Enter – Sipoo High School and IT college

Enter – Sipoo High School and IT college (ENG - IT) (ENG) - ENTER is a result of an invited architectural competition which was held in 2003. Our entry “Enter” received the first prize. This school building is first of its kind in Finland: for the first time a senior high school and a vocational college for information technology are joined together. It is possible for students to study both degrees simultaneously. After winning the competition the commission was given to us and planning for realization started. During the process we worked a lot with large scale models and 1 to 1 scale material and detail studies. The new idea to combine two traditionally separated schools was very intriguing. We found it rewarding to introduce new spaces for synergy and interaction. The central space of the school is a result of this thinking as well as the open appearance. In this space all students and teachers meet and interact. The core space was intentionally left unprogrammed so that any kind of action is welcome to take place there. The budget of the project was very low (1500€/m2) so careful thinking of the focus and chosen materials and products was required. The L-shaped school building is the last piece in a larger educational campus. It completes the most public corner of the campus. This situation dictates the urban solution; There are two curved yards; The smaller one is more urban and directly connected to the street forming the main entry to the building; The larger one connects the building to the school campus. This side is characterized by green “islands” and fruit trees. The fruit trees – apple and cherry – are chosen so that they blossom white during the graduation in the end of may. The tradition in Finland is that a new graduate receives a special white hat on graduation day – so do the trees. The facades are light and open. We wanted to make the building as open as possible – reflecting the new ideas in Finnish education. The learning process is open and flexible. The community sees what is going on in the school and the students can benefit from interaction with other students, teachers and the community. Learning takes place not only during the classes but everywhere. There is a wireless network on all campus which allows students and teachers take the learning process in any place desired. The main frame of the building is made mainly of concrete. The columns are of steel. All stairs are cast on situ concrete. The facades are made of glass and wood. On straight facade elements the window frames are made of massive pine. The solid wooden surfaces are of Finnish pine treated with slightly pigmented oil. The idea was to create clearly defined human scale surfaces which relate to the surrounding small town scale and colors. The curving glass facades are the most special feature of the project. The challenge here was to make a changing radius curve with a technically and economically successful structural unit. The solution is an L-shaped vertically proportioned steel-glass element which is rotated according to the changing curve radius. The outer glass pane of the element was made longer to achieve a refined feather-like appearance. The detailing and experimental nature of the solution was also the most challenging part of the realization. The system was specially developed for this case and many 1 to 1 scale models and meetings with several specialist were required. The interior atmosphere is a combination of exposed rough materials such as concrete and warm wooden surfaces which consist mainly of varnished birch plywood. The technical installations were left mostly exposed in order to create a relaxed workshop atmosphere. The material palette of gray concrete and golden wood are completed with lime green sun curtains on the glass facades. The intention in all our architecture is to use authentic materials. In this case it means exposed concrete, natural wooden surfaces and glass. Authenticity extends also to the structures – the frame and construction is also exposed. Enter – Sipoo High School and IT college Architects K2S Architects Ltd. Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola and Mikko Summanen Design team Tuukka Vuori, Matias Manninen, Laura Vara, Antti Lehto, Osma Lindroos, Ilona Palmunen, Stijn Colpaert, Keigo Masuda, Abel Groenewolt Furniture and interior designers: K2S Architects Ltd. and Konehuone Oy, Ari Jääskö Landscape architect: Byman & Ruokonen landscape architects, Eeva Byman and Kari Mikkonen Structural engineering Ylimäki & Tinkanen Oy, Risto Kallunki HVAC-designer Hepacon Oy, Jukka Lehmussaari Electrical designer E-plan Oy, Jorma Kuusela Contractors Main contractor: YIT Construction Ltd. Glass facades: Normek Oy Electical contractor: Sähköarina Oy Heating and water: Putkiset Oy Ventilation: YIT Kiinteistötekniikka Oy Landscape contractor: Petokaivin Oy Supplier – furnishing Integrated furniture: Mäkelän puusepänliike Oy School furniture: Avarte Oy, Isku Oy, Martela Oy, Inno Oy, Vallila Interior Oy Client Sipoo community and KEUDA – Training consortium of Central Uusimaa Site area 6500 m² Built area 4150 m² (gross) Cost €6.500.000 Design phase 02/2004 - 01/2007 Construction 04/2006 – 06/2007 IT - La scuola Enter, situata sulla via pricipale del villaggio di Sipoo, va a completare la serie di edifici scolastici presenti all’interno del campus che saranno prossimamente oggetto di un ampliamento. Nella lobby, cuore dell’edificio che si apre verso la corte interna e attorno alla quale si sviluppano gli ambienti scolastici, sono concentrate le aree di lavoro e relax a disposizione degli studenti così come gli spogliatoi e la caffetteria. Una scala in cemento, illuminata da un ampio lucernaio, costituisce l’elemento caratteristico di questo spazio. I materiali utilizzati per la facciata sono principalmente il legno e il vetro, così come è ispirata dalla semplicità e dalla essenzialità la scelta dei prodotti per le aule e gli altri spazi. Con questo edificio K2S ARCHITECTS LTD ha ricevuto il Chicago Atheneum International Architecture Award 2008. Superficie complessiva: 4125 mq Costo:6.700.000 €