Project: Sports and Cultural Centre
Client: The City of Espoo/invited competition
Location: Espoo / Tapiola
Size: 600brm²
Site: Edge of park and football field
Building material: Graphic Concrete
Result: Limited architectural competition / 1 st price
Design team: Katariina Rautiala and Pentti Raisk

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The city of Espoo (2nd largest city of Finland) organized a limited architectural competition of a Café-dressing rooms and maintenance facilities building on Tapionkenttä sports field. The site is located on a demanding urban connection point between different areas.

The building is located in the protected central area of Tapiola Garden city. The site is bordered by a church and park, Tapiola school and sport activities as well as the cultural centre of Tapiola.

The aim of the architectural volume was sculptural minimalism, with a touch of playfulness.

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Water Tower of Kerava, Finland 2001-2002

Open Architectural Competition

The jury approved 186 anonymous proposals to participate.

Our aim was to create a rational sculpture that would reflect the dynamics of water. The structure is based on three hyperbolic paraboloids that form the load bearing walls. The tower is ~53m tall and is clad with sheets of aluminium.

Project: International architectural competition for  an audiovisual lab
Client: Leipizig Academy of Visual Arts (2001)
Location: Leipzig / Germany
Size: 760m²
Site: On top of the existing building
Building material: Steel, glass and wood
Result: Open international architectural competion / 2nd price
Design team: Katariina Rautiala and Pentti Raiski

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Out of 126 applications 23 participants from 10 countries were short-listeted to participate.The purpose was to find ideas for the architectural possibilities of developing an Audiovisual Lab for and on the premises of Leipzig Academy of Visual Arts originally built in 1889 in the style of classisism.

NEW MEDIA IN HISTORICAL SETTING

The story of a Greek painter Zeuxis and his competition with Parrhasius started the era of illusion in the Western art. According to the story he painted grapes so skilfully that birds tried to eat the painted vine. Today the competition goes on in yearly conventions of SIGGRAPH by RealityEngines. New media is getting tools to operate between philosophically phenomenal and noumenal worlds, creating illusion. That process requires co-operation and communication: a nodal point for creation, a meeting place.

NEW BUILDING IN HISTORICAL SETTING

Both new architecture and new media are culturally and historically bound. By their appearance they may respect, contrast or question their origin. When born they join the heritage that will influence yet unborn works of mankind, reflecting their own time of creation. Life spans vary from milliseconds of a single frame to hundred years of a building. New media is connector of various arts and artists hence the new building implementation should reflect this character in open, interesting and inviting manner. But no building is open if there is no functional reason to enter; a glass façade can be more distant and closed than solid stone.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The approach is based on two interacting factors: constant and variable. The constant is to give shelter to functions. The variable is the distribution of functions. The constant derives its principles of symmetry and structural repetition of the historical setting of The Music Quarter. The urban scale balance of empty and full volumes is preserved. The variable seeks to answer the altering functional demands of present and future. As a natural consequence of the changing nature of digital media and its forms the architectural response is flexibility but also humanity.

FUNCTIONAL DISTRIBUTION

The proposed nature of the functional division into Public- and Limited-Access zones is time resisting basis for further design. The future changes operate within the zones but the need for both open and more closed working spaces remains. The public spaces are situated in the two top floors as the division of these spaces can be treated lighter than in the visually and acoustically more separated limited-access working rooms. The public floors consist of movable workstations and can be opened up to form larger space for new media theatre, debate, openings, spatial art installations or lectures. The Recording room can be connected to the Gallery through movable part of its floor. The southern façade can be used both internally and externally as a screen. Giving a reason to enter and exhibit.

STRUCTURE, ECOLOGY AND LIGHT

The load bearing structure of the extension is made of steel and wood and is based on beams and arches. This enables future changes in the room divisions. Glass is used on the roof to provide natural lighting into the building and to preserve the lighting conditions of the central light well. The corridors are used as ventilation ducts and light shafts. Wood was selected due to its contrasting anti-technological nature, low energy content and its instrument-like acoustic properties when used in combination with heavier materials. Use of wood especially concentrates on the areas prone to future changes such as the division on the limited access zone. The cable ducts are integrated into the floor slabs, ventilation ducts run along the central axis of the extension.

