Group of companies GENPROEKT took part in the international competition «The building concept of the central campus for Aalto University and all research community in Otaniemi (central square, faculties, etc.)».
Group of companies GENPROEKT submitted the competitive project: «The building concept of the central campus for Aalto University and all research community in Otaniemi (central square, faculties, etc.)» in the 1st stage of the international competition, 2012. The customer and the organizer of the competition is Aalto University, Properties Ltd, Finland. The total area of the competitive territory is 11,3 hа. The GENPROEKT company carried out and presented to jury the following works: Master plan, architectural and volume and spatial concepts, transport scheme, facades, floor-by-floor plans and sections, calculation of technical and economic indicators, 3D model, decisions of space transformation.
UNIQUENESS OF THE SOLUTION
The main town-planning task is disclosure of historicism of terrain, buildings and the area by means of conservation of compositional manners of existing buildings of the university, nuances of visual points, entrance lobbies, spatial approaches. Each of existing buildings represents the certain time period of Aalto University development, in terms both of architectural-and-spatial and historical point of view; therefore our Solution is aimed at careful advancement of this environment, according to those we try to preserve the maximum quantity of layout elements of the area (so called “historical mass of elements”). The things having importance for us are: visual points and panoramic pictures, buildings, pedestrian paths (links) historically formed, tree massive, bushes, relief. We look toward preservation of all these elements and finding a place for new structure considering them.
We regard our interpretation of manners and compositional principles created by Aalto and other architects involved in work at this area, rhythms and practices in modern environment as an important feature characteristic for our proposal; and it is based on these principles.
Our aim is to create a harmonious building being regardful of other facilities.
USABILITY AS ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING AND CENTRE OF RESEARCH AND ART
The main characteristic of the new building is flexibility and adaptability for educational processes. Functional Solution has no limits in terms of area and dimension-types of rooms; life cycle of the building will be accounted by decenniums. Changeability of educational programs and learning processes may be realized even in the course of semester.
Modern institute is a museum, and a laboratory, and a theatre, and a gallery, and a workshop. The institute is space for life and creativity of a student.
Maximum functional flexibility - possibility to arrange internal spaces of auditorium, studios and classes is achieved by means of usage of bearing wooden structures, as well as mobile (easily transformable) partitions. The amount of transformation options is countless number, and this is also the possibility for creativity and experimentation.
Based on abilities of structural system, partition structures within the room as well as floor slab may be subject of transformation. The Solution provides the range of floor slab pitch change of 1.5 m.
QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT, URBAN LANDSCAPE AND ARCHITECTURE
The building represents architectural Solution of spaces. As a result we have several spaces flowing to each other.
The building consists in summarized enclosure of spatial Solutions of existing buildings located in vicinity of development area. Space is configured into three zones of building:
The First zone is formed by buildings of Library, VTT Manufacturing Technology, VTT Main building, Department of Materials Science and Rock engineering, Department of Chemical technology and VTT Biotechnology and Food engineering.
The Second zone is formed by Aalto university former main building, buildings of Library, Department of Chemical Technology, VTT Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Wood Research, Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (Nano house) and Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The third zone is formed by the buildings of Sawmill Laboratory, Wood Research, Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (Nano house), VTT Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Marine Technology and Department of Information and Computer Science.
Also an additional visual axis is view between Marine Technology and Department of Information and Computer Science buildings on TKK Main building.
The building has one underground and three aboveground floors and utilized roof.
Overall scheme of building represents the maximum synergy of influence of different departments to each other, as well as interdisciplinary basis of educational system of future university.
Functional masses have both horizontal and vertical combinations.
Basement floor has direct connection to metro station. There are parking for 415 cars; technical and service rooms, store and loading areas of restaurant, café, canteen and commercial premises.
There are three entrances into university premises and common entrance into Dean offices, on the 1st floor. The main entrance is on side of Otaniemi street.
On the 1st floor there are also restaurant, canteen, commercial premises and loading area from VTT side. The 1st floor is 100% accessible for public.
2-3 floors accommodate learning rooms, Dean offices.
In the new scope of VTT building, open cinema hall Lume – scenic and media stage with open access – is situated on the roof. In the north-east part above Architectural department there is a café also having open access. Space between cinema hall and café is event and exhibition space. There is green covering at utilized places of roof.
The amount of floors caused by compliance with immensity of surrounding development and necessity of advancement of plastics in horizontal direction.
The shape of building is plastic and immense, proportionate to environment and human being.
SUSTAINABILITY
From energy consumption point of view, the building will be balanced based on efficiency and costs of certain energy efficiency Solutions. On the basis of energy consumption of similar buildings, we concluded that the main resources consumed are electricity and cooling-heating. Within the first stage of project work we consider the possibility of high quality lighting and illumination of all the rooms of campus (direct, horizontal, overhead lighting etc.). The building has effective ratio of constructional volume, square area and perimeter of fencing structures. The most important aspect from our point of view is influence on environment at the primary stage, construction stage. In accordance with this, our view reflects on construction materials. Building frame of basement and the 1st floor (columns only) are made of reinforced concrete. The rest of structures, walls, floor slabs are made of renewable constructional material of timber and its derivations. Preservation and non-intervention or minimized intervention into geosphere (earth layer), low percentage of urbanization (building-up of the plot) is another aspect of sustainability of the Solution. The Solution treats green plantings with due care; all the main existing lungs will be kept, besides new ones will be added, thereby we underline the green status of Otaniemi district and Helsinki city. In addition, arrays of evergreen plants will be integrated into the structure (atrium green spaces).
Information about the company: www.genproekt.com