Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects

Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Interior PhotographyKumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Interior Photography, StairsKumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving, FacadeKumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, FacadeKumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - More Images+ 18

Helsingfors, Finland
  • Design Team: Tuukka Vuori, Eliisa Rintanen, Veikko Ojanlatva, Jalo Sippola, Sanna Tegel, Henna Miettinen, Jaakko Heikkilä, Ulla Seppä, Jens Regårdh, Kristian Kontula, Timo Koskinen
  • Clients: SRV, HOAS
  • Structural Design: Vahanen Oy
  • HVAC: Vahanen Talotekniikka Oy
  • City: Helsingfors
  • Country: Finland
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Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo

Text description provided by the architects. An addition to the Helsinki University campus area in Kumpula neighborhood. The building comprises communal spaces and more than 200 student apartments. The small site is wedged on a steep slope between heavy traffic and the faculty buildings. Due to the heavy traffic apartments could partly be opened only to the courtyard. The subsequent semi-cold access gallery forms the main façade of the building. The pleated façade both protects the indoor spaces from solar overheating and disperses the heavy traffic noises so that it doesn’t reverberate to the opposing low-rise residential area.

Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo
Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Image 18 of 23
First Floor Plan
Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs
© Tuomas Uusheimo

From the south, the facade is closed and blank whereas when approaching from the north the façade is more open and welcoming. In addition to the pale brickwork, this more abstract façade connects the new residential building more intuitively to the surrounding larger scale university teaching and research buildings. To emphasize this, the fenestration of the other facades is a generic grid.

Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Interior Photography
© Tuomas Uusheimo

Due to the steeply sloped site, the street-side entrance is on the basement level whereas the courtyard entrance is on the 2nd floor. Most of the communal spaces are located on the 1st floor so that they are visible from both entrance levels to encourage students’ socialization and participation in communal events. Communal spaces are also connected to a void/spiral staircase interconnecting the floors and entrance levels.

Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Tuomas Uusheimo
Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Image 22 of 23
Facade
Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo

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Project location

Address:Gustav Vasas väg 4, 00560 Helsingfors, Finland

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Kumpula Student Housing / Playa Architects" 23 Sep 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/925213/kumpula-student-housing-playa-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

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