'puu-bo' by bjarke ingels group in kouvola, finland
all images courtesy bjarke ingels group


'puu-bo' by internationally renowned firm BIG is the first-prizing winning design of
the international e2 (economy + ecology) timber competition in finland. a collaborative effort
with pirmin jung engineers for wood constructions, AOA anttinen oiva architects ltd., vahanen engineers
and stora enso, the 15,000 m2 housing project in kouvola is developed for maximum flexibility,
embracing as many building typologies and functionalities as possible. being of wooden construction,
the system aims to be sustainable in both its construction and consumption.



aerial view


located adjacent to the water, the serpentine form defines and divides the plot into parks,
parking and public, social spaces. reaching a maximum height of eight storeys, each unit
is orientated to provide a unique view of the landscape.

rather than pinning the design around a single-time market study, the project is developed
to evolve over time, ultimately being driven by new sustainable methods which enable it
to remain competitive with other building systems. applicable to a number of functional needs,
markets, building codes, and energy demands, 'puu-bo' works with the available resources in
the finnish market for better performance and the generation of qualitative spaces for the masses.



from the water



exterior view



during winter



(top left) required massing on site
(top right) park & parking
(bottom left) volume adjustment
(bottom right) views



landscaping and connections






different typologies







massing model















exploded axo


project info:

size: 15,000 m2, 8 storey prefabricated wood construction
client: city of kouvola, finland
collaborators: AOA, pirmin jung holzbauingenieur, vahanen, stora enso

partner in charge: bjarke ingels, thomas christoffersen
project leader: brian yang
team: krista meskanen, jelena vucic, alina tamosiunaite, alessandro ronfini,
cecilia ho, elisha nathoo, sunming lee, long zhuo, mads bjorn christiansen