Museum of Finnish Architecture About the authors

This book is published in conjunction with The Best School in the Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen is an architect
World exhibition hosted by the Museum of Finnish Architecture in Helsinki, who works in the Department of
from 8 June to 25 September 2011 Cultural Environment Protection at
'Schools', an abridged version of the exhibition, was presented at the the National Board of Antiquities
Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2010 She is currently preparing her doc-
Exhibition design and selection of schools by Roy ManWiri toral thesis on school architecture.

Project leader Juulia Kauste Eriika Johansson, MA, works as a

Project team Hannu Hellman, Eriika Johansson, Maija Kasvio, Juulia Kauste, researcher at the Museum of Finnish
Roy Manttari, Kristiina Nivari, Kristiina Paatero, Elina Stander tskjold Architecture

Editor Maija Kasvio Kaisa Nuikkinen, PhD, IS Head Archi-

Image editor Eriika Johansson tect for school design at the Helsinki
Translation and language consultation Silja Kudel City Education Department
Graphic design Salla Bedard
Pasi Sahlberg, PhD, is Director Gen-
© Museum of Finnish Architecture and the authors eral of CIMO, an organisation for
© Photographs the designers of the schools international mobility and cooperation
under the Finnish Ministry of Educa-
Cover images tion and Culture.
Front Enter Upper Secondary School and Vocational College
K2S Architects Ltd Photo Marko Huttunen
Back Comprehensive School in Joensuu.
Lahdelma & Mahlamaki Architects. Photo Jussi Tiainen.
Inside The Large Hand by Stig Baumgartner

Printers Art-Print Ov Helsinki 2011

ISBN 978-952-5195-37-8

This work has been published with the financial assistance

of the Fill Finnish Literature Exchange
Contents

Preface 7
Juulia Kauste

Introduction ....... 8
Eriika Johansson

Learning Spaces: How They Meet Evolving Educational Needs 10

Kaisa Nuikkinen

Educational Progress in Finland and What We Can Learn from It 20

Pasi Sahlberg

Schools
Site descriptions by Eriika Johansson

Strornberq School, Helsinki 30

Kari .larvinen and Merja Nieminen, Architects SAFA

Viikki Teacher Training School, Helsinki 36

Ark-House Architects

Hiidenkivi School, Helsinki 42

Hak!i Architects

Sakarinrnaki School, bstersundom School, Helsinki 48

Sari Nieminen Architect, FLN Architects

Comprehensive School, Joensuu 54

Lahdelma & Mahlarnaki Architects

Enter. Upper Secondary School and Vocational College, Sipoo 60

K2S Architects Ltd

Kirkkojarvi School, Espoo 66

Verstas Architects Ltd

Setting the Scene for Learning 72

Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen
Preface

Juulia Kauste
Director, Museum of Finnish Architecture

The Finnish school system has been highly praised worldwide for the high national
average scores attained by Finnish students in the OECD's international PISA
surveys. In recent years, Finnish school-aged children have performed well in all
subjects ranging from mathematics to reading skills and sciences. But what makes
Finnish schools such a great success?
In this book, experts on education and architecture seek answers to this
intriguing question by looking at today's schools from a variety of angles. The book
provides an overview of the Finnish school system and the buildings which serve
as learning environments in contemporary Finnish society. It emphasises the role of
schools as a fundamentally egalitarian institution offering free and equal education
to all through a strong system of public funding both for the design and construction
of schools and for the education offered in them.
Kaisa Nuikkinen, Head Architect at the Helsinki City Education Department,
discusses school buildings as learning environments. Pasi Sahlberg, Director Gen-
eral of the Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation, looks at educational
progress in Finland since the 1970s, analysing the impact of major reforms carried
out in 1972-77. Finally, Sirkka-Liisa Jetsonen, an architect at the National Board
of Antiquities, provides a general outline of the Finnish education system and its
buildings.
The book presents seven examples of contemporary Finnish school buildings.
These were originally selected by the architect Roy Manttari for an exhibition at the
Venice Biennale in 2010. Eriika Johansson, a researcher at the Museum of Finnish
Architecture, wrote both the introduction and the descriptions of the buildings,
highlighting the key elements that guide the design of school buildings in Finland
today.
The book was conceived in conjunction with "The Best School in the World"
exhibition presented at the Museum of Finnish Architecture in the summer of 2011.

Left: Kirkkojarvi School. Verstas Architects Ltd. The main

entrance stands directly between the two wings designated
for the upper- and lower-level comprehensive schools. It opens
onto a high-ceilinged vestibule and stairs leading down to the
lunch room. The upper-level school is more public by nature,
being fully integrated with the school's common areas.
Photo Rauno Traskelin,

7
 Introduction

Eriika Johansson

Tuition provided in Finnish schools is regulated by the Finnish National Board

of Education. The Board drafts the national core curriculum and ensures that all
schools comply with its agreed content and objectives, guaranteeing all pupils their
constitutional right to equal access to uniform standards of education. In autumn
2010 there were 2,800 comprehensive schools in Finland with a combined total of
524,200 pupils. Ninety-seven per cent of all Finnish schools are administered by
local authorities.
The Board of Education also lays down broad guidelines for what it defines as
the 'learning environment', which includes everything from the physical setting of
individual classrooms to the school's natural and communal surroundings. Aesthetic
aspects are subject to special recommendations. The quality of any learning environ-
ment ultimately depends not only on its standard of amenities but the overall func-
tionality of the whole school setting. A school should be a place that is physically,
psychologically and socially safe, promoting the child's growth, health and learning
as well as their positive interaction with teachers and fellow pupils. A sound learning
environment is founded on good design and the healthy interaction that this fosters.
School architecture is inescapably influenced by the educational philosophies
prevailing at any given period in history. Being the only visible public buildings in
many localities, schools have special local value as an expression of the ethos, aes-
thetic sensibilities and technical expertise of their era. With time, however, schools
must adapt to the changing needs of new generations. They provide a venue not
only for daily lessons, but also for after-school child care, sports clubs, night school
and various recreational activities, calling for a considerable degree of architectural
flexibility. Today's architects must furthermore think beyond the building's envis-
aged lifespan as a school. In line with the principles of sustainable development,
longevity is a key aspiration for new schools built in the 2000s. Ensuring that the
building is easy to maintain and repair is important for its ecological sustainability.
It should also be readily adaptable not only for economic reasons, but also for its
cultural sustainability from generation to generation.
Interestingly, most of the schools presented in this publication were originally
designed as entries in architectural competitions. Between 2000 and 2010, a total of
15 competitions were held in Finland for primary and secondary schools in various
parts of the country.
New Finnish schools built in the 2000s are a combination of tried-and-tested
solutions and a variety of innovations rendering them distinct from schools built in
the previous century.

8
Above: Kymenlaakso University of Applied A popular solution seen in many new schools is a spacious, multipurpose ves-
Sciences Kasarrninrnaki Campus, Paja exhibi-
tibule. The prevalence of these public gathering places marks a conscious strategy
tion and cafe building, Kouvola 2010. Archi-
tects NRT Ltd. Photo Tuomas Uusheimo. to build a sense of communality. An inspiring, aesthetically pleasing environment
enhances the well-being of all who use it. Added to this, a well-designed school
should also offer private nooks free of visual barriers where pupils can enjoy a
moment of solitude without the need for additional supervision.
Solutions maximising the amount of incoming sunlight form an enduring motif
in Finnish school architecture. There is never enough light during the dark winter
months, yet from June to August - when the sunlight streaming through the large
glass surfaces could overheat the interiors - all Finnish schools are closed for the
summer holidays.

9
 Learning Spaces: How They Meet
Evolving Educational Needs

Kaisa Nuikkinen

What Makes a Building a School?

