Library Fyyri near Helsinki
- Barbara Zettel
In Kirkkonummi, a city in Finland with a population of 40,000, JKMM Architects renovated the existing public library. Originally built in the 1980s it was expanded to twice its previous size. A copper building envelope visually unites the existing structure and the expansion. The new cultural centre, a merely 13 m tall building volume with an horizontal impression and a trapezoidal floor plan, faces the medieval church in the middle of the city. By selecting this specific material the designers refer to the copper roof of the church. Due to their ornamental character, the rhomboid shapes of the facade panels are reminiscent of fishing nets, inspired by the maritime tradition of this coastal city near Helsinki. Together with the neighbouring market place, the church and the library form the cultural heart of the community.
