strongly positive direction. As Kruunuvuoren Bridge improves Helsinki's regional cross-traffic, the competitiveness of low-emission and functional public transport can be further increased.
Helsinki's Kruunuvuoren Bridge will be awarded as the Concrete Structure of the Year 2025. Kruunuvuoren Bridge is an exemplary major project that is of great significance to both urban traffic and the environment. The sustainable development principles implemented in the project and its consequential effects will lead community and environmental development in a strongly positive direction. As Kruunuvuoren Bridge improves Helsinki's regional cross-traffic, the competitiveness of low-emission and functional public transport can be further increased.
The Kruunuvuoren Bridge brings a completely new built element and a striking maritime landmark to the urban environment. The bridge connects the growing Laajasalo area to the center of Helsinki by tram, pedestrians and cyclists, and thus promotes the use of sustainable modes of transport. The bridge opens up the sea and archipelago landscape to all those who use it in a new and interesting way. The detailed design and high-quality execution create a unique expressiveness for the bridge.
The aim of the project is for the bridge and the traffic route to blend into the various environments along the route, while still forming a recognizable part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area's public transport system. The bridge project also includes the Finken Bridge and the construction of a coastal path in front of Korkeasaari. The new main entrance to Korkeasaari will naturally open along the route.
The total length of the new Kruunuvuorensilta is 1191 meters, the reinforced concrete pylon of the bridge rises to a height of 135 meters and the underpass height is 20 meters. The Kruunuvuorensilta is a concrete-deck composite cable-stayed and beam bridge. The bridge is horizontally curved along its entire length and the longest spans of the bridge are 260 meters long.
According to the jury, the project has developed and applied advanced concrete technology, utilizing special concretes and real-time temperature and strength monitoring. The site has also been a national pioneer in concrete cooling management. The project accurately modeled the development of concrete temperature and cooled the structures to limit the temperatures of massive structures.
The high service life of the structures, 200 years, the special challenges with ready-mixed concrete and the innovativeness of the design have developed the practices of the field nationwide. Examples of special construction include the construction of a high pylon with the so-called climbing formwork equipment, which is rarely used in Finnish infrastructure construction, in casting periods of approximately four meters. The changing cross-section of the formwork and the dense reinforcement made the concreting work very challenging. Like the cross-section of the pylon, the cross-section of the bridge's intermediate supports also changed along the entire length, and in addition, the dense reinforcement and the tension rod at the top of the intermediate supports made concreting difficult.
A large part of the structures required high-strength concrete C55/67 P50, which is resistant to salt and frost. The project has successfully cast many underwater objects: piles, caisson concrete and the lowest base of the pylon. The objects were concreted through a casting pipe with IT masses using the so-called contractor method. Careful work planning was emphasized in underwater concreting, because repairing the structures is practically impossible.
The implementation has required unique cooperation between various parties, precise planning, careful scheduling, and demanding technical solutions, such as underwater mass castings, precise deck block installations using offshore cranes, and extremely challenging logistics.
It has also been noteworthy to enable construction in an environmentally and nature-sensitive area. The construction schedule was guided by bird nesting, sea trout spawning migration, and the overall impact on the water system, as well as taking into account the welfare of the animals at Korkeasaari Zoo during construction.
By awarding the Kruunuvuorensilta project with the 2025 Concrete Award, the competition jury also wants to encourage the implementers of future significant infrastructure and public transport projects to invest in environmental quality through both technical and architectural means.
Finkensilta was opened to light traffic in the autumn of 2025. The preliminary construction of Korkeasaari was completed in early 2025 and Kruunuvuorensilta was completed in late 2025. The bridge will be opened to pedestrians and cyclists during 2026 and tram traffic will begin in full in early 2027.
The following will be awarded for planning and implementation:
Subscriber: City of Helsinki, Urban Environment Division
Designer: Sitowise Oy
Designer: WSP Finland Ltd.
Contractors: TYL Crown Bridges: YIT Infra Oy, Kreate Oy
Bridge construction supervision: Construction company HTJ Oy
Durability design of concrete structures: Concrete Jungle Ltd.
Concrete supplier: Ruskon Betoni Etelä Oy
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The Concrete Structure of the Year competition has been organized since 1970 and in 2025 it was organized for the 56th time. This time, 10 high-quality proposals participated in the competition. The award is given based on an annual competition to the building project that best represents Finnish concrete construction. The purpose is to make known and promote Finnish concrete architecture, technology and construction. The competition was organized by the Concrete Industry Association.
The jury of the Concrete Structure of the Year 2025 competition:
Managing director, Jussi Mattila, Betoniteollisuus ry, chairman of the jury
Architect SAFA, Samuli Miettinen, Finnish Association of Architects SAFA
Building architect RIA, Mika Suihko, Construction engineers and architects RIA
Dipl.ins., Pekka Talaskivi, RIL ry
Dipl.ins., Mirva Vuori, Suomen Betoniyhdistys ry
Editor-in-Chief, Tapio Kivistö, Rakennuslehti
Editor-in-chief, architect SAFA, Maritta Koivisto, Betoniteollisuus ry, Betoni-lehti, jury assistant
2025 Betonirakenne candidates:
Vuosaari Bioheating Plant, Helsinki – Kivinen Rusanen Architects
Rock-Course Golf Clubhouse, Siuntio – Huttunen-Lipasti Architects Ltd
Villa Eerola-Vuorela, Espoo – HELST Oy
Project Sky, Prysmian, Kirkkonummi – Architectural firm Design Team Oy
Kirjalansalmi Bridge, Parainen – WSP Finland Oy
Kruunuvuoren Bridge, Helsinki – Knight Architects, WSP Finland
Tuira Community Center, Oulu – Verstas Architects Ltd
Kottby grundskola, Käpylä Swedish-language comprehensive school, Helsinki – AOR Architects Ltd
As Oy Aallonharja residential apartment building, Jyväskylä – AOR Architects Oy
EriCa – Green Chemistry Park, Espoo – JKMM Architects Ltd
For more information:
Betoniteollisuus ry:
Maritta Koivisto
tel. 040-900 3577
maritta.koivisto@betoni.com