Above and beyond all the usual building recommendations, school architecture
is guided by the national core curriculum and specific pedagogical requirements.
School curricula are based on historical, social, political and economic circum-
stances that reflect the aspirations and educational ideals of their day. The mandate
of education is to pass on our cultural legacy from generation to generation, help
students develop skills of critical assessment, create new cultural capital, introduce
new paradigms of thought and practice, and arm students with the proficiencies for
functioning successfully in work and society.
Learning is a context-dependent exercise that is invariably grounded in the situ-
ation, environment and culture in which new knowledge is acquired and applied.
The mission of every school is to promote learning, and it is the teacher's task
to make the most of everything in the learning environment that supports this.
Teachers and their teaching strategies, too, are influenced by various environmental
factors such as the surrounding architecture and the pedagogical opportunities
it offers. In other words, learning is inseparable from the physical environment in
which it takes place, and architecture is an integral part of the functional design of
the school environment.
Given the context-dependent nature of learning, a school's architectural goals
are much the same as its more general aims. Schools should promote physical,
mental and social health and welfare as well as provide an inspirational develop-
mental setting and a work environment that promotes good occupational health
and fitness for work. It should furthermore promote equality and cultural edifica-
tion. It should serve various user groups and cater for the divergent needs of boys
and girls and their developmental differences. The guiding aim of all schools is to
ensure that every day is a good and safe one for all students by providing the best
possible environment for their welfare, personal development and learning.
Contemporary theory emphasises learning as an active. hands-on experi-
ence. First, however, the student must perceive it as being personally meaningful.
Learning is meaningful when the student sees where to apply what they learn and
why it is significant. There are many different ways of learning: by doing, experi-
menting, researching, categorising, comparing, analysing and assessing. Learning
engages all the senses, and there are various techniques for achieving this: autono-
mous study, pair work, group exercises, play and drama. For a good outcome, the
student must also have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

10
Above: The Lohipato Unit of Tervavavla School Buildings in Former Times
School, Oulu 2009. Linja Architects Ltd. This
In the past it was not customary to question what teachers taught or what schools
special unit serves as a school and home for
looked like. Learning took place in a standard-type classroom, with the teacher
children with multiple disabilities. It is the only
Nordic school to be selected as one of 60 imparting facts to pupils seated in orderly rows behind their desks. The school
exemplary educational facilities in the OECD was cordoned off from real life and the classroom door shut as a symbolic gesture
Designing for Education Project OECD/
excluding all prior knowledge from the outside world. The shut door also inscribed
CELE Compendium of Exemplary Educa-
tional Facilities 2011. Photo Timo Koljonen. the classroom as the teacher's private domain: they alone were in charge of all
learning that took place within its secluded walls. The closed door furthermore
made clear that student mobility was subject to the teacher's permission. Seating
the students at separate desks precluded social interaction and represented a view
of learning as an individual accomplishment. Schools were viewed as something
akin to adult establishments such as offices, factories or hospitals, or disciplinary
and custodial institutions such as army barracks, mental hospitals or prisons. Like
these institutions, schools upheld the same demand for unflagging self-discipline
and fortitude, with schoolwork perceived as something comparable to forced wage
labour, instilling in the students an appreciation for the freedom conferred by occa-
sional breaks and recesses. The orderly interiors of old schoolhouses trace back to
the medieval scriptorium, the libraries where monastic scribes worked in neat rows
seated at their writing desks. School architecture has also borrowed elements from
residential buildings and factory halls.

11
 The New Role of Schools
In the 1970s the Finnish school system underwent a rapid, major reform replacing
the old primary-secondary school system with compulsory nine-year comprehen-
sive school, which today also caters for students with special needs. Nearly all
Finnish children attend optional preschool at the age of six. In many schools, pupils
can also participate in afternoon activities organised in school premises.
Today's schools provide a growing amount of ancillary services involving
personnel of various professions. The workplace community no longer revolves
around the teachers' staffroom as it traditionally did; instead, the personnel need
appropriate premises to carry out their duties either separately, jointly or together
with guardians and authorities.
Today's schools are designed for everyone - not just for the physical and mental
ideal of a well-adjusted 'normal' pupil. They often serve as multipurpose centres of
learning, culture and various forms of recreation for people of all ages in the local
community. If schools are to be the social touchstone for today's youth, they can no
longer replicate the non-communal learning environments of former times.

12
 Schools played a key role in Finland's transition from an agrarian economy to an
industrial one. Today they address the skills and proficiencies needed in a global,
pluralistic and multi cultural society. This not only entails mastery of all the usual
school subjects, but also special skills in information gathering, communication,
teamwork and hands-on participation. Schools face growing expectations related
to globalisation, multiculturalism, social exclusion, immigration and altered child-
rearing practices and responsibilities. Another new task delegated to schools is that
of providing students with basic life management skills and competences for coping
in everyday life.

Architectural Challenges Posed by New and Changing Educational Needs

Because schools are built to serve as a place of learning, the school environment
should support the goals and content of teaching as well as the learning process
overall, which means facilitating everything related to the teacher's work and the
learning-to-learn process. The building itself does not directly enable learning;
rather it does so through the mediation of various other elements. It defines the
practical parameters of the teaching that can be provided within its walls, promotes
social interaction, creates the general atmosphere, provides opportunities for self-
actualisation and has a major impact on health and safety - all of which contribute
to a successful learning experience.
The context dependency of learning and the important role of the physical
environment in the tuition of certain subjects add a wholly new dimension to the
design of school buildings. If the building is consciously viewed as an instrument of
learning, the architecture itself can serve as an inspirational, tangible teaching tool,
offering a living example of such things as good ergonomic design and the princi-

Opposite: Hiidenkivi School. Helsinki 2004.

Hakli Architects. The classrooms are
designed for maximum transparency. The
pupils often migrate into a common social
space to do group work around large desks.
Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Right: Sakarinrnaki School day-care centre,

Helsinki 2005. Sari Nieminen Architect, FLN
Architects. Photo Arno de la Chapelle
Right: Albert Edelfelt Comprehensive
School, Porvoo 2009. Leena Yli-Lonttinen
Architects. Drama class. Photo Jari Kippola.

Opposite: Comprehensive School, Joensuu

2006. Lahdelma & Mahlamaki Architects.
The multipurpose entrance hall. Photo Jussi
Tiainen.

pies of sustainable development. Architecture inherently promotes cross-disciplinary

learning by integrating varied disciplines such as mathematics, science and the arts.
The learning environment is itself a pedagogical tool by virtue of its forms, spaces,
volumes, colours, materials and textures. School buildings are no longer just pas-
sive spaces and structures that everyone takes for granted: instead, they are being
endowed with new educational significance and practical relevance.
The architecture of a school should offer an expedient functional setting en-
abling the interiors to be regrouped flexibly for various purposes, separating quiet
and noisy spaces and providing easy access to common areas for outside members
of the community. The architecture not only defines and articulates the physical
space, but also the activities going on inside it.
The desired size of the classroom and the need for special equipment vary with
the subject and the teaching method. A flexibly designed school should enable
groups of different sizes to migrate fluently from space to space with minimal
disruption. The visual integration of learning spaces enhances their flexibility,
enabling classes to be regrouped as suits the situation. The same flexibility should
also extend to the soundscape: the design should allow for spaces to be opened
or closed, either to contain noise or merge soundscapes. To promote manual
skills, learning should take place in spaces more like workshops than conventional
classrooms. The layout should enable affiliated subjects to be grouped together;
traditional homerooms and subject classrooms can be replaced with multipurpose
learning spaces or, alternatively, different subject classrooms can be integrated.

