Asumisosuuskunta Koskelan Lehmus is a housing cooperative project in Helsinki, Finland, developed and built by the construction company Fira Oy in the Koskela district. The building was completed and handed over to residents in July 2021, becoming Fira’s first cooperative housing project in Helsinki.12369
Located in the former Koskela hospital area, near Käpylä, Koskelan Lehmus forms part of a broader “life-cycle block” where new housing models, including cooperative housing, are tested.24 The cooperative comprises around 50 apartments and more than 3,000 square metres of residential floor area, with a total project value of approximately €14.3 million on a leased plot.7 As Helsinki’s first housing cooperative under the Fira Osku concept, the scheme combines features of rental and owner-occupied housing, allowing residents to join by paying a share of the construction costs and then paying a monthly charge that covers loan repayments and building upkeep.26810
The cooperative itself is the developer/client for the building, while Fira acted as the main constructor and group-building consultant, responsible for planning and implementation throughout the construction phase.1710 The model was co-developed with Tradeka, which has supported Fira’s cooperative housing initiatives, and aims to provide housing at below market rent levels with quality standards comparable to owner-occupied dwellings.89 Key figures linked to the project at Fira include Heikki Ruski, Director of Housing and residential construction services.1 The project is situated in a green and evolving urban environment in Koskela, Helsinki, and was completed on 14 July 2021.17