Offener Wettbewerb | 04/2013
The Heart of the Metropolis - Helsinki Central Library
Kasi
ein 3. Preis
Preisgeld: 31.250 EUR
Autoren
-
Verfasser:
-
Mitarbeitende:
Aapo Airas, Johanna Mustonen, Miguel Pereira, Arto Ollila, Lauri Virkola, Jukka Kangasniemi, Milla Parkkali, Katri Salonen
Pienoismallitoimisto Pertti Parmes
Modellbau
AKSA Arkkitehtistudio Karola Sahi
Innenarchitektur
Landschaftsarchitektur
Bauingenieurwesen
Erläuterungstext
"KASI"
The instantly recognizable character of the new Helsinki Central Library marks a fresh new chapter in the string of cultural buildings on Töölönlahti. The inviting main entrance canopy extends indoors as the roof for the lobby and main staircase. The library glows light and life to its surroundings making everyone feel welcome.
The diverse array of paths inside the building constantly offers new views and experiences. The building utilizes the environmentally friendly combination of wood and steel construction. The variations of the windows on the facade resemble the foliage of the trees in the park. The curved lines of the facades reveal larger openings in deliberate places for open views to the city.
The ground floor is an open, transparent meeting place housing public services, exhibitions and a restaurant with a terrace extending to the park. The spaces for learning and doing occupy the first floor. The second and third floors house the library collections and a sunny terraced reading garden. The public sauna and its open air terrace on the top floor bathe in evening light.
The instantly recognizable character of the new Helsinki Central Library marks a fresh new chapter in the string of cultural buildings on Töölönlahti. The inviting main entrance canopy extends indoors as the roof for the lobby and main staircase. The library glows light and life to its surroundings making everyone feel welcome.
The diverse array of paths inside the building constantly offers new views and experiences. The building utilizes the environmentally friendly combination of wood and steel construction. The variations of the windows on the facade resemble the foliage of the trees in the park. The curved lines of the facades reveal larger openings in deliberate places for open views to the city.
The ground floor is an open, transparent meeting place housing public services, exhibitions and a restaurant with a terrace extending to the park. The spaces for learning and doing occupy the first floor. The second and third floors house the library collections and a sunny terraced reading garden. The public sauna and its open air terrace on the top floor bathe in evening light.
Beurteilung durch das Preisgericht
The architectonic concept of the proposal has developed well since Stage 1. The basic solutions for the massing, which were considered good in Stage 1, have been preserved unchanged. The building is well connected to the urban structure in terms of its orientation, outline and openings. A system is proposed for the façade that creates a stylish and appealing appearance for the building. The solution creates variations on the themes of the Stage 1 proposal, but as a solution typology is very different; the articulation of the window surfaces, which previously were horizontal and large in scale, is now divided into smaller parts, which also limits the vistas more.
The building is inviting and easy to approach. The entrances and ground-floor level are excellently highlighted. The intermediate walls of the entrance lobby on the ground floor as well as the ceiling are clad with curved solid wood elements. The created spatial impression is striking and memorable. Functionally, however, the solution weakens the usability of the ground-floor level. In general, it can be said that the proposal’s functional solution is somewhat weaker than it was in Stage 1.
The lobby space is in places too narrow, and the main entrance is to the side in relation to the vertical circulation zone located in the middle of the building. The client facilities placed on the ground floor end up to the side of the entrances. Thus the background zone of client services, as presented now, limits too much the flexibility of the floor as well as the placement of the library functions near the entrances. Placing the cinema and multi-purpose hall in the basement should have led to more openness on the entrance-floor level.
