Tuira School

The new building and the adjacent, listed wooden school building from the early 20th century frame a sheltered yard.

The large building adapts to its surroundings by carefully folded facades and a calm material palette.

The ground floor houses learning spaces for arts and crafts, a library, gym facilities, a youth centre and spaces for the local educational institution.

The common heart space is characterized by the warmth of timber cladding and the smooth solidity of concrete.

Both the heart space and the multifunctional hall incorporate load-bearing glulam and CLT timber structures.

Large curtain wall creates a strong visual link between the heart space, the courtyard and the listed school building.

The upper floor houses more learning spaces, the student healthcare, council and staff spaces.

The southern end of the building has been gently drawn in from the street line, leaving room for the listed school building.

The tranquil plaster and glass surfaces form a counterpart to the wooden facades.

The multifunctional sports and festival hall can be connected to the central space and divided into three sections.

The view from the hall to the adjacent park offers an impressive backdrop for school gatherings...

...while also opening the school's functions to the neighborhood.

The learning spaces feature a calm material palette...

...with plentiful natural light and views over the yard.

From the upper floor, the steeple of the Oulu Cathedral can be seen at the end of a long visual axis.

During self-service hours the residents can enter the public city library facilities with their library cards.

The grand cast-in-situ concrete wall provides a tranquil background for the bustle of the heart space.

A sculpturally spiraling cast-in-place concrete staircase is immersed in natural light.

The building provides a culturally sensitive and equally accessible learning environment for all user groups.

Tuira School

Description:

Tuira school is a public meeting point that strengthens the local identity of Tuira neighborhood in Oulu. The building houses an elementary school, a library, gym facilities, a youth centre and spaces for the local educational institution. The new building and the adjacent, listed wooden school building from the early 20^th century frame a sheltered yard for the students and local residents.

The slanted eaves lines and the carefully designed folds of the facades form a coherent urban presence that adapts to the neighborhood. Stained wood cladding gives welcoming warmth to the school yard. The tranquil plaster and glass surfaces form a counterpart to the wooden facades, the detailing of which interprets the small-scale ornamentation of the listed school building.

The student entrances and a separate entrance to the library are located at visible locations when approaching from the West. The evening time users of the gym facilities have a designated access from the North. The student entrances connect to the school yard nook, rich in functions and visually linked to Merikoskenpuisto park. The southern end of the new building has been gently drawn in from the street line of Koskitie, leaving room for the listed school building.

The spaces are nested compactly around a central space. The aim was to create a culturally sensitive and equally accessible learning environment for all user groups of the building. Spatial design and the material palette facilitate communal spirit, creativity, joyous and safe, distraction free learning. The building has a high spatial efficiency, even though the layout doesn’t utilize open learning environment concept.

The interplay of wood and concrete is prominently showcased in the heart space and the multifunctional hall. An impressive cast in situ concrete wall and calm concrete floors are in dialogue with the wooden finishing of the ceilings, walls and the main staircase. Both the heart space and the multifunctional hall incorporate load-bearing glulam and CLT timber structures. Natural materials contribute to a warm and inviting atmosphere throughout the school. The learning spaces feature a calm material palette with plentiful natural light and views over the yard.

Status

Competition 1st prize, 2022
Completed 08/2025

Scale

8 500 m²

Location

Koskitie 27, Oulu

Client

City of Oulu

Photographs

Sami Saastamoinen