Description

The new main library of the University of Helsinki, also known as Kaisa House, was built not far from the main railway station. The new library occupies an important position in the urban realm and replaces a complex that was previously regarded as an eyesore and obstructed the transition between the historical university quarter and the business district: the side facing the Kaisaniemenkatu, the main road, was an obtrusive 1970s warehouse and the side facing Fabianinkatu, a quieter parallel street, was a multi-storey car park. Where Kaisaniemenkatu meets Vuorikatu, the facade opens and widens to form a small forecourt. The striking appearance of the facade of the library blends in well with its surroundings thanks to the brick used. The building, which extends the entire depth of the block, opens dramatically on both sides to both streets. This demonstrative gesture of contact with everyday life expresses the university’s self-image: the general public should also have unrestricted access to academic libraries.

The loadbearing structures of both the department store and the multi-storey car park were largely kept for the new building. Above the four basement levels lies the entrance to a supermarket on the busy Kaisaniemenkatu, which may initially seem surprising for a cultural building but enlivens the ground floor at street level immeasurably. An open stair leads up to the main entrance to the library, separating it from the hubbub of the street. The second entrance lies at the back one storey higher, on the Fabianinkatu, and opens directly onto the main level of the library. These three entrances and a huge window on the main street are visible as huge parabolic openings cut into the squared grid pattern of the dark brick facades.

Because the materiality of the new facades placed in front of the original concrete structure relates to that of the surrounding shops and buildings, its grid of small windows and the swooping parabolic arcs of the openings create a dramatic contrast that is distinctive but at the same time contextual and gives no indication from outside of the height of the six-storey library above the supermarket.

All levels of the building are surprisingly spacious. During the brighter seasons of the year, the interior is also flooded with daylight: large oval openings in the ceilings allow light to spill down into the lower levels. The walls, shelves and balustrades are painted in brilliant white, as is the railing of the spiral staircase, which ascends upwards through the centre of the building. The large open-access stacks are arranged around the staircase, while the quiet rooms for administration, research and working groups are arranged at the sides. There are also several reading areas, some with attractive views of the surrounding area. The roof terrace on the Fabianinkatu side is particularly popular among visitors to the library, offering a view all the way to the classicist heart of the city and the Lutheran cathedral at Senate Square.

Originally published in Bauwelt 29.2015, pp. 30-37, abridged and edited for Building Types online, translated by Julian Reisenberger

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