JKMM Architects, in collaboration with Arkkitehdit NRT, is renovating the Aalto University Library in Finland, creating a multifunctional center where multidisciplinary and innovative forms of learning, research, and work come together.
In the city of Aalto, Finland, the JKMM studio, in collaboration with Arkkitehdit NRT, carries out a radical restructuring of the spaces inside the Harald Herlin Learning Centre university library, transforming it into a multifunctional and modern cultural center where students are encouraged to experiment with innovative forms of learning and collaboration.
Despite significant changes in furnishings and their arrangement, the precious interiors on the upper floors maintain their original atmosphere. Hundreds of meters of shelving are removed to introduce new furniture: overall, the impression is that of a "facelift" with delicate touches.
The services of the educational center are divided by themes: on the second protected floor, there are still the library and the reading room, on the first floor, there is Piazza Tori with its multimedia walls and cafes. The lower floors, completely renovated, are instead dedicated to the knowledge and use of new media, relaxation, and co-working.
The Harald Herlin Learning Centre also houses the Visual Resource Centre with its photographic material and study spaces, used for example, for recording conferences. Finally, it hosts spaces for study, exhibitions, and events.
The interior concept blends all these elements into a well-defined visual identity, carefully crafted in every detail and in the reorganization of functions. Natural materials for the furnishings, bright colors that stimulate creativity in the co-working areas, and neutral and relaxing tones for the study areas.
Unlike other interior design projects, in the renovated Harald Herlin Learning Centre, the traditional library intertwines with an innovative learning mode within a welcoming, relaxing, or stimulating environment depending on the activity of interest.