14
 Flexibility means being able to predict the needs of the future: the layout should
be adaptable enough to meet changing functional requirements and spatial needs.
Each space should simultaneously allow for learning to take place both individually
and in groups. Schools should be designed so that they can be used imaginatively
and creatively. Learning is not confined exclusively to dedicated teaching spaces;
teaching and other activities also take place in the lunch room, gym and auditorium.
The architecture should promote multi-sensory learning and should encourage stu-
dents to participate and influence their surroundings. It should furthermore promote
social exchange and foster the competencies needed for functioning successfully in
work and society.
There are no universal recommendations or research findings regarding the
ideal size of a school. A school attended by hundreds of students can be divided
up into smaller, discrete blocks, in which case the teachers know all the students
in their block and even the youngest pupils can find their way without orientation
difficulties. With the school divided into blocks, students have a better chance to
interact socially, participate and influence their immediate surroundings. A block-
Opposite: Haukkarnaki School, Karkkila
2007. Kari .Jarvinen and Merja Nieminen,
based solution minimises noise, reduces the need for lengthy migration from class
Architects SAFA. Photo Kimmo Raisanen. to class, and cuts down unnecessary internal traffic. A common social space that is
readily accessible in a central location contributes to promoting social interaction
Above: Aurinkolahti School, Helsinki 2002.
and communality.
.Jeskanen-Repo-Teranne Architects and
Leena Yli-Lonttinen Architects. Photo Jussi By emphasising the common social space in the functional hierarchy of the
Tiainen. building, the design communicates the importance of social unity and human
interface. The visual and aural integration of adjacent spaces creates a sense of
belonging and community. The premises should offer quiet spaces for private con-
centration, analysis, autonomous study and revision, but also for socialising and
relaxing. The downside of lively social interaction is the undesirable behaviour to
which it occasionally gives rise. This can be tackled by maximising transparency
and ensuring unhindered visual access for easy supervision.
The architectural identity of a school is the sum of various elements and their
inner dynamics. Still, its human aspect - the experienced space vis-a-vis the
physical space - is equally crucial from the viewpoint of its occupants. A conscious
awareness of one's physical environment is not the same thing as its unconditional
acceptance: quite the contrary, it instils a desire to critically assess one's surround-
ings. Students' attitudes to their school are also based on their aesthetic judgements.
The physical and aesthetic attributes of a school can provide pleasure and inspira-
tion, which in turn promotes overall wellbeing. There already exist relatively exten-
sive recommendations for the design of Finnish schools, yet these are not based
on the user's perspective or the human impact of the physical space. Indeed the
entire building and all its features should be harnessed more comprehensively in
the learning process. The key feature of humane architecture is its ability to interact
with ordinary people and serve their everyday needs. Interestingly, many of the fea-
tures expected of modern school buildings are beginning to resemble those of old

17
 village schools in former times: the school should have a multipurpose design that
can be adapted to serve a variety of needs.
My PhD thesis on the user's experience of the learning environment, School
Buildings and Wellbeing, highlights various new perspectives that should be taken
into account in the design of future learning environments. For starters, the smooth
flow of daily routines - such as ease in dressing to go outdoors during recess and
factors such as order and cleanliness - have a surprisingly big impact on student
comfort and welfare. It is important for the layout to build a sense of community and
facilitate interaction between different staff members. Equally important is the need
to consider issues such as equality and students' individual needs. The structure
and layout can even contribute to successful workplace leadership. Before the per-
sonnel can maximise the opportunities afforded by the architecture, however, they
must be made aware of how to make the most of them. Not surprisingly, the physical
environment influences the degree to which the space is perceived as safe, but
experientially it can also enhance the student's sense of control, orientation and life
management: clearly identifiable functional settings can help students conceptually
Above: Albert Edelfelt Comprehensive
School, Porvoo 2009. Leena Yli-Lonttinen grasp the passage of time and the structure of the school day. An aesthetically sat-
Architects. Photo Antti Hahl. isfying building is one that allows its occupants to beautify their surroundings with
decorations, but issues such as order, cleanliness and vandal-resistance are no less
Opposite: Kirkkojarvi School, Espoo 2010.
Verstas Architects Ltd. Art by students on important from an aesthetic perspective.
display in the lunch room. Photo Tuomas Rather than focusing on architecture per se, my thesis examines school build-
Uusheimo. ings in terms of how they are perceived, experienced and understood by their users.
The merits of school architecture can be measured by the extent to which it toler-
ates constant transformation by the staff and students - for instance in the form of
students' artworks and other decorations hanging on the walls - without losing any
of its inherent impact. Active involvement is a necessary means of experiencing any
environment; the user's aesthetic experience is thus more one of active input than
mere passive absorption. Comprehending the role of the physical setting as a pre-
given ingredient of the child's experiential reality poses a challenge to all involved
in the planning of schools.
In addition to fulfilling certain practical requirements, a school building should
produce an elusive sense of wellbeing that arises from how it relates to its surround-
ings, its materials, forms and dimensions as well as subtle nuances in its colouration,
lighting and soundscape. This goes to show that education is more than a straight-
forward matter of passing on the skills and knowledge for coping in a competitive
labour market. A well designed school genuinely enhances the quality of the educa-
tion provided within its walls.

Bibliography: Antikainen, A, Rinne, R & Koski, L. 2000. Kasvatussosiologia (Sociology of Educa-

tion) Porvoo WSOY I Finnish National Board of Education. 2004c. The National Core Curriculum
for Basic Education 20041 Nuikkinen Kaisa. 2009. Koulurakennusja hyvinvointi. Teoriaaja kavt-
tajan kokemuksia peruskouluarkkitehtuurista. (School Buildings and Wellbeing Theory and User
Experience in Comprehensive School Architecture), PhD thesis. Acta Universitatis Tamperensis
1398. Tampere University Press.

18
 Educational Progress in Finland and
What We Can Learn from It

Pasi Sahlberg

With Finland attracting global attention for its high-performing education system,
it bears asking whether there has been any progress in this performance since the
1980s. If progress can be reliably identified, then the question is: What factors might
underlie successful education reform? The significant feature of the Finnish educa-
tion system is its steady progress over the past three decades within four main
domains: 1the increased level of educational attainment among the adult popula-
tion; 2 the widespread equity of educational outcomes; 3 a high international level
of student learning; and 4 moderate overall spending, almost solely from public
sources. Good education systems need to perform well in all four of these domains.
How, then, has Finland performed in each of them since the 1970s?

20
Figure 1: Level of educational attainment Finland as a Successful Reformer
among the Finnish adult population (15 years
First, there has been steady growth in participation in all levels of education in
and older) since 1975 (source Statistics
Finland)
Finland since 1970. This growth has been especially rapid in the upper-secondary
education sector in the 1980s and, subsequently, within higher education and adult
Above: Kalasatama School and Day Nursery, learning from the 1990s up to the present. Education policies and related reform
sketch, Helsinki. JKMM Architects. Code-
principles in Finland have focused on creating equal education opportunities for
name Wigwam in an architectural competi-
tion held in 2010, scheduled for completion all and thereby increasing participation in education throughout Finnish society. At
in 2014 the same time, more than 99% of the age cohort successfully completes compulsory
education and about 95% continue their education in upper secondary schools or
in the optional 10th grade of comprehensive school (some 3%) immediately after
graduation. Of all young Finns, over 90% eventually receive their school leaving
certificate providing access to higher education. Two thirds of those enrol either in
academic universities or professionally oriented polytechnics. Finally, more than
50% of the Finnish adult population participates in adult education programmes.
The rising educational level of Finnish adults is shown in Figure 1.

