A team comprising Schauman & Nordgren Architects, MASU Planning, and Schauman Architects have been announced as winners of an invited competition for the design of a new exhibition, shopping, and housing scheme in an old customs area of Tampere, Finland. The “Tulli Halls” scheme is defined by a red brick materiality referencing the industrial heritage of the area, and a central tower forming a “beacon and focal point for Tampere.”
The scheme seeks to balance old and new, as well as public and private, with a form which has a “grounding in Tampere’s heritage as well as aspiring future” and public space to improve living conditions of residents and offer meeting places for the general public.
The Tulli plaza forms a central meeting place, “with a different pulse and flow depending on the hour of the day as well as season.” Seeking to form a cultural intersection, both the plaza and ground floors of surrounding buildings are capable of hosting small, grassroots events as well as larger attractions.
In a cold Nordic climate, where interior space is a crucial design aspect, the Tulli Halls seeks to balance living and working in a variety of spatial configurations. “Garage-like” spaces are intended for startups to live and work while showing off their innovations, while apartment sizes vary to accommodate tenant needs. The private nature of the apartments is balanced by communal terraces, including a rooftop sauna and roof terraces with views across the city.
News via: Schauman & Nordgren Architects