Project: Housing development
Client: The City of Riga and Baltic Development Consultancy (2007)
Location: Latvia, Mangalsala
Size: 240 000 m²
Site: Riverbank and seaside area
Design team: Katariina Rautiala and Pentti Raiski of POOK Architects, Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen of Avanto Architects, and assistants Xsania and Harald Helfrics

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Mangansala peninsula is situated in the Daugava mouth of Baltic sea in Riga, Latvia.

The main attraction of the peninsula is its exceptional nature and different types of water and coast:

1. BALTIC SEA

Beach and dunes – in the future the dune area is preserved as it is, recreational use of the area is enhanced.

2. RIVER DAUGAVA

Heavily treated port and industrial area – in the future the riverbank can be designed as a public marina with boulevard and recreational facilities. There can be exclusive riverside housing of up to 5 levels.

3. VECDAUGAVA

Natura 2000 protection area with many species of bird and reed – in the future there can be a nature path and a small motor boat marina for the new Mangansala housing area.

4. NEW CANALS

People are offered contact to the water just next to the houses. Residents have the possibility of keeping their private boats  next to their apartment.

It is very important to offer public accessibility to all these water areas and possibility to walk around the peninsula.

Project: Public Garden
Client: Committee for City Planning and Architecture (2006)
Location: St Petersburgh, Russia
Size: 40 ha
Site: Riverbank area
Design team: Katariina Rautiala and Pentti Raiski

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Earth and Light – Living Europe

Connection to the city structure

The proposal creates a living, public green zone that is connected to the expanding and existing city by experience full light trafic network. South-North connections join the park and the square to the existing city and to the proposed public shore zone of the city expansion. West-East connections provide a direct escape and an adventurous entry to the park valley world and create a light trafic connection between the city districts. The central Square of Europe participates in the axiology of the city by forming a visually smooth end to the park alignment of the extension and guides the flow of people by natural circular routes.

The functional compass of the area

The protective valley topography creates a spatially changing escape from the city life – a safe nest. Active and participate functions are located on the east side of the valley and a quiet path on the western side. Thus experiencing the park quietly or adventurously or in turns is made possible. The park activities change from the physicality of the South to more spiritual  nature of the North – challenging the thought and creativity.

The Square of Europe

Europe is symbolized as a topographically defined area and at the same time a new type of an experience full city square is created. Smoothly ascending and descending circular topography unifies and separates. The square is designed as a time-movement responsing experience that consists of three cruxial event elements:

1. The exterior – when approaching the square there is a sofly bordered graphic landscape that  creates an inviting  entrance and guides the movement.

2. The interface- As ascending the gentle slope the panoramic views to the park and to the both sides of the city open.

3. The interior – As descending toward the centre the surrounding active event horizon is gently closed and the visitor becomes part of the inside events and non-events.

Площади Европы в Санкт-Петербурге

Описание предложения: Земля и Свет – Живая Европа

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Urban Setting

Volumetric surroundings of the site are uniquely delicate, small, detailed and fractured – and at the same time dominated by few vertical elements. We wanted to respect the small volumetric scale, existing or potential public paths and green areas. Thus creating a small “village” that happens in two levels; creating new accessible public spaces that can provide activities from morning to evening in various temperatures. We wanted to create spaces for spontaneous social contact and fluent life.

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Covering the east stand of the Olympic Stadium

An open competition with 63 proposals

Our proposal “Lehti” was based of wood-steelstructure that formed leaf-like elements.

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International Architecture Idea Competition Workshop in Riga / Latvia

26th of September to 1st of October, 2007

Revival and future vision of Botanical Garden, University of Latvia

We wanted the botanic garden area to become a meditative escape from the city and yet function as green scenery seen from the surroundings. The bordering areas have been designed to give peace, allow limited views and signal the presence of the garden to the adjacent areas.

Jurmalas gotve direction is treated by topografic sound walls and directed view canals.

The Botanic tower is a new green landmark of the new versatile science concentration and awakening international enthusiasm. The practice, education and information of science is taken under the light foliage of the tropics, all year round. This is to create functional versatility and union.

In Riga Botanic Garden We Cultivate Science.