Central Library Oodi, Helsinki

The Helsinki Central Library Oodi, commonly referred to as Oodi, opened to the public in Töölönlahti on the eve of Finnish Independence Day in December 2018.

In addition to providing traditional library services, the building’s modern and vibrant spaces serve as a cultural living room and multimedia centre for locals and visitors alike.

Technically, the library is full of complex construction solutions. For one, hiding the two steel arches that are over 100 meters long and weight nearly 800 tons, that act as the building's backbone. Despite the complexity of Oodi's design, no compromises were made to the architectural vision and the quality objectives set for the project.

The entire structure has a gross area of 17,000 metres squared, with the main structures manufactured in Finland. Only the glass structures and some wooden structures of the facade are imported.

The library exemplifies the use of mixing steel, concrete, wood, and glass construction to be more energy efficient.

This multifaceted library was one of the most demanding projects in Finland in 2018. Ramboll experts from Finland, Denmark, and United Kingdom worked together to carry out the project’s structural design, project management, construction, HVAC design, maintenance book coordination, and cooling design. ALA Architects designed the library and YIT Construction Ltd was the building contractor.