Oulu Central Saari Library, Finland

Located in Oulu on the North-Western coast of Finland, the newly remodelled four-storey 7330 sqm Central Library has been completed by JKMM Architects.  It sits on Vänmanninsaari on a natural island that has been radically landscaped into a monumental civic quarter and home to not only the Oulu Library but the neighbouring city theatre. Both buildings are designed by Marjatta and Martti Jaatinen as the result of a design competition for the quarter and won in 1963.

The Rationalist pared back concrete library opened in 1982 with colourful interiors designed by the internationally widely recognised Finnish firm Studio Nurmesniemi.  The library with its striking interiors is a “total work of art” and recognised as a built cultural heritage site of national significance. JKMM therefore worked closely with the local heritage representative – Pohjois-Pohjanmaa Museum – to once again reveal the strengths of the original Marjatta and Martti Jaatinen design concept.  

This was important because, over the years, the integrity and lucidity of the original design had been impaired by piecemeal additions.  To address this, JKMM set out to reinstate the clarity of the Marjatta and Martti Jaatinen design while upgrading the building’s technical and functional performance in a way that is largely concealed yet effective and energy efficient.  

“We wanted to understand and express the most important characteristics and spaces of the original Oulu Library. This shared commitment to preservation – between the design team, the client and the users – guided our approach. We were very conscious that the new performative upgrades would not conflict with the existing architecture and the way it was intended to be experienced.”

JKMM’s interior architects collaborated with skilled joiners and cabinetmakers to restore and repair the fitted Nurmeniemi studio interiors as much as possible as well as the original loose furnishings by Artek of which a surprisingly large number are still in place. 

Together the design team at JKMM have welcomed the rawness of the existing building, playing on it and its bold Rationalist qualities embedded in the clarity of its rectilinear plan and form and its modularity with its 6x6m structural grid. The reinstatement of views from the building to its neighbouring public squares and the waterfront was also a key consideration for the team.  

The main triple height reading hall is defined by a generous 54 m by 9 m glazed wall that faces onto the market. The north-west facing concrete elevations are punctured with horizontal ribbon fenestration.  The retracted ground floor is partially glazed and the main entrance enjoys natural light flowing through glass partitions.

All decisions regarding the interior aim at improving the legibility of spaces by bringing out the character of the building as it was intended. The core of the building is sculptural with its concrete lift shaft and surrounding 12 x 12 m wide staircase.  These and the surrounding glass panes that face the core on each floor were restored so that all surrounding spaces interconnect with it without obstruction. Orientation in the library is thus intuitive and requiring minimal signage.  The main stair has now been extended to reach the top floor of the building to add to the sense of movement and connectivity within the heart of the building.

The ground floor of the library is intended to be used as an events space and has a café and auditorium to support this. The first floor houses the main reading room for the public at large with quiet study and research rooms above on the second floor.  Community facilities for children are on the third floor with soundproofed rooms for activities like recording and filming above.  Staff spaces are also located on this top floor.

The exterior palette of materials on the project is minimal and has involved the conservation of the mosaic concrete surfaces and exposed concrete structure. Inside, old parquets have been refurbished and where needed new ash flooring has been installed.  

As in the original Studio Nurmesniemi design, colour has been once again introduced. This has been done by JKMM using timber to soften the cool impact of the predominantly fair-faced in-situ cast concrete surfaces. JKMM’s brightly upholstered reading nooks create distinct yet intimate spaces that are typical of their interior architects’ library interiors.  Bespoke loose furniture – including bookshelves, sofas and desks – combines conserved original pieces with new designs by JKMM’s interior architects, continuing the studio’s tradition of working across all scales of a project.

“There is now a great deal of 1980s building stock requiring attention as it ages and risks becoming redundant. When adeptly refurbished, these buildings can, however, get a new lease of life transforming them so that they are once again appreciated as both functional and enjoyable spaces. Hopefully our project in Oulu might serve as an example for other projects especially as in terms of sustainability, because it is of utmost importance that buildings of all ages are be repaired and reused and that their potential is put into good use. Of course, Oulu's central library is exceptionally fine in its original architecture, and it has been a real pleasure to notice that the library is also very dear and important to many people from Oulu and a growing number of visitors coming in through its doors.”

JKMM:

• Maren Nielsen
• Laura Hämäläinen
• Teemu Kurkela
• Kirsi Meloni
• Peter Vuorenrinne
• Kaisa Laiho
• Olli Vaskelainen
• Lars-Erik Mattila

• Location: Oulu, Finland
• Function: Auditorium, Cafe, Children’s cultural centre, Library, Multifunctional spaces, Working environment
• Size: 7330 m2
• Architecture and Interior Architecture/ Restoration: JKMM
  Interiors and Furniture Design/ Restoration: JKMM
• Original architecture: Marjatta and Martti Jaatinen
• Original interior design: Studio Nurmesniemi
• Client: Oulu Tilapalvelut -liikelaitos / Property and Facilities Management Services of Oulu
• User: Oulu City Library, Children’s Cultural Centre Kotilo and Community Activities
• M&E engineers: Ramboll Finland
• Landscape: VSU architects
• Signage: Avaava
• Main contractors: Rakennustyö Salminen and Aro Systems