Lahdelma & Mahlamäki, with associate architect Arkkitehdit m3, has won a competition for the design of a new Travel Services Center and residential block to be located in the city of Oulu, Finland. Located between the low-lying neighborhood of Puu-Raksila and the high-rising city center, the complex will connect districts through large, arching openings puncturing through a dynamic, horizontal profile, while providing new housing for the city.
The heart of the development will be the Travel Services Center and its two public open urban spaces. Here, two large openings in the triangular profile provide access to a bus terminal, train and bus passenger services, a multipurpose hall for sports and culture, a hotel, and shopping and restaurant areas.
“The curvilinear shapes of the Travel Services Centre and the multi-arena belonging to it radiate the impact of their urban image far beyond both sides of the railway,” explain the architects. “The Travel Services Centre also forms a natural hub of public transport, where it is made easy to change from one transport mode to another.”
Extending from the southwest end of the Travel Services Center, three courtyard typology housing blocks will combine the scale of nearby apartment blocks and the architecture of small-scale residential buildings. The blocks will reach up to eight floors, creating wind-protected communal spaces within.
Employing a significant change in elevation, each face of the building responds to its corresponding neighborhood in scale: towards Puu-Raksila, the building meets datum lines established by existing buildings, while to the city, the hub’s distinctive profile will stand out along the skyline.
Gross floor areas
Residential blocks: 65,000 square meters (700,000 square feet)
Office buildings: 10,000 square meters (108,000 square feet)
Travel Services Center: 32,800 square meters (353,000 square feet)
News via Lahdelma & Mahlamäki.
