Our design, "Cultural Incubator," was awarded an honorable mention for the design of the Helsinki Central Library. The City of Helsinki's open international two-stage competition attracted over 540 entries from around the world.
We designed the Helsinki Central Library as a building that can bring together personal cultivation, culture and entertainment within the library and then give back to the city. Programs are flexibly distributed throughout the building increasing the possibility for imagination and creativity. We capitalize on the proximity of programs as a way of creating synergies that will support learning and doing. Careful sound attenuation and strategic placement provide opportunities for distributing quiet, semi-quiet and loud programs throughout the building to enhance the synergy between learning and doing and encourage innovation, fun, and creativity. In parallel, the collection areas have been designed to allow maximum flexibility and the ability to transform over time. The design accommodates a variety of body types and occupants, which we find particularly important for a library that serves and brings together different age groups, diverse families, and people with a variety of multicultural backgrounds.
Location: Helsinki, Finland (unbuilt)
Selected Awards:
Helsinki Public Library Competition, National Library, International Competition, Honorable mention (544 submissions)