Finnish architecture

Aurinkokallio Daycare Centre is located in Kannelmäki, Helsinki, replacing the old daycare building from the 1970s. The three-storey building is carefully placed on the sloping plot, as an urban infill between existing apartment buildings and a verdant forest park. The yard of the daycare was designed to be as natural as possible. The aim was to preserve the terrain and trees in the northern part of the plot, where the site borders protected fortification structures.  Niclas Mäkelä The sloping roof and low eaves create pleasant natural light conditions for the playground. Light brickwork, enlivened by different types of stacking techniques, complements the wood-clad facades. The natural colour palette of the fa&cc... More

Designed by Verstas Architects, Tuira School is a public meeting point that strengthens the local identity of the Tuira neighborhood in Oulu, Finland. The building houses an elementary school, a library, gym facilities, a youth center, and an adult education center. The new building and the adjacent listed wooden school building from the early 20th century frame a sheltered yard for students and residents. Sami Saastamoinen The school is a low-carbon, energy-efficient, lifecycle-optimized public building, with sustainability embedded from urban design to material selection and building services engineering. It combines site-level planning strategies, spatial efficiency, and carefully optimized structural and technical systems. The pr... More

Postiljooni Daycare Centre is located in the new Postipuisto residential district, developed on the site of a former logistics terminal and railway depot area. The compact daycare building occupies a prominent location at the intersection of Kollikatu and Lavakatu, where the urban block structure meets the rugged rocky terrain. The design approach has been to align the building with the surrounding streets while preserving the area’s highest natural feature—Kollikallio—as an integral part of the children’s playground. Niclas Mäkelä Niclas Mäkelä The building is terraced into the hillside. The common areas are positioned in the stone-clad base level, enlivening the streetscape with expan... More

Lamminrahka Education Centre is a key public building of the new Lamminrahka area between Kangasala and Tampere. The centre consists of three building volumes connected by a central heart space. The heart space serves as the school canteen and the main gathering space, bringing together all users of the building. It also connects to the main public square of the new residential area. Many facilities, such as the gyms and workshops are used by the residents of the area in the evening.  Niclas Mäkelä The sloping rooflines of the centre make it an instantly recognizable focal point of the area. The division of the building into smaller volumes brings down the perceived scale of the large centre and connects it to the granu... More

The Kari Campus in Rauma gathers several important public institutions and amenities under one roof. It consists of swimming and sports halls, a comprehensive school, a music school, an adult education centre and a youth centre. Being together creates significant synergy and savings. Mika Huisman Mika Huisman Sami Saastamoinen Sami Saastamoinen Rauma is a particular town in Finland. Its centre is listed UNESCO World Heritage because of its cherished and well-preserved traditional wooden townscape. The campus sits by the old town, with which the small-scale massing and wooden facades of the new campus blend. Sami Saastamoinen Sami Saastamoinen Sami Saastamoinen Sami Saastamoinen At the heart of the e... More

Lapland Central hospital extension turns the 1980’s hospital into a patient-centered campus that supports active rehabilitation and healing. The new humanely efficient hospital is a public building integrated into the living city, moving away from the concept of an isolated institution. Niclas Mäkelä Niclas Mäkelä Niclas Mäkelä Originally completed in the 1980s, the Lapland Central Hospital was designed by one of Finland’s most renowned hospital architects, Reino Koivula. The extensions double the current premises of the hospital, including e.g. emergency outpatient clinic, observation ward, operation rooms, psychiatric wards and facilities for several supporting functions. The exten... More

Helsinki’s former industrial Katajanokka waterfront is home to Katajanokan Laituri, a solid wood office and hotel building, and the largest mass timber construction in Finland to date. Designed by Helsinki-based architectural studio Anttinen Oiva Architects, the 23,000-square-metre landmark building is certified LEED Platinum. The completion of Katajanokan Laituri contributes to Helsinki’s goal of becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2030. Kalle Kouhia Located in the vicinity of Helsinki ́s famed Market Square, Katajanokan Laituri is the first new building to be built on the Katajanokka waterfront, an area being reimagined as a mixed-use neighbourhood. It is the head office of Stora Enso, a Finnish forestry company and provid... More

Monio High School and Cultural Centre, Finland’s first three-storey timber log public building, showcases a pioneering idea for large-scale Finnish wood construction. Designed by Helsinki-based AOR Architects, Monio is situated in the former garrison area in the centre of Tuusula’s Hyrylä district (Tuusula is part of the Helsinki metropolitan area). Monio’s design reflects the architectural character of the former garrison, drawing inspiration from its historic buildings. AOR Architects has created a distinctive multipurpose public building that connects a developing area of Hyrylä to the town centre. Anders Portman AOR Architects ❌︎ Remove Applied Products block will be inserted here A conti... More

In the city of Tampere, Finland, a forward-looking psychiatric clinic is providing a beneficial healing environment for patients and favourable workplace for staff. Designed by Danish architectural studio C.F. Møller Architects in collaboration with Finnish studio ARCO Architecture Company, the Tampere Psychiatric Clinic is part of Tampere University Hospital. Located on the edge of the hospital campus, the psychiatric clinic blends with the surrounding woodland, offering a peaceful and therapeutic atmosphere. More than a stand-alone clinic in the woods, it is thoughtfully embedded in the wider hospital infrastructure: an underground tunnel connects Tampere Psychiatric Clinic to the main Tampere University Hospital, improving operat... More