Kaarea is finalising the renovation of the Green House located in the Adventure Park area in Turku. The renovated building will provide Children’s Culture Centre Färi with additional space for children’s and families’ art activities, and the first to use the new facilities will be art camp participants at the beginning of June.

Once the renovation is complete, the Green House will include, among other things, a dedicated space for animation activities, art workshop facilities for children and families, a woodworking workshop and workspaces for staff.

Particular attention has been paid to accessibility in the renovation. The facilities are also suitable for wheelchair users, and, for example, an induction loop supports participation for people with hearing impairments.

– At Färi, it is important to us that art and culture belong to everyone. With the additional space, activities can be developed and diversified, and we can serve several groups at the same time, says Marika Leinonen-Vainio, Director of Children’s Culture Centre Färi.

Färi’s current art workshop activities will continue in the Blue House.

The renovation expanded significantly

The Green House repair project began in 2022, and construction work started the following year. The original plan was to make small functional improvements, such as renewing surfaces and carrying out necessary building systems repairs.

During the demolition work, it became clear that the building was in significantly worse condition than the preliminary studies had indicated.

The project’s original main contractor was declared bankrupt in August 2025, and the City of Turku signed an agreement with Kaarea to complete the project’s building contract and main contract.

– The end result is excellent and successful. Kaarea’s long experience in repairing culturally and historically valuable buildings is clearly visible in the organisation of the work and the quality of the execution, says Leevi Luoto, Director of Premises Services for the City of Turku.
The renovation of the Green House is in its final stages, and the facilities will be brought into use at the beginning of June. The project’s success is the result of the work of many Kaarea employees, and the site has been led by Site Manager Miikka Tiainen.

– This project has been exceptionally memorable for us. Continuing unfinished construction work is never simple, and many considered the tight schedule almost impossible. We took on the challenge as a matter of honour and with a can-do attitude. It is great to see the expertise and commitment of so many Kaarea employees now reflected in a project being brought to completion, says Sami Nyström, Business Area Director of Property Services at Kaarea.

The facilities came into use by Seikkis in the 1970s

The Green House was completed in 1920 as premises for Finland’s first gardening school. In the local detailed plan confirmed in 2002, the building is protected with the designation “an architecturally and culturally historic valuable building”.

The repair work has therefore taken cultural and historical values into account.

The Green House contained housing and teaching facilities for the gardening school’s students. There was also a heated orangery, or winter garden, next to the building. The greenhouses were located on the south side of the building.

At first, the school had four students whose task was to care for the surrounding park and the school’s plant nursery. The garden was open to guests of the Kupittaa spa.

The school’s activities ended in 1898 but resumed in 1933 and continued until the 1970s. After that, the gardening school’s premises were transferred for use by Adventure Park.