Lamminrahka School

Lamminrahka School is testament to the skill of the highly experienced school designers responsible for it. The scale is delightful and the spaces clearly laid out. Built over three floors, the school comprises five wings. They are connected by a central atrium, with a series of exciting, interconnected spaces.

Lamminrahka School is an excellent example of what can be achieved through architecture and local authority collaboration. The school was commissioned by the city of Kangasala, but it also welcomes residents from nearby Tampere. Alongside primary school classes, the building houses pre-school and day care groups. In the evening, it is handed over to local sports and other clubs.

An open competition was run in 2019 to identify a design for the building. The finished product, down to even the smallest detail, is testament to the skill of the highly experienced school designers responsible for it. The scale is delightful and the spaces clearly laid out. Built over three floors, the school comprises five wings. They are connected by a central atrium, with a series of exciting, interconnected spaces.

These lend themselves to a variety of different uses. The dining room in the atrium also serves as a social and meeting space as well as an auditorium.

The interiors are beautiful and light-filled with expanses of wood and brick. The architecture is enchantingly complemented by The Wandering Mind, a ceramic artwork by Ninni Luhtasaari, which comprises a series of colourful reliefs and tiny fairytale characters placed around the building.

The bricks that make up the frontage are all laid by hand. At the other side of the building, the spaces dedicated to younger children have lower, timber-clad facades. The outdoor areas, complete with a small woodland, offer excellent opportunities for play, exercise and learning.

New schools with an open-plan layout have attracted public attention recently, drawing both praise and criticism. Lamminrahka is designed to accommodate 140 children at day care and 665 primary school children. Plans are already in place to develop the site further, with facilities due to be built for 400 lower secondary school pupils. Uptake of places remains limited as the new Lamminrahka residential neighbourhood remains under construction for the time being. However, the school is already well on its way to establishing itself as a hub for the local community.