The proposal is spatially confident and informally stylish. The atmosphere in the interior is warm and memorable and the scale is pleasant. The spaces open up well into the surroundings. The varying openings in the intermediate floors create a skilful and appealing spatial sequence and fine diverse vistas between the floors. This leads in places to excessively narrow spaces, which limits usability. On the other hand, it is also good that places with very different character in terms of spatiality and atmosphere are created in the building. A cafe has been placed in the north-west corner on the first floor of the building, which with its rising lounge steps creates an excellent totality. The surrounding landscape scenery has been utilised successfully in the orientation of the spaces, and correspondingly the interior functions are conveyed well out to the exterior spaces. Also the idea of parallel outdoor-indoor stairs leading to the café is excellent, albeit the café terrace is unfortunately small.
The main vertical connections and orientation in the building are somewhat uncertain. Particularly on the upper floors, the circulation spaces and connections between the spaces grow unnecessarily large. Orientation is in places awkward.
The proposal is still sketchy in regard to the structures. Pillars have been shown with a very wide span or they have not been shown at all. The proposed, partly hung construction is structurally challenging. Energy efficiency and building technology have been designed confidently, using efficient solutions. The large machine rooms have been naturally placed on the top floor. The utilisation of daylight, sun-protection solutions, management of the indoor climate and energy efficiency are all at a good level.
The space reservation for the City Centre Tunnel has been taken into consideration. An exit route stairs has been indicated on each side of the tunnel. The ventilation shaft has been proposed north of the tunnel leading all the way to the roof level.
In terms of the floor area, the proposal follows the competition programme, and the volume is compact. The architectonic approach of the proposal is of a very high standard, and is impressive and comprehensive. The building clearly stands out in the cityscape as a public building. As a public building, the proposal is somewhat characterised by genericness.
The building is inviting and easy to approach. The entrances and ground-floor level are excellently highlighted. The intermediate walls of the entrance lobby on the ground floor as well as the ceiling are clad with curved solid wood elements. The created spatial impression is striking and memorable. Functionally, however, the solution weakens the usability of the ground-floor level. In general, it can be said that the proposal’s functional solution is somewhat weaker than it was in Stage 1.
The lobby space is in places too narrow, and the main entrance is to the side in relation to the vertical circulation zone located in the middle of the building. The client facilities placed on the ground floor end up to the side of the entrances. Thus the background zone of client services, as presented now, limits too much the flexibility of the floor as well as the placement of the library functions near the entrances. Placing the cinema and multi-purpose hall in the basement should have led to more openness on the entrance-floor level.
The proposal is spatially confident and informally stylish. The atmosphere in the interior is warm and memorable and the scale is pleasant. The spaces open up well into the surroundings. The varying openings in the intermediate floors create a skilful and appealing spatial sequence and fine diverse vistas between the floors. This leads in places to excessively narrow spaces, which limits usability. On the other hand, it is also good that places with very different character in terms of spatiality and atmosphere are created in the building. A cafe has been placed in the north-west corner on the first floor of the building, which with its rising lounge steps creates an excellent totality. The surrounding landscape scenery has been utilised successfully in the orientation of the spaces, and correspondingly the interior functions are conveyed well out to the exterior spaces. Also the idea of parallel outdoor-indoor stairs leading to the café is excellent, albeit the café terrace is unfortunately small.
The main vertical connections and orientation in the building are somewhat uncertain. Particularly on the upper floors, the circulation spaces and connections between the spaces grow unnecessarily large. Orientation is in places awkward.
The proposal is still sketchy in regard to the structures. Pillars have been shown with a very wide span or they have not been shown at all. The proposed, partly hung construction is structurally challenging. Energy efficiency and building technology have been designed confidently, using efficient solutions. The large machine rooms have been naturally placed on the top floor. The utilisation of daylight, sun-protection solutions, management of the indoor climate and energy efficiency are all at a good level.
The space reservation for the City Centre Tunnel has been taken into consideration. An exit route stairs has been indicated on each side of the tunnel. The ventilation shaft has been proposed north of the tunnel leading all the way to the roof level.
In terms of the floor area, the proposal follows the competition programme, and the volume is compact. The architectonic approach of the proposal is of a very high standard, and is impressive and comprehensive. The building clearly stands out in the cityscape as a public building. As a public building, the proposal is somewhat characterised by genericness.