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Site visit to Kuhmo

Kuhmo is located in central-eastern Finland, an 8-hour journey away from Helsinki. During our site visit in November we spent two mornings on the site, after which we were given a guided tour by city representatives, visiting the town's architectural and cultural highlights and some Woodpolis companies.

Site survey

We did a detailed site survey of Kuhmo's market square. We photographed and took measurements of the surrounding buildings, trees and roads, on the ground and via drone. We also analysed traffic and acoustics, and interviewed local residents.

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Students measuring the site
Students measuring surroundings
A member is doing topographic surveying
Students measuring surroundings
A member is doing topographic surveying
A Japanese member is standing with long ruler
A member is doing topographic surveying
A Japanese member is standing with long ruler
Seeing the site from road
A Japanese member is standing with long ruler
Seeing the site from road
Students with measuring equipment
Seeing the site from road
Students with measuring equipment
Student Johanna interviewing local residents
Students with measuring equipment
Student Johanna interviewing local residents
Students talking on site with local reporter
Student Johanna interviewing local residents
Students talking on site with local reporter
Students measuring site
Students talking on site with local reporter
Students measuring site
Students measuring the site
Students measuring site
Students measuring the site
Students measuring surroundings

Sightseeing

Kuhmo has a range of interesting architectural sights. These include Kuhmotalo, a state-of-the-art concert venue; the new Tuupala timber school; and the Juminkeko centre, a cultural centre focusing on Karelian and Kalevala heritage with some really beautiful timber detailing.

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Students outside Juminkeko centre building
Kuhmotalo concert hall
Teacher Jaakko in Kuhmotalo

Kuhmotalo concert hall

Kuhmotalo concert hall
Teacher Jaakko in Kuhmotalo
Students on the stage of Kuhmotalo

Kuhmotalo concert hall

Teacher Jaakko in Kuhmotalo
Students on the stage of Kuhmotalo
Kuhmotalo

Kuhmotalo concert hall

Students on the stage of Kuhmotalo
Kuhmotalo
The wooden Tuupala school in Kuhmo

Kuhmotalo concert hall

Kuhmotalo
The wooden Tuupala school in Kuhmo
Juminkeko Centre library

Tuupala wooden school

The wooden Tuupala school in Kuhmo
Juminkeko Centre library
Students outside Juminkeko centre building

Juminkeko Centre

Juminkeko Centre library
Students outside Juminkeko centre building
Kuhmotalo concert hall

Juminkeko Centre

Timber companies

Since Kuhmo is known for its wood industry, we were able to visit some companies to get a better understanding of industrial wood production. Kuhmo Oy, a large sawmill operator, introduced us to its long history and showed us around their facilities, including a recently opened, fully digitally operated sawline. Crosslam is a pioneering manufacturer of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Lastly, Luottopuu is a smaller company that provides timber for more special use cases.

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Reflection of the bus driver in the mirror
Wood Program students are shown around the Kuhmo Oy sawmill control room
Students walking around sawmill
Wood Program students are shown around the Kuhmo Oy sawmill control room
Students walking around sawmill
Students walking across a metal bridge over sawmill equipment
Students walking around sawmill
Students walking across a metal bridge over sawmill equipment
Teachers smiling in Kuhmo Oy control room
Students walking across a metal bridge over sawmill equipment
Teachers smiling in Kuhmo Oy control room
Logs in the yard of Kuhmo Oy
Teachers smiling in Kuhmo Oy control room
Logs in the yard of Kuhmo Oy
Smiling students
Logs in the yard of Kuhmo Oy
Smiling students
Large bus with LED letters showing words 'Aalto University'
Smiling students
Large bus with LED letters showing words 'Aalto University'
A CNC cut wooden panel showing the Crosslam logo in their factory
Large bus with LED letters showing words 'Aalto University'
A CNC cut wooden panel showing the Crosslam logo in their factory
Students standing around a pile of CLT in the Crosslam factory hall
A CNC cut wooden panel showing the Crosslam logo in their factory
Students standing around a pile of CLT in the Crosslam factory hall
A piece of CLT during fabrication
Students standing around a pile of CLT in the Crosslam factory hall
A piece of CLT during fabrication
The Crosslam manufacturing hall, a large space with pieces of CLT everywhere and a big crane
A piece of CLT during fabrication
The Crosslam manufacturing hall, a large space with pieces of CLT everywhere and a big crane
A piece of CNC cut CLT
The Crosslam manufacturing hall, a large space with pieces of CLT everywhere and a big crane
A piece of CNC cut CLT
Presentation at Luottopuu
A piece of CNC cut CLT
Presentation at Luottopuu
A pile of thick logs in the storage warehouse of Luottopuu
Presentation at Luottopuu
A pile of thick logs in the storage warehouse of Luottopuu
Reflection of the bus driver in the mirror
A pile of thick logs in the storage warehouse of Luottopuu
Reflection of the bus driver in the mirror
Wood Program students are shown around the Kuhmo Oy sawmill control room
Scan of article in Kuhmolainen describing our site surveying efforts.

Newspaper feature

Our surveying efforts did not go unnoticed! Apart from the curiosity of people on their way for groceries, some of us were interviewed by local newspaper Kuhmolainen. The next day we featured in an article by Antero Kumolainen. Read it here (in Finnish)

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