21
22
 Variation in reading performance between and within schools

----------
Variation within schools

Variation between schools

Left: Munkkiniemi Lower Comprehensive Second, education opportunities and, consequently, good learning outcomes
School, annex, Helsinki 2000. Hakli Archi-
are spread quite evenly across different schools in Finland. There was a visible
tects. This contemporary modular solution
designed for the City of Helsinki provided an
achievement gap among students from different social groups at the end of com-
answer to the school's space shortage prob- pulsory education (at the age of 16) in the early 1970s due to very different educa-
lems. Architect Seppo Hak!i designed a port- tional orientations associated with the old parallel system.' This knowledge gap
able wooden annex of modular elements that
strongly corresponded with the socio-economic divide within Finnish society at that
can be combined flexibly for various needs.
Five schools in Helsinki have augmented their time. Although students' learning outcomes began to even out by the mid-1980s,
Leaching space using Hakli's annex solution. streaming through ability grouping in mathematics and foreign languages kept
Photo Jussi Tiainen. the achievement gap relatively wide. After abolishing streaming in comprehensive
school mathematics and foreign languages teaching in the mid-1980s and thereby
Figure 2: National variance within and
between schools in student science perform- making learning expectations similar for all students, the achievement gap between
ance in the 2006 PISA cycle (source OECD) low and high achievers gradually began to decrease. The first evidence of this came
from the OEeD's Programme for International Student Achievement (PISA) survey
in 2000. Finland was among the countries with the lowest performance variation
between schools. Figure 2 shows the situation in the 2006 PISA study. A similar trend
continued in all PISA surveys, including 2009.
Finland shows less than 5% inter-school variance on the PlSA science scale
whereas the average variance rate for other OECD nations is about 33%. The respec-
tive percentages in the PISA 2009 reading literacy study are 7.7% and 42%. The fact
that almost all Finnish inequality is within schools means that the remaining differ-
ences are probably mostly due to variation in students' natural talent. Accordingly,
variation between schools mostly relates to social inequality. Since this is only a
minor source of variation in Finland, it suggests that schools successfully deal with

23
Figure 3: Finnish 15-year-old students'
performance in mathematics in three OECD 2000 • 2003 • 2006

PISA surveys between 2000 and 2006 in

selected OECD countries (source OECD)

social inequality. This also suggests that Finnish educational reform has succeeded
in building an equitable education system in a relatively short time, which is one of
the main objectives defined for Finland's education reform agenda in the early 1970s.
Third, Finnish students' learning is at a high level by international standards,
as confirmed by available comparative student achievement studies. Although it is
difficult to compare students' learning outcomes today with those in 1980, some evi-
dence can be offered using International Educational Assessment (lEA) and OECD
PISA surveys conducted since the 1980s. Based on these data Finnish students
have improved their learning vis-a-vis their international peers. Figure 3 shows that
trends in Finnish students' learning performance as measured in the OECD PISA
mathematics scale diverge from those of students in certain other OECD countries.
Interestingly, the PISA data indicate that Finland - contrary to many other education
superpowers - has made steady progress in mathematics achievement between
2000 and 2006.
It seems that Finland has been able to reform its education system by increasing
participation at all levels, making good education accessible to a large proportion of
its population, and attaining comparatively high learning outcomes in most schools
throughout the nation. All of this has been accomplished almost exclusively through
public funding, including higher and adult education. One more question regarding
good educational performance remains to be addressed: How much does it cost the
Finnish tax-payer? In OECD nations for which data on comparable trends are avail-
able for all educational levels combined, public and private investment in Finnish
education increased 34% from 1995 to 2004 in real terms, while the OECD average for
the same period was 42%. Expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage
of GDP in Finland is at the OECD average, 5.6% in 2007. According to recent global
education indicators about 2.5% of Finnish expenditure on educational institutions is
from private sources, as compared to an OECD average of 13%. These data indicate
that good educational performance in Finland has been attained at reasonable cost.

24
The Finnish Way of Change
One repeatedly asked question is this: Why are Finnish schools and students doing
better in international comparison studies than most others? Indeed, Finland has
employed alternative approaches in education policies and reforms to build its cur-
rent high-performing education system? Professor Jouni Valiiarvi, who has worked
on international student assessmentsfor many decades, observes the following:

Finland's high achievement seems to be attributable to a whole net-

work of interrelated factors in which students' own areas of interest
and leisure activities, the learning opportunities provided by school,
parental support and involvement as well as the social and cultural
context of learning and of the entire education system combine with
each other.'

One aspect of the Finnish education system that is often overlooked is the excep-
tionally high level of reading literacy that Finnish children attain at an early age.
This is due to both educational and socio-cultural reasons: teaching children to
read in schools is based on individual development and pace rather than stand-
ardised instruction and frequent testing; Finnish parents read a lot themselves and
also to their children; books and newspapers are easily available through a dense
library network; and children watch sub-titled TV programmes from early on.
Good reading comprehension and rapid text comprehension are a great advantage
in PlSA tests that are based on being able to comprehend descriptive tasks in all
measured areas.
The following five interrelated factors are often highlighted when Finnish
experts explain the reasons for Finland's good educational performance. Although
all these factors are related to education or the school system, this is not to deny
that social, communal or familial factors also have an important role to play.
Comprehensive school (peruskoulu) that offers equal educational oppor-
tunities for all. All Finnish children start their formal schooling in August of the
year they turn seven. Normally, lower-level comprehensive school lasts six years
followed by three-year upper-level comprehensive school, although the new
law allows some variation. Today it is widely recognised that six-year lower-level
comprehensive school provides a solid basis for a high-quality education system.
Finnish experience and international research show that investment in lower-level
education pays off in later grades through better aptitude and learning skills, as
well as through positive overall outcomes. Schools are typically small, with class
sizes ranging from 15to 30 students. In 2004, more than one third of Finnish com-
prehensive schools had fewer than 50 pupils; just 4% of all schools had 500 or more
pupils. Lower grades (1 to 6) typically have fewer than 300 pupils and often operate
separately from upper grades (7 to 9) although the two are increasingly being com-
bined. Schools are designed to be easily accessible to all children and stimulate
creativity and engagement in learning. As a consequence of budget constraints in

25
 Finnish municipalities, about 1,000 comprehensive schools have been shut down
during the first decade of this century. Many of them were small rural schools.
Teaching is an inspiring profession that attracts many young Finns. In Finnish
society, the teaching profession has always enjoyed great public respect and appreci-
ation. Classroom teaching is considered an independent, high-status profession that
attracts some of the best young talent each year to apply for academic teacher edu-
cation in Finnish universities. The main reason for the high appeal of the teaching
profession is the fact that the required Master's degree also opens other employ-
ment opportunities and future options. Teachers who choose a career in education
consequently do not feel that they are limited only to working in school, although
most teachers never leave the profession. Indeed, a teacher with a Master's degree
often interests human resource departments within the Finnish private sector and
third-sector organisations. These teachers furthermore have open access to doctoral
studies in Finnish universities. During the past decade, Finnish schools have noted
an upsurge in school principals and teachers possessing a PhD in education.
Preparing teachers for a research-based profession has been a key objective
in Finnish teacher education developments since the mid-1970s.4 Teachers' higher
academic qualifications have enabled schools to have an increasingly active role
in curriculum planning, evaluating education outcomes and leading overall school
improvement. The OECD review on equity in education in Finland describes how
Finland has created a virtuous circle surrounding teaching:

High status and good working conditions-small classes, adequate

support for counsellors and special needs teachers, a voice in school
decisions, low levels of discipline problems, high levels of professional
autonomy-create large pools of applicants, leading to highly selective
and intensive teacher preparation programs. This, in turn, leads to
success in the early years of teaching, relative stability of the teacher
work force, and success in teaching (of which PfSA results are only one
example), and a continuation of the high status of teaching. 5

Today the Finnish teaching profession is on par with other high-status professions;
teachers can diagnose problems in their classrooms and schools, apply evidence-
based, alternative solutions to resolve them and evaluate and analyse the impact of
implemented procedures. Parents trust teachers as professionals who know what is
best for their children. Teachers are often involved in designing new school buildings
for their communities. This guarantees that school architecture provides a productive
learning environment for students and creative working conditions for teachers.
Smart accountability. Finland has not followed the global educational account-
ability movement, which assumes that making schools and teachers more account-
able for their performance would be the key to raising student achievement.
Traditionally, evaluation of student outcomes has been the responsibility of each
Finnish teacher and school. There are no external standardised high-stake tests

