Lauttasaari Water Tower

The Lauttasaari water tower was an impressive showpiece of Finnish water tower construction. It was the first large conical tower in the country. The shape of the tower was derived from its construction technique: the Lauttasaari tower was the first water tower to use pre-stressed concrete. This made it possible to build on a large scale. The structural design was carried out by Paavo Simula, who was the leading developer of concrete structures in Finland at the time. In fact, the Lauttasaari water tower holds a pivotal position in the development of Finnish engineering, reinforced concrete construction and construction technology.

In terms of the cityscape, the water tower allowed us to see Lauttasaari’s location in relation to the centre of the city. It stood at the highest point of Lauttasaari. Historically it told a tale of a city expanding after World War Two by annexing new areas. It was indisputably the predominant landmark in Lauttasaari.

The water tower was decommissioned in 1996. According to a survey carried out in 2010, the exterior of the tower would have required repairs but was structurally in a satisfactory or acceptable condition. However, as no suitable purpose was found for the water tower, the Helsinki City Board decided that it would be demolished, which then took place in 2015.