KUNINKAANTAMMI SCHOOL & DAYCARE

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Year: 2020 – 2023

Status: Competition. 1st prize. Built.

Program: School, daycare, sport facilities

Client: Arkta Rakennuskultti

Area: 4 900 m2

As the new and exclusive public building in the recently developing urban district of Kuninkaantammi, it plays a significant role in creating and reinforcing the identity of the district. Serving as both a school and a daycare centre, the program is comprised of spaces for the kindergarten, pre-school and early primary school including their sports facilities. In addition to these, the building houses community spaces, where the local inhabitants can practise sport, art & handicraft. The massing of this two-storey building consists of three distinct "houses" connected by a central foyer and restaurant space, which faces a public plaza, thereby contributing to the creation of an active public urban space.

While the light brick facade communicates stability and safety, the colorful articulation of the main entrance areas speak of warmth and playfulness and also respond to the surrounding cityscape. Variations in the brickwork create a visual rhythm in the facades and the expansive green roof surfaces further emphasize the geometry of the three "houses".

The design of the building is based on a two-phased restricted architecture competition held in 2020. The competition proposal was developed in collaboration with the main contractor and technical specialists.