Tillbyggnad av Storkisbackens skola

My diploma project is based on an invited architectural competition for students of architecture during fall 2008 and spring 2009. The competition was about the extension of Torkinmäki School in Kokkola. The extension part would consist of a complete comprehensive school, including elementary school, secondary school, and high school. According to the space program the floor area would more than dubbed with the extension of the school annex. According to the competition task was the expansion of the school to be constructed in wood and as far as possible based on modular construction methods. The original school building in Torkinmäki in Kokkola was designed by architect Osmo Sipari in the year 1967 and was at that time called Chydenian kansakoulu. The school building was erupted on a concrete base with pillars and beams in armed concrete. Differential features in the plans of the original school building is the division into three separated one storey high units of classrooms and the horizontal line formations created by the pillar and beam construction In my work, I am trying to find a continuation to the idea about separated building masses. In my suggestion for the extension of the school building I am adding two new units, differing in height and in shape: the one, large and massive, includes sport- and office spaces, the other a pavilion like long, three storeys high and thin unit creates a boundary against Talonpojankatu and protects the school building from the street. Together the differing building units the school building descends towards the schoolyard. Between the old and new building masses a small series of gardens are created, every garden with its own character. Continuing on Kokkolas past as a prosperous wooden city and today's increasing interest in ecological construction and wood architecture, is the extension built in wood. I have chosen to construct the annex in CLT, Cross Laminated Timber which gives the opportunity for prefabrication and gives complete wooden surfaces in the interior. The facades of the new school building are in wood, copper and glass. Total gross floor area of the school building is 8788 m2, out of which the existing school building is 3030m2. The programmatic are of the new school building is 5489. out of which the old school is 1971.5