Site visit to Kuhmo
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.
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.
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.
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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