12/7/2018 Niemenranta Elementary School / ALT Architects + Architecture Office Karsikas | ArchDaily

ArchDaily Projects Elementary & Middle School Finland ALT Architects + Architecture O ice Karsikas 2012 Ni

Niemenranta Elementary School / ALT Architects + Architecture

O ice Karsikas
01:00 - 7 October, 2012
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Architects
ALT Architects + Architecture O ice Karsikas

Location
Oulunsalo, Finland

Design Team
Martti Karsikas, Kalle Vahtera, Antti Karsikas, Ville-Pekka Ikola

Collaborators
Kalevi Säkkinen, Kari Sarkkinen, Lauri Palosaari, Kati Ervasti

Area
3670.0 sqm

Project Year
2012

Photographs
Ikola & Vahtera

Text description provided by the architects. Niemenranta Elementary School is located in a new
residential area in Oulunsalo Municipality, surrounded by detached houses and other small-scale
houses. Most of the area is still in construction phase. The school center is the only public building in
the area, thus creating the obvious center point for it.

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The school center has three parts: the elementary school for 300 students – the project at hand; the
kindergarten; and the junior high school. The first two are completed while the junior high school is
delayed. Although the school is mainly used for education, it also functions as a common space
(sports, hobbies, clubs and gatherings) for the community.

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The building form is a synthesis of the functional and urban goals. The free formed brick wall faces the
public areas, while rectangular wooden facades define the school yards.

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The main element of the outside architecture – the curvy brick wall – is a synthesis of di erent ideas as
well. On one hand it creates a strong, public and somewhat urban feel to the building; on the other
hand it is a reference to nature. Immediate surroundings of the building are non-urban, which turns
step by step into forrest, shoreline and finally the Gulf of Bothnia.

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Rectangular, small-scaled and intimate school yards are directed to the south for sunlight and the
building shields from the cold northern breezes, thus creating a good microclimate. Long and
expressively shaped eaves provide protection from the harsh climate for both wooden facades and the
children.

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The materials and forms of the building obviously complement Alvar Aalto's brick architecture, but
also the late-70's and 80's finnish post-modernistic regionalism movement, the "Oulu School", which
had a strong impact in the Northern Finland's (and especially Oulunsalo-area's) public building styles
back then.

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The main goal of Oulu School was to abandon the universal and cold modernism and replace it with
regionalistic, humane architecture that would be in harmony with the landscape, climate and cultural
adaptations of the area. Wood and brick were the prominent materials used by Oulu School.

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Even though Niemenranta School Center is far from the sometimes over-the-board romanticism and
historism of Oulu School architecture, the mental side of the design evolves from the same root of
ideas.

The spatial highlight of the school is the main entrance hall and the public spaces linked to it. The free
formed wooden ceiling emphasizes and gives a strong character to these public spaces. Other parts of
the building are small-scaled and intimate. Bright colours are implemented to the classrooms and
corridors in order to bring playfulness and easy orientation to the building.

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The design strives to be bold and modest at the same time: considering the budget and the
responsible use of public money, yet creating a distinguished public building for the community to feel
proud of.

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

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Cite: "Niemenranta Elementary School / ALT Architects + Architecture O ice Karsikas" 07 Oct 2012. ArchDaily.
Accessed 7 Dec 2018. <https://www.archdaily.com/279413/niemenranta-elementary-school-alt-architects-
architecture-o ice-karsikas/> ISSN 0719-8884

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