FAFA’S BRINGING ITS BUSINESS TO PREMISES BUILT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY

Fafa’s chain restaurant took on new premises at Citykäytävä. We were chosen to execute the facility renovation and building system renewal.

The site is interesting due to its long history as well as from the perspective of construction. The building systems that were adequate decades ago were nowhere near the current requirements. A new grease duct had to be built to run through the floors above. Building a meter-wide duct through the floors was a complicated process, particularly since the building is over a hundred years old: the space is limited, the structures are challenging, and the floor slabs are full of surprises.

Each structure was meticulously scanned with a structure detector before drilling a single hole. The complex premises above the restaurant brought an extra challenge to the project. A restaurant, the Finnish National Gallery and a banking company were operating in the premises above. No work could be done during normal working hours, to ensure that there would be no disturbances to the business of other tenants in the property. For that reason, the majority of the work was done at night time. On top of the building systems alterations, the contract included the construction of the restaurant interior, including the kitchen and utility spaces.

The project was finished in accordance with the agreed schedule due to well-prepared planning and working communication. Close communication between the parties is crucial for the project to succeed, especially in a project that has so many moving parts. The renovation period from the establishment of the site to the opening of the restaurant was four months.