1977 Koivistonkylä Supermarket to Keep Rough Concrete Exterior During Renovation

A stark concrete supermarket on Lempääläntie remains a local landmark. Aamulehti reports the building, opened in 1977 as one of Finland’s first automarkets and now home to Prisma, still stands in Koivistonkylä in 2026 and will keep its outer shell while its facades are cleaned and lighting is added.

The L-shaped shopping building began life as Ekamarket, opening on 6 April 1977, and even housed Tampere’s first self-service Alko, nicknamed Toka. Over the decades the store changed names—Euromarket, then Prisma in 2010—and the site gave its name to the short street Ekankulma. Longstanding traffic complaints from residents prompted restrictions on cut-through driving, and the building’s rough aggregate concrete facade earned it a place on Aamulehti’s 2024 list of Tampere’s ugliest buildings. Architect Iida Kalakoski urged a second look, noting how sunlight can make the exposed stones sparkle; Pirkanmaan Osuuskauppa has otherwise carried out extensive renovations inside the structure while leaving the exterior intact.