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  COME VEDERE L'ARCHITETTURA CONTEMPORANEA HOW TO SEE CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
COME VEDERE L'ARCHITETTURA CONTEMPORANEA HOW TO SEE CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
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BUILDING
 
 
City library in Turku
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DESIGNER
 
 
JKMM Architects
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DESCRIPTION
 
JKMM City library TurkuThe new city library in Turku is located at the historical centre of the city. The building is the latest addition to a block with the old library and several other historically valuable buildings. The historical and cultural value of the site presented a great challenge for the planning of the new building. The objective of the project was to create a new construct, which would harmonize with the historically invaluable setting while also manifesting an architecture of its own age. In terms of urban planning the goal was to fill out the open and unstructured street corner by following the edges of the existing urban grid. By constructing the building on the outer perimeter, we were able to provide an open space in the middle of the lot, which was designed to serve as a courtyard for recreation and a stage for cultural events. The interior of the new building is annexed with the existing 100-year old library building and the chancellery of the governor built at the beginning of the nineteenth century, now restored and transformed to facilitate a café and meeting rooms. The new library has a functionally clear design. The public spaces are situated mainly on two floors surrounding the opening to the courtyard. The staff premises are located systematically on one side of the building facing the street. The new main entrance opens onto the corner of two main streets. The first floor has a reception and lounge area, a children’s and youth section, and a modernized version of a periodicals reading room called the news market, which functions simultaneously as the link between the new library and the old buildings. The main room of the new building is reached through a main stairway, which opens to a monumental space containing the non-fiction stacks and reading areas. The guiding principle in the space planning was flexibility; the functions of the library may change radically in the future with the introduction of new media. The rooms are open, and the functions are limited only by the transformability of the easy-to-move furniture.
The basis of the planning was to create a new library to meet up with the challenges of the future. At the same time, the library has a long and rich history, which the architecture should also take into account. The architectonic whole is formed from the union of these two oppositions, the past and the future. 
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MATERIALS
 
stone, wood, reinforced concrete, glass

JKMM City Library TurkuThe materials of the building were chosen to accommodate the environment.
The facades are mainly plastered, which is the predominant material of the old buildings in the block. Initially we considered using red brick, but gave up the idea to allow the old library building to remain the only brick building on the block thus emphasizing its primary position in the neighbourhood.
We also used natural stone extensively on the facades, the stairway and the grounds surrounding the building. In the interior we used mostly European Oak in the wall furnishing and furniture.
The structure of the building was made from concrete cast on site, which was left exposed as an important part of the interior design. The fair-faced concrete was formed with vertical boards to achieve the rough feeling characteristic of the material.
Glass was given a seminal role both in the outer architecture and the interior world.
From the first steps of the planning process it was clear that the exuberant use of glass would be the best choice. Transparency befits this type of building; a public library building should evoke the idea of openness.

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LOCATION
 
Continent
Europe
Nation
Finland [Suomi/Finland]
Province
Western Finland [Länsi-Suomen lääni/Västra Finlands län]
Region
Finland Proper [Varsinais-Suomi/Egentliga Finland]
Town
Turku [Turku/Åbo]
Address
Linnankatu 2 - 20100 Turku
 
 
Telephone
+358.(02).330.000
Fax
+358.(02).262.0675
E-mail
kaupunginkirjasto@turku.fi
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MAP
 
 
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TYPOLOGY
 
ARCHITECTURE
Buildings for cultural activities
Libraries and media libraries
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CHRONOLOGY
 
Project
1998     project winner of competition
Realisation
2007
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BIBILIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
 
 
Renato Morganti, "Architettura finlandese 2006-2007", L'industria delle costruzioni 403, settembre-ottobre/september-october 2008 [Innesti - Sovrapposizioni - Estensioni 2], "Argomenti" p. 103 (100-104)
Tarja Nurmi, "Library, Turku", A10 new European architecture 16, July-August 2007, "Ready" pp. 31-32
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EXHIBITIONS
 
 
Zeitgenössische architektur in Finnland/Architettura contemporanea in Finlandia/Contemporary Architecture in Finland, Merano/Meran , Kunst Meran | o Arte - Edificio Cassa di Risparmio/Kunst Meran - Im Haus der Sparkasse, 31 january/13 april 2009
review: Renato Morganti, "Architettura finlandese 2006-2007", L'industria delle costruzioni 403, settembre-ottobre/september-october 2008 [Innesti - Sovrapposizioni - Estensioni 2], "Argomenti" pp. 100-104
Store and Share. Museums and Libraries in Finland, Venezia, Alvar Aalto Pavilion, Giardini della Biennale, 14 september/23 november 2008
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CLIENT
 
 
Turku City
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AMOUNT
 
 
€ 14.000.000
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DIMENSIONAL
DATA
 
Surface
sq. 6.900
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STRUCTURES
 
 
Narmaplan Oy
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN
 
 
Molino Oy
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STAFF
 
Project
JKMM Architects
Systems
Elomatic Oy
Electrical engineer
Pöyry Building Services Oy
General contractor
NCC Rakennus Oy
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CREDITS
 
 
Photo © Eeva Palin
Drawings © JKMM Architects
Text edited by JKMM Architects
Courtesy of JKMM Architects

JKMM City Library Turku



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