The Helsinki Central Library (Oodi)

Designed to promote knowledge, learning and equality, the Helsinki Central Library (Oodi) in Finland is built to celebrate the centenary of the Nordic nation. Designed by the Finnish company ALA Architects, the amazing building, which costs 98 million euros, is spread over three floors, with three distinct atmospheres.

Erected in the heart of downtown Helsinki, the undulating wooden and glass structure, dubbed Oodi, is the work of the agency ALA Architects. Spread over three levels connected by a monumental staircase, this temple of knowledge reinvents the very concept of the public library, redefining the relationship to culture. On the ground floor, designed as an extension of the public square, passing through the intermediate floor, nicknamed Attic and housing flexible rooms, multifunctional rooms, spaces for creation and entertainment, as well as recording studios, up to the panoramic top floor or Book Heaven, with glass walls supporting a cloud-shaped roof, everything is imagined to offer an unforgettable experience. Using new technologies, in particular robots, the library is built with local materials. Its spatial concept takes the form of an inhabited asymmetrical bridge, made up of steel beams and trellis and supported by two massive steel arches, stretched by a reinforced concrete slab. An innovative solution that has facilitated, among other things, the development of pole-free areas. The facade is covered with 33 mm thick Finnish spruce planks, which follow the cantilevered curve, creating an awning above the square and creating a place capable of hosting public events.