Otaniemen kampusalue (Campusområdet i Otnäs)

English translation (from the Finnish)

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Description

The Otaniemi campus area was built for Finland's oldest university of technology and architecture, and it was the most extensive coherent university, research and residential area of its time. The town plan for the institutional and residential areas of Teknillinen korkeakoulu and Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuslaitos is considered one of the best works of architect Alvar Aalto. The plan is characterised by the use of the terrain's natural forms, open and extensive green areas, and the spacious, varied grouping of red-brick institutional buildings. The main building of the university belongs to the selection of works of Finnish modern architecture approved by the international DOCOMOMO organisation, as do the Otaniemi Chapel and the osakuntatalo Dipoli.

The main building and its amphitheatre-like lecture hall section, together with the library and the central green area, form the unifying and dominant core of the campus. This core is surrounded by the "kampussolut", the institutional and laboratory units. These are grouped either as elongated building bodies linked by covered walkways, or as fan-shaped clusters of buildings. The two largest laboratory zones, Puumies and Kivimies, extend as grid-plan-like areas. Car traffic circles outside the campus area, which is structured by park clearings. The eastern areas are reserved for the campus's social functions, while the residential area is loosely placed in the terrain of the shoreline forest.

Many of the central buildings in the area were designed by Alvar Aalto, including the main building and the library, many institutional and laboratory buildings, the sports hall, the heating power station, the shopping centre and the student residence hall. The osakuntatalo Dipoli, which as an exceptionally free-form building with its natural stone walls is linked to the surrounding forest landscape, was designed by Reima and Raili Pietilä. The architectural office of Heikki and Kaija Siren designed the student residences and the chapel. The small chapel is located near the residential buildings of Teekkarikylä, amid rock boulders and trees. The altar wall of the chapel's main hall is glass, and the altarpiece is the natural landscape together with a cross placed outside.

The building stock of Otaniemi also includes residential buildings and company buildings, among others.

History

Technical education in Finland began in the first half of the 19th century. Teaching started in 1849 at the Helsingin teknillinen reaalikoulu in the Litonius house in central Helsinki. Actual technical vocational education began in 1858, after a statutory reform, when the engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture, chemical technology and surveying departments were formed.

The educational institution was renamed Polyteknillinen koulu in 1872 and Polyteknillinen Opisto in 1879, and became the highest technical education institution in the country. The Polyteknillinen school building was completed in 1877 on the edge of Hietalahden tori. The institution, which was expanded on several occasions, gained the Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuslaitos (VTT) building alongside it in 1942.

Polyteknillinen Opisto was converted into the university-level Suomen Teknillinen Korkeakoulu in 1908. Plans to move the Teknillinen Korkeakoulu out of central Helsinki were considered for a long time. The rapid development of the technical sciences after the Second World War required large laboratory spaces, and a decision to relocate the institution was made in 1948. In 1949 the state bought the Otaniemi manor area in the eastern part of Espoon maalaiskunta as the new campus area for the university and VTT. Architect Alvar Aalto won the town plan competition held that same year.

Student residential buildings were first built in Otaniemi in 1952 as the athletes' village for the Olympic Games. The first university activities moved to Espoo in 1955. The core of the main building of the Teknillinen Korkeakoulu was completed at the beginning of the 1960s. The move from Hietalahti ended about ten years later. The main building of the Teknillinen Korkeakoulu was extended in 1976-78. The heating plant was built in 1960-62 and 1962-64. The student residence Jämeräntaival 1 was completed in 1966, and the sports field maintenance building in 1971. The construction and development of the Otaniemi campus area has been ongoing.

Dipoli, the osakuntatalo of the Teknillisen Korkeakoulun ylioppilaskunta designed by Raili and Reima Pietilä, was completed in 1966. The building was the result of a long development by the architect couple. The architectural competition for the building ended as early as 1961, but the drawings were developed further the following year.

The first residential buildings of the student village designed by architects Heikki and Kaija Siren were used as accommodation for athletes from the Soviet Union and other so-called Eastern Bloc countries during the 1952 Olympic Games. The Otaniemi chapel designed by the Sirens was completed in 1956. The Teknillisen Korkeakoulun ylioppilaskunta and the Teekkarikylä chapel fund sold the chapel to Espoo parish in 1972. In the summer of 1976, after an arson attack, the chapel was rebuilt in its former likeness in 1978.