A new school and daycare building is under construction in Vartiokylä, eastern Helsinki. The facility will accommodate daycare services, primary and secondary schools, as well as provisions for children with special needs. The sports and craft facilities will also be made available for use by local residents during evenings and weekends.

Designed to harmonise with the surrounding single-family homes, the building features a low, meandering structure nestled among existing trees. This approach preserves much of the natural landscape and avoids disturbing the slope of the northern site. Outdoor and play areas are seamlessly integrated into the design.

Internally, spaces for different age groups are organised around a central hall, dining area, and gym, creating a village-like layout where all paths converge at the central hub.

The building’s light-coloured facades, divided into three horizontal sections, reduce its visual scale and provide a sense of shelter. In the kindergarten area, smaller, varied-height windows are specifically designed to suit younger children. A wooden facade, resembling an abstract forest relief, reinforces a strong connection to nature and draws inspiration from the Finnish tradition of untreated solid wood, offering both durability and a unique identity.

The ground floor features a white concrete facade with an organic texture reminiscent of tree bark, while steel canopies emphasise the entrances, adding a human scale to the design.