Mikpoli

The design of Mikpoli was based on the winning entry in an architectural competition. One of the aims of the competition was the innovative use of wood and this has been implemented in the elevations, in the internal cladding and in the furnishings.

The building borders the southwest corner of the polytechnic campus area. The northwest side of the building is dominated by red brick and the elevation to the campus high street is in timber.

The three-storey building contains rooms for teaching and working, and a studio. The north wing is leased out for business use. At the southern end is an auditorium with entrance hall and foyer. Each wing forms its own fire compartment, and the building is equipped with sprinklers and a firealarm indicator board. The attenuated foyer zone links the spaces in the building together.

The external cladding is in 32-mm fine-sawn, heat-treated spruce boarding. The horizontal paneling is painted with two coats of oil paint. A metal visor has been built in above the strip windows to prevent the spread of fire. The external boarding continues on the internal walls of the foyer and corridor spaces, where the boards are treated with fire retardant and painted.

The balustrade to the bridges is built up of laminated timber frames made of four layers of birch and treated with fire retardant. The wooden bridge construction, which makes up the spine of the building, gives the foyer spaces a character that is all their own.