With a population of just 5.6 million, this Scandinavian country is renowned for many things. It has given us the unanimously famous telecommunications brand, Nokia’. It is also well known for its nearly 3 million saunas scattered across the nation’s long stretch. It also consistently ranks at the top of the Happiness Index among countries and is generally known as ‘The Happiest Country in the World.’ But what is lesser known, and perhaps should be its biggest USP, is this country’s mastery of Space Design.
It’s a deep-seated philosophy of putting their citizens at the heart of everything, including the design of their cities, which is also why this country repeatedly tops the Happiness Index. Welcome to Finland.
Finland is the ‘Design Capital of the World.’ In 2012, its capital, Helsinki, was designated as the ‘World Design Capital, recognizing the city’s planned expansion. But this tag wasn’t bestowed upon this city out of the blue. It was a long time coming, with its healthy plans, people-centric outlook, and brilliant public space design, for many years leading up to 2012.
So, how did Finland get so good at Space Design? And more importantly, what was the essential need for them to get so good at it? To get to the root of this, we need to travel back in time to the early 20th century.
At the dawn of the 20th century, an independent Finland was rebuilding its cities. The responsibility of it fell on a man named Alvaar Aalto. Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer whose work ranged from architecture, furniture, glassware, textiles, paintings, and sculptures.
He designed many of Finland’s iconic buildings, and at the heart of all his designs lay one main entity: People. Aalto realized that the Finnish people are the most important entity of their country – an idea that isn’t always prevalent in many parts of the world. Aalto put people’s comfort, their requirements, and their needs first.
Questions such as “How can the structure serve its citizens? Can it make their lives easier? Is it comfortable enough for people to come and spend their time?” were the sort of questions that Aalto asked himself before designing any of his public works.
Among many structures, he designed the Jyväskylä University, the Municipal Building in Alajarvi, and others. Alvar Aalto focused on functionalism rather than just beauty and aesthetics. And do not be fooled, every single structure and space in Finland is as gorgeous as it gets. But the priority was the effectiveness of these structures.
Cities are often presented with two choices: Either sprawl or expand in a planned manner. Helsinki chose the latter. It is a UNESCO City of Design that grows in a scheduled manner. Helsinki is also one of the most walkable cities in the world.
More than 170 tramlines cross the city, across 300 stops. Where there isn’t a tramline, there are bicycles at such junctions. More than 4,000 such bicycles are placed at 400 bike stations across the city. Just buy a pass, unlock a bike, and ride away.
Helsinki is one of the few cities in the world with a CDO, a Chief Design Officer. The officer is supported by Helsinki Lab, a team of designers that advises the city government. They don’t see construction as a problem; they see it as a solution. It’s a solution to congestion, climate change, and public transport.
Helsinki, Finland, is rewriting the books of Space Design, serving as a beacon for the rest of the world. But a structure that lies at the heart of its philosophy is a Library.
The Helsinki Central Library Oodi – A Structure Emblematic of Finland’s Design Philosophy
The Helsinki Central Library Oodi is a public library in the capital city that doubles up as a space for more than just reading books. Situated next to the Helsinki Music Centre, the library is so much more than just a keeper of books and readers.
The Oodi Library is a relatively new structure in the country, opening to the public in 2018. But in the 7 years since, it has attained cult-like popularity among the locals. It’s a free-for-all place where the Finns love going. And there are good reasons for it. The Oodi Library sums up the Finns’ love of buildings and public spaces.
When temperatures drop to severely low levels, an occurrence that happens far too often in Finland, Finnish people don’t stay inside their houses. Instead, they frequently line up to go to public spaces. Their favorite public space to visit would be the Helsinki Central Library Oodi.
It’s not just a place to read; it’s also designed to accommodate everyone just being themselves. People are lounging about, they are relaxing, some simply chilling, others are using their laptops, and everyone is welcome. The place, with its vast ground area, is also soothing to the eyes.
The Oodi Library’s ground floor is a place where everyone plays Chess to pass the time. Two levels above are the library, where people are busy burying their noses in books. At Oodi Library, you needn’t just read a book; you can rent a workspace, organize a family event, book a gaming day, and host a DIY workshop, among other things.
Spanning three floors, the Helsinki Central Library Oodi isn’t just a library: it’s a thriving community center. The building employs passive solar building design and uses almost no energy.
The building’s exterior also piques curiosity and draws people inside. Its curved lines and imposing facade don’t immediately scream “library”. This is what makes one curious. Form follows function in this library; it democratizes it by allowing most other casual activities inside, unlike most other libraries that are strict about reading. A stellar example of Space Design, the Oodi Library enhances public comfort and utility, prioritizing them over everything else.
With ‘Community’ at its heart, the Oodi Central Library’s philosophy is best summed up by its website description – “The Library is a place where everyone is equal. Everyone is welcome to spend time at Oodi.”
Although it’s just a motto on a website, it is an ideology that drives the entire city of Helsinki.
Conclusion
Finland’s unique design philosophy blends Scandinavian minimalism with deep functionality, social equity, and nature, making good design accessible in everyday life. This philosophy is most emblematic in its city design, especially in Helsinki. Helsinki used its ‘World Design Capital’ title as a launchpad to start a design revolution in the city. They completed 580 projects in 2012, 290 of them in Finland. The legacy of that design drive is prevalent in modern-day Helsinki.
Every tram line, every public square, every bike lane, etc., is designed with a user in mind. You can get to places faster on foot than in a car. It’s a lesson for urban planners and space designers worldwide.
Design isn’t just about aesthetics and beauty. It’s about functionality.
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