© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

The project is a winning proposal in an invited architectural competition to Espoo, Finland. The building houses day-care, pre-school and school facilities for 550 students and a staff of 70. The plot is bordered by busy traffic to the north and opens to a green valley to the south. The building is located to the northern edge of the plot to maximize the southern courtyard. The building is in a shape of the letter Y – with the common spaces in the middle and the learning spaces in the wings. The building varies in height to accommodate the plot and also to offer smaller scale to the children. The roof line is continuous – rising from one to three storeys. The day-care is housed in the one storey wing while the older children study in the three storey wing. This higher part of the building shields the courtyard from traffic and wind. The courtyard and the main hall open to the valley in south. The facades are mainly of white brick with glazed colored brick accents. The courtyard facade is more welcoming with wooden posts and an eaves line varying in depth. The eaves and the wooden posts offer shade against overheating. The varying rhythm of the posts responds to the orientation and the function of the spaces. One of the main themes is sustainability and energy-efficiency. The spaces generating the most heat are orientated to the north for better cooling. The building is heated and cooled by geothermal energy collected from the site. The building is also equipped with solar panels collectors.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.

© Playa Arkkitehdit . Pubblicata il 03 Luglio 2009.