Kirkkonummi Library

Kirkkonummi is a municipality of 40 000 inhabitants near Helsinki built around its Medieval stone church. Facing the church, JKMM has transformed the old city library. Together with the nearby open market, the church and library create the civic centre of Kirkkonummi. JKMM have therefore emphasised the relationship of the library with the neighbouring church by designing a 50-metre long sheltered terrace overlooking the churchyard. The copper shingle cladding of the new library, called Fyyri, also relates back to its maritime heritage setting.

Fyyri is an adaptive reuse project built using the existing concrete structure of the original 1980s library. JKMM has remodelled the 80s building, doubling its volume, and introducing a large variety of accommodation for community uses such as rooms for toddler group activities, youth clubs as well as exhibition areas and spaces for events and performances. The ground level café has a generous 198 m2 reading lounge dedicated to newspapers and periodicals.

The reading rooms at Fyyri respect the Finnish Modernist tradition of libraries that ennoble the idea of books and learning through their highly crafted design and carefully detailed interiors. At Fyyri, the interiors include bespoke lighting with brass fittings that create warmth and also a sense of dignity that is in keeping with this building typology. Brass is also used by JKMM in the library’s new entrances and hand railings in a way that is inviting and intuitively leads visitors through the public areas. Today brass is, of course, all the more appreciated as a material for its inherently anti-bacterial properties but when designing the building JKMM wanted a finish that would contrast with the concrete surfaces that dominate the architecture.

The main reading hall’s design is made up of rhythmic fairfaced concrete posts and beams. Indirect natural light filters through this column-like framework creating patterns that are similar to daylight rippling through a forest of trees. Overall, the building is inspired by its surrounding coastal landscape particularly in the tonality of its interiors.

For example, JKMM’s interior design team has played on local nature in their choice of subdued colours and of materials like wool and felt upholstering, and have worked with Finnish artist Petri Vainio to create an in-situ art piece in the ceiling of the main entrance lobby that represents a bed of reeds. As in other JKMM, projects the interiors team have emphasised the role of fitted furniture in continuing the architectonic qualities of the building form. Slatted timber walls and ceilings also feature in a way that blurs the division between the hand of architect and that of the interior designer.

Fyyri represents a new generation of Finnish libraries which JKMM were active in shaping when they designed the studio’s first project, the competition winning Turku City Library, that opened in 2007. JKMM have since completed two major extensions to landmark libraries in Finland that were designed by Alvar Aalto.

Nordic Brown Light pre-oxidised copper cladding, in the form of large shingles and vertical fins structuring glazing, creates a strong civic identity for the expanded and remodelled library in Kirkkonummi, Finland.

Known as Fyyri, the revitalised building exemplifies a new generation of Finnish libraries which its architects, JKMM, have been active in shaping. These new libraries are conceived as vibrant, multipurpose facilities at the heart of communities, that still retain the core concept of places for reading, research and learning.

As JKMM Architects' founding partner Teemu Kurkela explained: ‘The library typology in Finland has changed. They are no longer solely about books but also getting together to share knowledge and experiences through multiple channels. They are not unlike community halls, which is why Finns today refer to libraries as public living rooms.’Fyyri is a sustainable, adaptive reuse of the original 1980s concrete library building, utilising its embodied carbon. JKMM have remodelled it and doubled its size, introducing new spaces for community uses such as toddler groups, youth clubs, exhibitions, events and performances. They also completely redesigned the interiors, finished throughout with white walls alongside slatted timber walls and ceilings, integrating the original concrete column structure.

At Fyyri, Nordic Brown Light copper is used in several architectural forms – unified by their materiality – notably, distinctive shingles generating diagonal wave-like patterns.Teemu Kurkela added: ‘Both the interior and exterior of the library are inspired by the traditional life of fishermen surrounding Kirkkonummi, as well as Finnish nature –common themes in our work. The shingle patterns bring to mind images of fishing nets, particularly fitting for a city with an extensive and beautiful coastline, and maritime heritage.

The restauration of the library in Kirkkonummi, 30 kilometers west of Helsinki is a unique and interesting project. This impressive building named “Fyyri” opened its doors to the public in October 2020.

In a 5000m² building located in a very dark part of the world lighting of course plays a vital role, especially when it’s a library. Saas Instruments’ responsibility was to accommodate these solutions through a large amount of bespoke lighting fixtures. From the integrated brass spots along the 50-meter reading table to the powerful ceiling luminaires providing general light, every detail has been carefully thought out by the R&D team at Saas. The entrances were designed to create an inviting effect in the huge copper façade without the risk of glare.