A fully-integrated access management solution from Abloy has been installed at the newly-opened Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
With a capacity of 15,000 people, the visually-striking Nokia Arena is an indoor arena that sits atop of Tampere’s railway tracks in the heart of the city. It hosts large cultural events and ice hockey games including the 2022 Men’s World Championship. It is also the home arena of Ilves and Tappara of the SM-liiga. The arena includes a restaurant, hotel and casino and is one fifth of a mixed-use development that includes five residential towers. The towers that are included in the masterplan development are underway.
The overall vision was designed by Daniel Libeskind and other studios involved were SRV Rakennus Oy, and local partner ARCO Architecture Company.
To ensure safety and security for the passage of its anticipated one million customers per year, plus 600 permanent staff and numerous temporary workers during events, the arena needed to separate public areas from premises accessible only to employees or hotel guests"
To ensure safety and security for the passage of its anticipated one million customers per year, plus 600 permanent staff and numerous temporary workers during events, the arena needed to separate public areas from premises accessible only to employees or hotel guests.
The solution implemented by Abloy combines the assets of ABLOY OS access control, including overall management and access rights to smart devices, electromechanical PROTEC2 CLIQ locking products and keys, wireless Aperio door handles and ABLOY EXIT push bars.
In the arena, the doors are opened with access rights stored on mobile devices and wristbands. “For example, an ice hockey team training in the rink does not have to worry about losing or returning keys to the right place when their access rights expire at the end of the session,” says Jani Helenius, property and security manager at Nokia Arena. When granting access, it is also possible to determine which premises can be accessed and at what times.
“The locks are integrated into the work shift system of the arena’s restaurants,” says Mikael Ermala, key account manager at Abloy. “For example, when a waiter arrives at the beginning of his or her shift, the access rights granted to the person immediately take effect in the necessary premises.”
Directing an audience of 15,000 to safety in case of emergencies is essential. That’s why the locks on the arena doors are integrated with the fire safety system. Smooth evacuation is ensured by ABLOY push bars, so that the doors open quickly and easily when needed.
“Nokia Arena is a striking example of security trends, where access rights are becoming digital and door environments are touchless,” says Jari Perälä, vice president, domestic sales and marketing, Abloy Oy. “In this development, various human resources, space and access management systems are integrated.”
