6.8.2020

Daycare centre and residential park Ajurinmäki

The Ajurinmäki day-care centre includes facilities for three residential areas and an open day-care centre. The site is an old garden, and some of the plants and trees have been retained as part of the playground.

The building is located in a southward slope. The playground has been made as wide as possible, and there is a maintenance yard area at the back of the building. The entrance to the residential park is at the east end of the building at the end of Porarinkatu street, and the entrance to the day-care centre is through the playground. There are fortifications dating back to World War II on a cliff at the back of the plot.

The yard sheltered by the imaginary creature- like building opens towards the south. The height of rooms under the eaves varies, and windows have been placed at a seemingly random pattern. The roof is an artificial slope and includes lanterns that look like miniature buildings.

The rooms are arrayed along a central corridor. The yard side rooms are group rooms of the day-care centre, the resident park rooms and offices. A group room for toddlers is located at the low west end of the building. The top slope side includes sanitary facilities, a kitchen and technical facilities.

A hall, which acts as the heart of the daycare centre, is under the roof ridge. The spacious hall, lined with wood, offers a few glimpses of the rocky forest. The fire classification category of the singlestorey timber building is P3. The exterior faces are horizontal boards painted dragon red with oil paint, and the entry ways have been painted white.

Project in brief

Daycare centre and residential park Ajurinmäki

  • Location | Leppävaara, Espoo
  • Purpose | Daycare centre and residential park
  • Constructor/Client | Espoon kaupunki, Tilakeskus liikelaitos
  • Valmistumisvuosi | 2008
  • Total area | 1 209 m2
  • Volume | 4 927 m3
  • Investointikustannukset | 2 700 000€
  • Architectural Design | AFKS Architects
  • Structural design | Insinööritoimisto Taskinen & Eiskonen Oy
  • Pääurakoitsija | Rakennusliike Saukkonen Oy
  • Photographs | Jussi Tiainen
  • Text | Jari Frondelius, Jaakko Keppo and Juha Salmenperä