26
in Finnish comprehensive school. All assessment of student learning is based on
school-specific teacher-made tests. Normally Finnish pupils are not assessed using
numerical grades that would enable directly comparing pupils with one another
before 5th or 6th grade. Only descriptive assessments and feedback are employed
depending on how student assessment is described in the school curriculum or
municipal education plan. Lower-level comprehensive school is, to a large extent,
a 'standardised testing-free zone' reserved for creative learning rather than for fre-
quently tested achievement. The national 2006 PISA report concludes that only 7%
of Finnish students said they experience anxiety when working on mathematics
tasks at home, as compared to 52% and 53% in Japan and France, respectively."
Smart accountability in the Finnish education context preserves and enhances
trust among teachers, students, school leaders and education authorities in the
accountability process and involves them in it, offering them a strong sense of
professional responsibility and initiative. Education in Finland is characterised
by shared responsibility for teaching and learning. Parents, students and teachers
prefer smart accountability that enables schools to keep the focus on learning and
permits more freedom in curriculum planning, as compared with the external stand-
ardised testing culture prevailing in some other nations.
Trust. Much of what has been previously noted is possible only if parents, stu-
dents and authorities trust teachers and school principals. Until the early 1990s, the
Finnish education system was highly centralised. Schools were previously strictly
regulated by central agencies; a dense network of rules and orders regulated the
daily work of teachers. The gradual shift toward trusting schools and teachers began
in the late 1980s. The era of a trust-based school culture formally began in the early
1990s when teachers and principals were given the right and responsibility to design
their own curricula, assess their students and decide what textbooks are used.
School inspections were concurrently terminated for good.
The culture of trust meant that education authorities and political leaders
believed that teachers, together with principals, parents, students and their commu-
nities know how to provide the best possible education for their children and youth.
Trust can only flourish in an environment that is built upon honesty, confidence,
professionalism and good governance. Tellingly, Finland also performs well in
international transparency rankings that indicate perceptions of corruption among
citizens. Public institutions generally enjoy high public trust in Finland. Trusting
schools and teachers is a consequence of a well-functioning civil society and high
social capital. Honesty and trust are often seen as figuring prominently among the
most basic values and building blocks of Finnish society.'
Sustainable leadership and political stability. The success of Finnish education
is not the result of any major national education reform per se. Instead, education
development in Finland has been based on the continual adjustment of schooling
to the changing needs of individuals and society. Although the emergence of
public sector management marked revolutionary changes in Finnish educational

27
 discourse, this new rhetoric and its associated practices have not been able to take
root in education as easily as in other domains of society." As a consequence, the
basic values and the main vision of education as a public service have remained
unchanged since the 1970s. Governments from the political left and right have
respected education as the key public service provided to all citizens and have
maintained their belief that only a highly and widely educated nation will be suc-
cessful in world markets.
In education systems that undergo wave after wave of reforms, emphasis is often
placed on implementation and consolidation of externally designed changes. The
main result is frustration and resistance to change rather than desire to improve
schools. Meanwhile, a stable political situation since the 1980s and sustained edu-
cationalleadership have enabled Finnish schools and teachers to concentrate on
developing teaching and learning. Rather than allocating financial resources and
time to implementing new reforms repeatedly, teachers in Finland have been given
professional freedom to develop pedagogical knowledge and skills related to their
individual needs. New school buildings that are designed to support student-centred
teaching and productive learning have also been an important element of sustained
improvement of education in Finland.

References
1 Sahlberg, P 2011 Finnish lessons What can the world learn from educational
change in Finland? New York Teachers College Press
2 Hargreaves, A. & Shirley, D. 2009. The Fourth Way The inspiring future for edu-
cational change. Thousand Oaks Corwin
3Valljarvi, J, Linnakvla, P, Kupari, P, Reinikainen, P, & Arffman, I. 2002. Finnish
success in PISA and some reasons behind it .lvvaskvla Institute for Educa-
tional Research, University of .Jvvaskvla. p 46.
4 Toom, A., Kynaslahti, H , Krokfors, L, .Jvrharna, R, Byman, R, Stenberg,
K, Maaranen, K. & Kansanen, P 2010. Experiences of a Research-based
Approach to Teacher Education Suggestions for future policies European
Journal of Education, 45(2), 331-344.
50ECD 2005. Equity in education. Thematic review of Finland. Paris OECD.

6 Kupari, P & Valijar vi. J. (Eds) 2005. Osaaminen kestavalla pohjalla PISA 2003
Suomessa [Competences on solid ground PISA 2003 in Finland] .Jvvaskvla
Institute for Educational Research, University of .Jvvaskvla
7 Lewis, R. 2005. Finland, cultural lone wolf. Yarmouth Intercultural Press.
8 Rinne, R., Kivirauma, J. & Simola, H. 2002. Shoots of revisionist education
policy or just slow readjustment? Journal of Education Policy, 17(6),643-659.

28
<ari .Jarvinen and Merja Nieminen, Architects SAFA

Stromberq School

Takomotie 11, Helsinki

Invited competition 1996, completed 2000
Kari .Jarvinsn and Merja Nieminen, Architects SAFA
Design team Jouko Piilola, Heikki Prokkola, Jaakko Haapanen
Courtyard design MA-arkkitehdit Oy/Marja Mikkola

The school lies in the Helsinki suburb of Pitajanrnaki, on a former industrial estate
now filled with blocks of flats housing 3,000 residents. This former technical college
designed in the 1960s by Risto-Veikko Luukkonen currently serves as a day-care
centre and lower comprehensive school.
The elongated low-rise building mass with horizontal strip windows offers a
typical sample of 1960s school architecture, with classrooms on two floors aligned
along the full length of a long corridor. When the school was modernised, the sepa-
rate machine engineering workshop and classrooms were joined by a new atrium,
Above: The glass partition between the two or 'living room', where an inviting fire crackles in the open fireplace every morning.
homerooms can be opened if desired. Photo Finnish schools were formerly heated with iron stoves, but in the 1980s postmod-
Arno de la Chapel le
ern ism made fireplaces part of the interior decoration.
Opposite: Photo Arno de la Chapelle The formerly cramped central hallway has been opened up with glass parti-
tions and generous skylights. The entire building now has a lighter, brighter colour
scheme. Above the main atrium there is a winter garden and reading loft. The large
windows throughout the building admit ample sunlight. There are also glass parti-
tions between the small homerooms, which are grouped in pairs.
Each homeroom is shared by two classes. Rather than having their own desks,
each pupil has an assigned storage box for their school supplies. The school applies
the pedagogical principles of Celestin Freinet, a proponent of learning by doing. The
pupils accordingly spend half the day outside their homeroom. The former technical
college houses numerous 'shops', as they are called, where age-integrated classes
learn by doing, experiencing and experimenting. The school adheres to the official
national curriculum, yet with an underlined hands-on approach.
Each lesson lasts 90 minutes. There are two half-hour recesses during which the
children play in the schoolyard or use the neighbouring sports field. The day-care
centre is at the far end of the classroom wing and has its own fenced outdoor play
area.

30
32
Opposite, top: The former machine engi-
neering shop finished in blue stucco (left),
the new yellow stucco atrium (centre) and the
existing white classroom wing (right) Photo
Arno de la Chapelle.

Opposite, bottom: Floor plan

Above: The new entrance hall

Photo Arno de la Chapel le

33
Opposite, top: Woodwork lessons take place
in the former machine engineering workshop
Photo Arno de la Chapelle

Opposite, bottom: The lunch room. The lunch

trolleys are concealed behind the movable
latticework panel at right. Photo Arno de la
Chapelle

Above: Art workshop Photo Arno de la

Chapelle

35
 ARK-House Architects

Viikki Teacher Training School

Kevatkatu 2, Helsinki
Invited competition 1999, completed 2003
ARK-House Architects/Markku Erholtz, Hannu Huttunen,
Jussi Karjalainen, Minna Soukka
Greenery design Satu Niemela
Artist Kaarina Kaikkonen

Below: The eastern end and schoolyard The Viikki Teacher Training School is one of Finland's largest schools. It offers edu-
are used by lower-level students and pre-
cation of all levels and is attended by pupils of all ages. Finnish children start school
schoolers. Photo Voitto Niemela.
the year they turn seven. Compulsory comprehensive education lasts nine years.
Opposite: The school's western end and Before starting school they are entitled to one year of optional pre-primary education
schoolyard are reserved for upper-level stu- at a day-care centre or preschool. The Viikki Teacher Training School comprises a
dents. Photo Voitto Niemela.
preschool, upper- and lower-level comprehensive schools and an upper secondary
school. The building serves 940 pupils and about 360 teachers, trainees and other
personnel. Administered by the University of Helsinki's Department of Teacher Edu-
cation, the school not only educates children but also trains future teachers. There
are twelve other university-run teacher training schools in Finland.

