OODA: helsinki central library proposal

‘heslinki central library’ by OODA, helsinki, finlandimage © OODA

in breaking from the idea of a library being a book storage facility, portuguese practice OODA has proposed a new social hub for the interchangeof information for the ‘helsinki central library’ competition. an otherwise metal-frame rectangular mass is seemingly melted as a path connecting the new part of the city to the older section makes its way over the stepped rooftop, marking a symbolic threshold through the site as well as a point of social interaction that separates two programmatically diverse sides of the building. containing more than just books, the library lures visitors in through three ambiguously-defined void spaces that may serve several social functions, gathering masses of people in a point of knowledge exchange.the library may also be a point of reference for the city as it represents a certain architectonic dynamism and social responsibility.

street level approachimage © OODA

birds-eye viewimage © OODA

rooftop walkwayimage © OODA

image © OODA

libraryimage © OODA

libraryimage © OODA

cafeimage © OODA

lookout pointsimage © OODA

image © OODA

exhibit spaceimage © OODA

image © OODA

rooftop stepped seatingimage © OODA

socially active street entranceimage © OODA

image © OODA

image © OODA

site planimage © OODA

site planimage © OODA

sectionimage © OODA

sectionimage © OODA

sectionimage © OODA

sectionimage © OODA

elevationimage © OODA

elevationimage © OODA

elevationimage © OODA

elevationimage © OODA

massing studyimage © OODA

roof and facade elementsimage © OODA

layering of circulation and programimage © OODA

image © OODA

project info:

team: diogo brito, rodrigo vilas-boas, francisco lencastre, duarte fontes, tiago sa, vania coelho, jose             mendanha, jose pedro valente, luisa coelhocollaboration: geg, rgaclient: city of helsinkisize: 10.100 total sqmtype: competitionstatus: settled