Niipper Primary School received new premises in northern Espoo when new school buildings were planned for the two sister schools.
The floor plans of the Niipper and Karhusuo schools are almost the same, but the emphases and wishes of both sites are different, which is especially evident in the materials and furniture choices.
The new building provided an opportunity for the design of flexible and convertible spaces, which was one of our starting points in the design of bulk furniture. The opening transfer walls connect the spaces and the furniture is flexible from individual work to different forms of group work. Pupil-oriented space planning was carried out with the right dimensioning of the furniture, which, in addition to large numbers of students, leaves enough space for free grouping and rearrangement of furniture in the middle of the hour. Standing points were used in each learning space in addition to other activating furniture to increase mobility.
Facilities around the school encourage interaction and exploration. Different team workstations allow you to do tasks throughout the building together and alone. Easy-to-approach and child-friendly furniture as well as design language support the desire to experiment and the versatility of furniture in everyday life.
An acoustic textile rug was used as the floor material in the teaching rooms, which brings a pleasant world of sound to the rooms. The color scheme in the furniture continues through the school as a berry-colored color scheme that binds the surrounding forest near the students ’school sheet. The atmosphere is fresh and at the same time playful.
See also sister school planning.
Niipperi School, Furniture Design 2017
Photos: Patrik Rastenberger
