We are
Verstas Architects is an award-winning architectural practice founded by Väinö Nikkilä, Jussi Palva, Riina Palva and Ilkka Salminen in 2004. Numerous competition wins and acclaimed buildings have established Verstas as one of Finland’s leading architecture firms.
Our philosophy is to consider various perspectives to produce designs that are human-centered.
We believe this to be the most sustainable approach to architecture that withstands time. Our team consists of 50 dedicated architects, urban designers, interior and landscape architects who are able to work at various scales from masterplanning down to intricate details. The name Verstas (meaning workshop) describes our methodology which entails close-knit work between clients and the project team to ensure a tailored final design.
Challenging sites motivate us.
We enjoy working on demanding projects on highly sensitive sites and seeing them come together through skillful design. These culturally significant environments inspire us to respect the current surroundings and strategically enhance the existing context. Some examples of such works include Väre, a new building complex to Aalto University which sits within the iconic campus site of Otaniemi, the masterplan and refurbishment of the historic Arabia factory block, the complete renovation of the Church of Lauttasaari in Helsinki, and the Helsinki Biennial Pavillion in the Helsinki South Harbour.
Some of our ongoing projects include an extension to Lapland’s Central Hospital in Rovaniemi, an educational multipurpose building Kari’s Campus in Rauma, the new Stadin AO vocational college in Helsinki and the Lamminrahka Education Centre in Kangasala.
Our clients
City of Helsinki, City of Espoo, City of Turku, City of Jyväskylä, City of Rauma, Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Etera Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Nordea Life Assurance Finland Ltd, Aalto University Campus & Real Estate, Senate Properties, Sponda Plc, Lapland Hospital District, Central Finland Student Housing Foundation Sr (Koas), Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region sr (Hoas), The Governing Body of Suomenlinna, YIT Corporation, Lemminkäinen Corporation, TA-Asumisoikeus Oy.