36
37
38
 The school is located between numerous blocks of four- and five-storey flats and
low-rise terrace houses. The pupils of the comprehensive school all live locally. As
a rule, all children aged 7-12 (Years 1-6) are placed in a school within walking dis-
tance of their home. Thanks to its excellent academic track record, the Viikki Upper
Secondary School attracts applicants from all across the city. Being in high demand,
the school has a strict selective admissions policy.
Such a large institution naturally requires spacious premises. Easy orientation
and clear layout are guiding objectives in the design of all Finnish schools. The
layout of the Viikki School is based on small groups of classrooms clustered around
an open social space. The building's western end, fronting the main traffic thorough-
fare, is reserved for the upper-level comprehensive and upper secondary school.
The eastern end houses the lower-level comprehensive school and preschool. Both
ends have their own visually striking main entrances and distinctive yard areas.
The high-ceilinged school gymnasium, auditorium and fully equipped fitness
centre, home economics kitchens and technical workshops are aligned along
the north side of the building. Running down the middle of the building is a long
'internal street' which opens onto the common library and dining area. There are
four wings on the south side of the building, each housing classrooms grouped by
year and subject around a sequence of dedicated social spaces.

Left: The pupils are welcome to freely use the

common social spaces and yards between
the classroom wings The colourful exterior
and rhythmically placed windows typify
an architectural style favoured in the early
2000s. Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Below: Floor plan, ground floor.

39
 Above: Mounted above the spacious dining Opposite: The airy atrium of the lower com-
area is a serpentine sculpture by Kaarina prehensive school. On each floor the doors
Kaikkonen, Towards the Sun, Towards the open onto a set of classrooms grouped
Moon. The Finnish government and local around a common social area Photo Jussi
authorities have a Per Cent for Art Scheme Tiainen.
to support the commissioning of works of
public art, whereby 0.5-2 per cent of the See also: page 77.
cost of a construction project is earmarked
for the artistic enhancement of the building
or its surroundings. Public venues offer a
wholly new way of experiencing art in every-
day settings Bringing works of art into the
learning environment of children of all ages
is an important way of fostering their under-
standing and appreciation of contemporary
art. Photo Jussi Tiainen.

40
 Hiidenkivi Comprehensive School

Rajatie 7, Helsinki
Completed 2004
Hakli Architects/Seppo HEikli
Project architect Pertti Noponen; design team
Jaakko Keppo, Pekka Salminen, Kaisa Tynkkynen
Interior and furniture design Konehuone sisustusarkkitehdit/
Mervi Ala-Luusua, Ari .Jaasko, Jorma Valkama
Greenery and environmental design Soile Heikkinen

The City of Helsinki stipulates that architects must consult a pedagogical expert in
the design of new schools. Hiidenkivi Comprehensive was designed in collabora-
tion with the school principal and vice principal. Like Stromberg School, Hiidenkivi
Comprehensive applies a pedagogical strategy based on hands-on learning by
doing. Group activities have focal importance as a means of advancing interaction
skills, tolerance and a positive sense of self. Tuition is inclusive; children with spe-
cial needs learn together with non-disabled students.
The school is large, with roughly 800 pupils aged seven to sixteen (Years 1-9).
The lower-level comprehensive pupils live locally, but the upper-level students are
also from neighbouring suburbs.
The floor plan follows a scheme popular in Finnish school architecture since
the 1960s, with small groups of classrooms arranged around a social space, or
'extended learning area'. The three lower-level homeroom groups are on the first
floor on the north side of the building, each with a dedicated entrance. The upper-
level subject classrooms are on the ground floor. Despite this functional separation,
social interaction is encouraged between pupils of different ages. Art, craft subjects
and information technology are taught in age-integrated classes.
With large desks and plenty of chairs, the 'extended learning areas' are used for
daily classes, especially for group activities. The upper-level classrooms are grouped
by subject, forming clusters like mathematics and science, art and craft subjects.
The teachers plan their lessons together and occasionally combine classes. Using
the extended learning areas, they can divide up their classes into appropriate small
groups for various activities. Each teacher chooses the methods best suited to their
particular subject. The furnishings are easy to rearrange for various needs.
The exterior profile is rich in visual variety. There is a functional division
between the separate wings, with sheltered yards and play areas between them.
Pupils aged 7-11 (Years 1-5) spend recess outdoors. Older students can choose
whether they wish to spend recess indoors or outdoors. The school's inner court-
yard is reserved for upper-level students.

42
Above: Fronting a colourful assortment of
low-rise residential buildings, the main eleva-
tion is clad with light-coloured panels At right
is the arts & crafts wing, at left the upper-
level classrooms. Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Left: Floor plan Ground floor (left) and first

floor (right)

43
Below: The lunch room. Dirty dishes are In Year 7 each student is assigned a locker which they keep for three years, sym-
deposited behind the brown accordion parti-
bolically representing their 'personal space' within the school building.
tion at left. At right is the semicircular theatre
stage, which opens onto the dining area.
The colour scheme is predominantly neutral and calming. The furniture and
Photo Jussi Tiainen. decor are uniform in style and colour throughout the building. Strong red accents
serve as an orientation aid. The walls of the lunch room are plywood with a sea-
Opposite, top: The inner courtyard is
green stain. The elevations are mainly off-white panels combined with ochre-stained
reserved for upper-level students, featuring
elevations clad with plywood, aluminium and plywood. The massive canopy above the entrance to the inner courtyard adds a
glass Photo Jussi Tiainen. surprising splash of colour: its underside features an expansive mural by Stig Baum-
gartner, Large Hand.
Opposite, bottom: Stig Baumgartner,
Large Hand.
45
Opposite: The main vestibule is shared by
the lower- and upper-level comprehensive
schools. At left is the glass-enclosed library,
at right the red doors to the lunch room. The
media workshop is at left on the first floor.
Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Above: The north-facing schoolyard is for

lower-level pupils. Each group of first-floor
homerooms has its own dedicated entrance.
Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Right: All classrooms are furnished with

identical light-coloured furniture. The large
window next to the door provides a view of
the adjacent corridor. Photo Jussi Tiainen

See also: page 12.

47
 Sakarinmaki School. Ostersundom School

Knutersintie 924, Helsinki

Invited competition 2002 (FLN Architects/Sari Nieminen,
Esa Laaksonen, Kimmo Friman), completed 2005
Project architect Jari Frondelius
Furniture design Konehuone sisustusarkkitehdit/
Mervi Alaluusua (loose furniture)

The school is located in a sparsely populated semi-rural area on a former farming

estate. Formerly part of Sipoo, the area was recently annexed to the City of Helsinki
and has been zoned for a large amount of housing development. The building com-
prises a day-care centre, two schools - one Finnish, the other Swedish-speaking - a
parish centre and a library. Altogether the school has about 350 pupils aged 7-16
(Years 1-9), plus 100 children in day care.
Used throughout the week for both work and recreation, the building serves as a
focal point and multipurpose civic centre for the local community. In the evenings
and on weekends it offers a venue for various recreational groups, associations,
adult classes, music lessons and children's clubs. Warm and approachable like an
old-fashioned village schoolhouse, the building has been adopted as the new heart
of the community. An imposing, monumental effect was intentionally avoided in its
design. The wooden exteriors are painted in traditional red and yellow ochre com-
bined with a shade of grey evoking the colour of untreated, weather-beaten wood.
The working title of the design used affectionately by the architect and client was
"barn village".
The layout is designed around five 'barns' or wings. The Finnish- and Swedish-
speaking pupils occupy separate buildings, as does the day-care centre. The other
two buildings are for the school gym, kitchen and teachers' offices. Each wing has
a dedicated entrance, yet all converge on a glass-enclosed 'piazza' or atrium, which
serves as a common dining area. Although the ceiling is high, careful acoustic
design prevents echoes. In the middle of the atrium there is an open fireplace
resembling a traditional Finnish sauna stove. The elevations and the walls of the
atrium feature identical wooden panelling. The rhythmically arranged columns
reiterate the effect of the tree trunks in the surrounding forest.

