Youth center and housing in Oulu

Abstract. This design project for the master’s degree thesis is about a mixed-use building. The project is combining the youth center with housing function in Myllytulli area in Oulu, Finland. The neighborhood project is a housing district but also accommodates several cultural and educational buildings as well as a park. That makes the area a good place to design a project for youths to benefit. Despite the fact that Oulu is a young city, there isn’t any proper public youth center. This project will create spaces that are open, semi-open, private or flexible for them to enjoy and practice their hobbies also experience cultural or educational events. One of the purposes of this project was creating a place where youth doesn’t necessarily need to do activities but also relax or get together with their friends. The youth center program has approx. 3528 m² area spread into two levels with an atrium in the middle. The atrium allows the youth to spend time there without getting involved in other programs. On the housing levels, there are 5 different apartment types from studio to 3 bedrooms apartments which are giving some diversity to the users of the housing levels. Housing levels as 4 towers in different heights will create more contemporary design. The design of the thesis aims to be seen from outside as three different layers. First of all a see-through ground floor with glass curtain walls through the inner courtyard. So people who coming by, passing by can see through the building what’s happening inside and outside through the glasses. Secondly, the upper floor of the youth center level to make it semitransparent with a skin facade with openings which are letting light inside but not showing everything happening in that floor. Thirdly, the housing levels, with vertical wood facade elements, creating constantly moving shadows on the facade during the day