Kivisydän is an underground parking garage in Oulu, Finland. Situated 25 meters underground, the garage also serves as a civil defense shelter for 3000 people. Construction work for Kivisydän began in 2012 and it was commissioned in 2015. In a state of emergency, the parking garage can be transformed into a 3000-person civil defense shelter with dry toilets, washing areas and beds in under 72 hours.

The Kivisydän underground parking garage has been in operation in the Oulu city center for almost 10 years. When driving inside, arrivals are greeted with sturdy metal doors on both sides. The doors, manufactured in Finland by JTK Power, are normally kept open and only brought into use in possible emergency situations.

JTK Power delivered civil defense shelter equipment as a part of a turnkey construction project

The construction work for Kivisydän was executed as a turnkey construction where the contractor was in charge of both designing and building. JTK Power delivered several different size double doors, the largest ones measuring up to 3,9 m x 3,6 m. JTK Power’s delivery also included hatches, different wall sleeves, pipes and flanges.

Kivisydän has 2 large entrances for vehicles and 3 man door entrances.

“Even though this is a civil defense shelter, its main function is to serve as a parking garage that people use daily. That is why the garage’s everyday use has been carefully considered from the viewpoint of moving both by car and by foot. Threshold ramps were built for the vehicle entrances. The doors’ appearance also matters. They need to look smart and appropriate regardless of their large size”, says Arto Hannus, Maintenance Manager at Kivisydän.

“The doors are massive in size and clearly visible to our visitors. Luckily, we have not had to try to hide them away – their presence alone creates a feeling of safety”, says CEO of Oulun Pysäköinti Oy, Jouko Väänänen.

In order for the doors to seal tightly, their thresholds have to be sturdy. Entering and exiting with vehicles through the doors has been made easier with threshold ramps. A specified dismantling plan for the ramps has been created to ensure quick dismantling.

“All of the civil defense shelter’s equipment needs to be inspected and serviced at least every 10 years to ensure their functionality. Dismantling the threshold ramps is one of the things we will be testing during the upcoming inspection”, Hannus says.

The lifespan of civil defense shelter doors is 50 years. Other than the few inspections that need to be conducted during this time, the doors are practically maintenance-free.

Civil defense shelter doors and hatches approved by Eurofins Expert Services

The civil defense shelter doors and hatches manufactured by JTK Power have been approved by Eurofins Expert Services Oy, an independent, unbiased organization conducting tests and inspections and granting certifications. The products have been designed and sized to comply with laws and regulations, meeting the requirements set by the Finnish Ministry of the Interior. Civil defense shelter doors are made of steel and comply with set pressure regulations.

Timely delivery is the number one priority

JTK Power has decades of experience in manufacturing civil defense shelter doors. Because of its size range, the Kivisydän project was interesting also from JTK Power’s perspective. Pekka Savio, an expert in civil defense shelter construction, was involved in the design phase. Much like in all construction projects, different changes were made to the original plans as the construction work progressed. However, due to their extensive experience in the field, JTK Power was able to accommodate to the changes.

“Our number one priority is to deliver the project in the agreed timetable. In fact, this is one of our competitive advantages and something that is widely appreciated by our customers”, says Jarmo Latvala, Quality Manager at JTK Power.

What kind of services does JTK Power offer for designing and building civil defense shelters? Get to know our services here!