48
Opposite: East facade.

Below: Finnish-speaking pupils spend recess

in this yard Photo Arno de la Chapel le.
 The school abuts a steep rocky slope which encloses the multiple schoolyards
nestling between the separate wings. Finnish architects make a practice of uti-
lising natural features of the landscape to offer an inspirational setting for outdoor
activities such as bobsledding. The schoolyard offers various types of climbing
equipment, with tables and benches placed around the yard as rest spots. Safety
is an important priority. Both the indoor and outdoor facilities are designed for
easy supervision, with no 'blind spots' - a deliberate architectural strategy against
unwanted behaviour such as bullying. The school is part of an anti-bullying cam-
paign developed by the University of Turku's Department of Psychology and Centre
for Learning Research. Seventy-five per cent of all Finnish schools have already
joined the popular KiVa programme.

Right: Photo Arno de la Chapelle.

Opposite: The central 'piazza' viewed

towards the main entrance. The bridge leads
to the teachers' shared office. Photo Arno de
la Chapelle

50
 Above: Three classrooms are here grouped
around a common social space. The wide
glass partitions provide unrestricted views
into each classroom Photo Arno de la
Chapelle

Left: Floor plan, ground floor. A Day-care

centre. B. Finnish school and library C
Swedish school D. School gym and parish
centre. E. Lunch room and teachers' offices.

Opposite: The wood-clad doors to the

Swedish School wing are partly concealed by
the columns. Photo Arno de la Chapelle

See also: page 13.

J J
52
 Comprehensive school in [oensuu

Koskikatu 10, Joensuu

Invited competition 2003 (1lmari Lahdelma, Rainer Mahlarnaki, Heikki Viiri;
assistants Samuli Sallinen, Adactive Oy/Arttu Hyttinen), completed 2006
Lahdelma & Mahlarnaki Architects/llmari Lahdelma
Project architect Heikki Viiri; design team Petri Saarelainen, Paula Julin, Pia
Rantanen, Miguel Silva, Tarja Suvisto, Risto Wikberg, Leila Hyttinen, Hanna
Suomi, l.iisa Viljakainen (fixed and loose furniture). Anne Harju (fixed furniture)

Below: Section. The red cube mounted above Located in the heart of Joensuu, the school forms part of a cluster of important
the central atrium is a private meeting room.
landmarks flanking the town's main boulevards, including the city theatre, market
square, art museum, university and main public parks. The architecture underlines
Opposite: Photo JUSSI Tiainen
its function as a public building, with exteriors finished in dark copper, glass and
other sophisticated materials fitting its prominent location. Dark copper accents
are repeated in the entrance hall, but the interior colour scheme is otherwise sunny
and exuberant. Designer furniture accentuates the school's prestigious image. The
school has roughly 400 upper-level comprehensive students and 40 teachers.
The layout is similar to that of Hiidenkivi Comprehensive School, with affiliated
subject classrooms grouped together in discrete 'learning units'. The windmill-
shaped plan divides the classrooms into four wings connected by a central atrium.
There are no dedicated homerooms; the students migrate between subject class-
rooms throughout the day. Orientation is made easy by each wing and learning unit
having its own identifying colour, which is also reiterated in the decor. The colours
were chosen based on their moods and psychosocial effects.

54
 The spacious central atrium stretches three floors high. It has four entrances
between the four wings. As the walls between the wings are glass, the entrances are
visually prominent particularly when lit during the dark winter months. The mul-
tipurpose atrium is the heart of the school and the main venue for school events.
It houses the lunch room, school stage and student lockers for storing outdoor
clothing and personal items. Contrary to standard Finnish practice, students at this
school are not required to spend recess outdoors. Owing to the constraints of its
downtown location, the school lacks a large schoolyard. The atrium is nevertheless
so popular that many students stay after school to spend time there.
The gyms are in a separate building and the outdoor sports field is a short dis-
tance from the school. Regulations state that this distance must not exceed 400
metres.

Left: A bridge connects the learning units in

the second floor. Photo Jussi Tiainen

Below: Floor plan, ground floor.

57
Above: The multipurpose central atrium
serves as a dining area. The lunch trolleys are
at back right. On the left, the theatre stage.
Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Right: A classroom in the green wing

Photo Jussi Tiainen.

Opposite: A common social area in the

orange wing. Photo Jussi Tiainen.

See also: page 15.

58
 Enter.Upper Secondary School
and Vocational College

Iso Kylatie 14, Sipoo

Invited competition 2003, completed 2007
K2S Architects Ltd/Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola, Mikko Summanen
Design team Tuukka Vuori, Matias Manninen, Laura Vara, Antti Lehto, Osma
Lindroos, Ilona Palmunen, Stijn Colpaert, Keigo Masuda, Abel Groenewolt

Unlike the other schools described above, this institution in the Sipoo community
of Nikkila is attended by slightly older students aged 15-19. The school is relatively
small, with a combined total of about 400 students.
After completing comprehensive school, Finnish students can continue their
studies at an upper secondary school or vocational institution. Upper secondary
schools provide general education normally lasting three years. After passing the
national matriculation examinations, students may apply to study at a tertiary insti-
tution such as a university or polytechnic (university of applied sciences), or alter-
natively choose a vocational college. Vocational colleges are also open to students
who have not matriculated. A vocational diploma usually takes three years to com-
plete, equipping the student with the skills and qualifications for future employment
in their chosen field. The Enter Vocational College offers diplomas in commerce,
information technology and electrical installation. The students are also free to
combine upper-secondary school and vocational courses.
The red-stained pine elevations blend harmoniously with the green blinds in
the expansive windows. The street-front entrance is recessed within a small semi-
circular courtyard. The sunny entrance hall is split-level. Floor-to-ceiling windows in
the entrance hall provide sweeping views of the park-like grounds.

Left, top: The central staircase.

Photo Marko Huttunen.

Opposite: The street-front entrance.

Photo Marko Huttunen.

60
 The building is L-shaped, with classrooms aligned along wood-panelled central
corridors in both wings. Each classroom has a wood-framed glass door. The two
wings converge on a concrete spiral staircase in a massive round stairwell, which is
lit via a conical skylight. The elegant wood panelling conceals the students' lockers.
The main entrance hall is used for relaxation and socialising.
The minimalist decor is understated. The crisp green blinds set off the otherwise
low-key colours and materials. The same pale shade of wood recurs in the furni-
ture, door frames and classroom cupboards. The raw concrete surfaces are visually
prominent. Wall-high windows admit plenty of sunlight into the classrooms. Glass
surfaces are abundant, particularly in the elevation fronting the schoolyard, the
entire breadth of which is predominantly transparent. Wi-fi coverage enables stu-
dents to surf the internet outdoors during the warm summer months.
The school has a small cafe, but no dining hall. The students have lunch in the
neighbouring older school building. Finnish schools have served free hot meals to
all pupils participating in compulsory education since 1948. Today free lunches are
also served in upper secondary schools and vocational colleges.

Left: The central staircase.

Photo Marko Huttunen.

Below: Floor plan, first floor.

63
Above: The elevations towards the inner
courtyard feature two storey high windows.
Photo Marko Huttunen.

Right: The classroom walls and ceilings have

been left untreated. Photo Marko Huttunen.

