The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, FacadeThe Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Column, HandrailThe Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Windows, HandrailThe Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, HandrailThe Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - More Images+ 25

Helsinki, Finland
  • Project Manager: Miia-Liina Tommila
  • Principal Designer: Yrjänä Vuojala
  • Lead Building Designer: Hanna-Maria Virtanen
  • Project Architects: Riku Piirta, Jussi Jokela, Laura Pasanen, Camilla Sundin, Stiina Ruusuvuori, Diana Rimniceanu, Otso Askolin, Niina Rissanen
  • Artist Collaborator: Kaleidoscope Nordic AS
  • Building Services: FCG Finnish Consulting Group
  • Fire Safety Consultant: Paloässät
  • Technical Control: Sweco Rakennetekniikka
  • City: Helsinki
  • Country: Finland
More SpecsLess Specs
The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Anders Portman

Text description provided by the architects. Soiva – meaning resonant or musical – is a building for making music. It houses two music schools teaching rhythmic and classical music. The institutions provide playschool for children and education for amateurs and professional students ranging from instrumental and vocal music to music technology and production.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo

In collaboration with the users, Tommila Architects organized the building to cater to both visiting audiences and various regular users. All spaces across five stories are integrated via a central atrium. The ground floor lobby doubles as a foyer and has dark colors and earthy textures, like deeper bass frequencies in comparison with the upper and more private floors, which have a brighter, softer, and cozier appearance.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Image 25 of 30
Section 1
The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, Column, Handrail
© Tuomas Uusheimo

Lounges and rehearsal rooms bridge over the atrium, creating a multifaceted common space, through which natural light flows. The arrangement encourages casual meetings and a sense of commonality between the two schools in the building.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo

The learning spaces are arranged around the building’s perimeter, enjoying ample daylight with vistas to the horizon. Sound-proofing is adjusted so that the building is noiseless but not silent; one can just about hear through doors. This creates the all-important serenity for studying music.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Image 19 of 30
Basement Plan

Cavernous studios in the basement are innovatively designed. Several monitoring and editing rooms cluster around recording spaces so that they can be used simultaneously in various combinations, which is ground-breaking in pedagogy. Concerts in the performance halls above can be also recorded here.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Anders Portman

The facades and interiors allude to music genres: the black of rock’n’roll and the brass of classical instruments. The rhythm of the window openings in the black brickwork echoes musical notation, making each room unique. One performance hall opens to the street through an enormous window, making music present in the urban fabric.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Windows
© Tuomas Uusheimo
The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Brick, Facade, Chair
© Tuomas Uusheimo

Soiva is an annex to the historic ceramic factory of Arabia, once the largest producer in Europe and internationally known for its designs. Manufacturing has ceased but design and culture prevail. Soiva connects to a campus of creative studies within the refurbished factory and shares its facilities. Tommila Architects has designed the entire campus.

The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects - Interior Photography, Facade
© Tuomas Uusheimo

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Muotoilijankatu 1b, 00560 Helsinki, Finland

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "The Soiva Building / Tommila Architects" 11 Oct 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/990210/the-soiva-building-tommila-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

© Anders Portman

建筑与音乐“共鸣”,赫尔辛基Soiva大楼 / Tommila Architects

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.