Halkosuontie School

We won the Pakilanpuisto campus alliance competition in collaboration with Architects Frondelius+Keppo+Salmenperä in 2018. The competition was set to decide the locations of schools, kindergartens and sports facilities in the precious natural and cultural environment of Pakilanpuisto. The functions of the school was divided onto two different lots on the area, however a safe route between them was secured. The schools also utilise the facilities of Namika Areena, a sports hall designed by us, also located in the area.

The school at Halkosuontie lot is for children from 3rd to 9th grade. It consists of two buildings: the old Pakila primary school that was refurbished, and an extension that is visually submissive to the existing building. The extension is one of the first schools of wooden construction ordered by the City of Helsinki. The existing school has a pitched roof that inspired the shape of the extension. Although the façade of the extension has a masonry finish to match with the old, wooden finishes are widely visible indoors.

In addition to basic education, the school at Halkosuontie hosts new spaces for youth work and diverse leisure activities. As a specialty, both schools in Pakilanpuisto have the first learning spaces in Helsinki that are specifically directed towards severely disabled children.

On the Elontie lot, the construction of the building for children from kindergarten to 2nd grade has begun in 2022.