Alakylä solid wood school
Complementing the small-scale courtyard of a village school
After the historic building A of the Alakylä school was lost in a fire, an invitational competition was held for its replacement, and the winning design, "Harja", came from alt Architects.
The client wanted high-quality wooden architecture fitting for the site and the intended use. Northern weather and light conditions were given as a particular focus for attention. In addition, it was proposed that the design should also be ecological, sustainable in the long term, and energy efficient. Our winning entry fulfilled all these wishes.
Kohteen tiedot
Characterful contemporary architecture with echoes from old buildings
The new school building will stand on the banks of the Kiiminkijoki river, forming a new part of the existing school campus of small wooden buildings. The new building encloses the schoolyard into a courtyard with a view opening on the river. The new building brings a distinctive temporal layer to the courtyard, telling a story of its own time, but it also merges into the whole through its scale and the roof shape and materials that echo the older style.
On the exterior, the architecture is dominated by a large protective roof that shelters large, functional canopy areas. The primary material of the building is CLT, which serves both as the load-bearing frame and the visible interior surfaces. The functions in the building are grouped around a tall canteen space that cuts through the building.
The architectural and functional design of the building is accomplished and confident. The proposal is highly successful with respect to all the important criteria. – Assessment record of the competition entries .
- Competition jury