Opposite: Old and new juxtaposed in Nikkilii.

Photo Marko Huttunen.

See also: pages 2 and 73.

64
 Kirkkojdrvi School

Kotikylantie 6, Espoo
Competition 2006, completed 2010
Verstas Architects Ltd/Vaino Nikkila, Jussi Palva, Riina Palva, Ilkka Salminen
Project architect Jari Saajo
Interior design Karola Sahi in collaboration with Verstas Architects Ltd
Landscaping LOCI maisema-arkkitehdit Oy/Milla Hakari, Pia Kuusiniemi
in collaboration with Verstas Architects Ltd

The new school building was completed in summer 2010 shortly before the start of
the new academic year in autumn. The school accommodates about 770 students
aged 7-16 (Years 1-9). It also offers optional preschool tuition to children aged six.
Ninety-eight per cent of all children from Espoo attend preschool.
A large number of pupils at the school have a migrant background. Some are
new arrivals in Finland; others were born into migrant families. Some have Finnish
parents yet spent their early childhood abroad. The tuition is designed to cater for
their varied skill levels. Finnish is taught as a first language to Finnish-speaking chil-
dren and as a second language to migrant children, who are also offered optional
tuition in their native language. During 2008-2009, the school provided home-
language upkeep tuition in 32 different languages.
The premises and schoolyard are functionally divided to serve different age
groups. The smaller of the two wings is occupied by the lower-level comprehensive
school. The classrooms are grouped around two social spaces, each with its own
dedicated vestibule and entrance. The curved mass of the building separates the
two schoolyards, with favourable orientations for children of different ages. Warmed
by the rising sun, the east-facing schoolyard is for lower-level students, who finish
school soon after midday. The children spend their IS-minute recess outdoors. The
schoolyard provides an inspirational setting for physical activity. Running parallel to
a slope, the building occupies a large hilly plot, its natural variations contributing to
a visually inspiring landscape design.
The pupils have a 4S-minute lunch break at midday. All Finnish schools serve a
hot, nutritionally balanced meal free of charge. Special portions are set aside for
children with different dietary requirements for health or ethical reasons. School
meals have many functions: they keep the children alert and energetic, promote
healthy dietary habits and teach good table manners and etiquette. All pupils dine
in a shared spacious dining hall where the two wings converge. The kitchen and
buffet are behind the stairs descending to the dining hall.

66
 Above: Subtle colours and earthy materials
such as wood and brick provide a restful set-
ting for the pupils The red-brick elevations
emulate the traditional red-brick architecture
of the Espoonjokilaakso River Valley region,
infusing the school with a vivid sense of local
heritage Photo Tuomas Uusheimo.

Letf: An intimate nook under the stairs.

Photo Tuomas Uusheimo.

Opposite, top: The wing reserved for the

upper-level comprehensive school. Photo
Tuomas Uusheimo.

Opposite, bottom: The lower-level classroom

wing encloses a schoolyard for younger
pupils. The large windows of the homeroom
vestibules overlook the yard Photo Tuomas
Uusheimo.

68
 Above: A common social area in one of the
homeroom vestibules of the lower-level
school wing Photo Tuomas Uusheimo.

Opposite: First floor plan

See also: pages 6,19 and 74.

70
Setting the Scene for Learning

Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen

Pupils seated in orderly rows listening attentively to the teacher, who sits lecturing
from a desk on a raised platform in front of the blackboard: this was the authori-
tarian didactic setting of the traditional classroom. The need for a more flexible,
adaptable alternative was recognised in Finland back in the 1970s, but only with
the advent of new multiform learning methods over the past ten or fifteen years has
Finnish school architecture begun to genuinely address the spatial needs of con-
temporary education. This renewal was made possible in the 1990s when Finnish
authorities deregulated the funding of school architecture.
Education has always been highly respected in Finnish society, where we
embrace the principle that everyone should enjoy the right to a free schooling.
Opposite: Enter. Upper Secondary School Education is regarded as a pillar of democracy and the welfare state, and also as
and Vocational College, Sipoo 2007. K2S
the mainstay of our social and economic development. Throughout the 2000s, the
Architects Ltd. Photo Marko Huttunen.
OEeD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has conducted a
Above: Karisto School and Day Nursery, series of surveys evaluating how well students around the world have acquired the
Lahti 2010. Tilatakomo Architects. Wood is knowledge and skills essential for a rewarding life and full participation in the pro-
used extensively throughout the building. The
fessional world and society of the future. Finnish students have achieved top-level
supporting frame is laminated timber and the
outer walls are timber elements. This multi- results in every survey, notably in science, but also in mathematics and literacy
purpose building also houses a local branch skills.
of the City Library. Photos JUSSI Tiainen.
In addition to skills that can be measured, schools also equip students with a
complex array of proficiencies for their future lives, not least in terms of their social
integration. The stated mission of one of the schools featured in this exhibition is to
provide students with "the knowledge and skills for life, further education and life-
long learning" - expressly in this order of priority.
The school buildings of today and tomorrow should be open, transparent, adapt-
able and flexible. New learning methods are reshaping the design of school build-
ings to a growing degree. Homerooms and small group settings, workshops, areas
for autonomous work, self-directed study and practical activity emphasise a student-
centred approach rather than a teacher-centred one. By the same token, school
architecture still faces the overriding practical imperatives of upkeep, maintenance
and economic and operative efficiency.
Being key public buildings in the local townscape and community, schools are
an important part of our everyday architectural surroundings. In the evenings they
provide a venue for various recreational activities and meetings, serving not only
students and teachers, but also the wider community at large.

73
Above: Kirkkojarvi School, Espoo 2010. The dialogue between the building and its surroundings is extremely important
Verstas Architects Ltd. The school gym
in Finnish architecture. The design of many schools in new residential districts is
also serves as the assembly hall. The large
picture window provides a luxuriant parkland eye-catching, even playful. In older districts, schools are visually integrated with their
backdrop for school functions and ample historical setting through elements such as their cladding materials. Both the exterior
sunlight during PE lessons. Behind the mov- architecture and layout of the interiors can impart the school's teaching philosophy.
able wooden partitions is a theatre stage
Recently, many architects have favoured strong contrasts of materials: industrial
that opens two ways onto the gym and lunch
room, all three together forming a flexibly metal elements accented by warm wooden surfaces or expansive glass elevations set
adaptable unit. Photo Tuomas Uushelmo. off by striking colours.
Modern schools still have classrooms, but they provide an adaptable setting for
Opposite: The Lohipato Unit of Tervavavla
School, Oulu 2009. Linja Architects Ltd.
various different types of learning situation. Students might for instance migrate
Dining room. Photo Timo Koljonen. from a smaller homeroom to a larger communal learning space to seek information
and work together. Modern tools and technology provide a constantly expanding
array of new opportunities to support the learning process. Furnishings, too, are
designed to serve a wide range of needs - these days classrooms are furnished with
ergonomic workstations and comfortable sitting areas instead of rigid rows of desks
facing the blackboard.
Nowadays schools are regarded as the shared workplace of both the teachers
and students. The interior should offer peace and quiet for autonomous work and
concentration as well as communal areas for joint activities and socializing. A
school building is basically like a village, with areas designated for specific func-
tions and streets and plazas linking them. Particularly with large schools, scale and
orientation are a challenge, which the architect must address with a cleanly articu-
lated floor plan and clear visual layout.
Ideally, a well-designed school building is itself an educational experience for
its occupants. The buildings in which young students spend their formative years
leading up to adulthood can inspire and provide them with insight, understanding
and a lifelong appreciation of architecture.

First published in the exhibition Schools at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2010.

74
 Opposite: Viikki Teacher Training School,
Helsinki 2003. ARK-House Architects.
76 Library Photo Jussi Tiainen.
 Opposite: Haukkarnaki School, Karkkila 2007.
Kari .Jarvinen and Merja Nieminen, Architects
78 SAFA. Photo Kimmo Raisanen.