Lamminrahka Education Centre

The pine-cone-shaped layout of the building allows all the five building wings connect to the central heart space and the common facilities.

The central heart space is the main gathering space of the education centre. It houses a canteen and a flexible stage that opens in two directions.

Openings between the wings and through the floor levels create visual connections between the spaces and to the surroundings, enabling easy navigation.

The wooden surfaces create a tranquil backdrop for the bustling centre

The glass wall of the heart space connects the wooden facades of the learning spaces to the brick facades of the gym wing.

The western façades are clad in warm-toned wood to create a cozy atmosphere to the courtyard. In north the yard connects to a dense forest that can be used as an extension of the learning environment.

Lamminrahka Education Centre

Description:

Lamminrahka Education Centre is a key public building of the new Lamminrahka area between Kangasala and Tampere. The centre consists of three building volumes connected by a central heart space. The heart space serves as the school canteen and the main gathering space, bringing together all users of the building. It also connects to the main public square of the new residential area. Many facilities, such as the gyms and workshops are used by the residents of the area in the evening.

The sloping rooflines of the centre make it an instantly recognizable focal point of the area. The division of the building into smaller volumes brings down the perceived scale of the large centre and connects it to the granularity of the surrounding residential buildings. The massing also forms a string of diverse public spaces around the building. The most public sides of the building facing the main street and a public square have calm, solid brick facades. The scale of the building gradually grows smaller toward the school yards. West facing facades are clad in wood to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere to the school yard.

Older and younger children have their own designated zones that are closely connected to the heart space and other more public facilities. The zone-approach creates a safe atmosphere and enables comfortable interaction between different age and user groups of the building. In younger children’s classrooms and daycare facilities the windows are positioned closer to the floor, emphasizing the connection to the school yard. The outdoor spaces function as an extension of the indoor learning environment

The visual connections between different spaces and to the surroundings provide easy orientation and safety. The warm materiality of the interiors creates a tranquil, timeless setting for the bustling activities of the education centre.