Sistem brought color, comfort, and creativity to the Helsinki City Library in Helsinki, Finland.

The Helsinki City Library in Viikki got a new look, where the nature theme of the building, known for its Winter Gardens, is repeated in the colors, shapes and materials of the interior.

The starting point for the design of the experiential library was the little wonders of the forest and the world of microorganisms. The nature of Viikki and the science world on the university campus are visible throughout the premises.

The magazine reading room is a multi-sensory space with a sound-absorbing floral installation with Studio Viivi. The views open onto the Roman garden, and Kirsti Maula’s illustrations on the glass wall are repeated elsewhere on the library’s glass walls, upholstery and carpets.

In the children’s area, the furniture drawn into the space breaks the angular world of books in its free form. A lot of furniture was also designed to improve the acoustics, and even genuine moss depends from the ceiling.

The new spaces have been designed respecting the original architecture of the house, and the intense colors of the 21st century serve as the basis for the new furniture, designed with comfort above.

Design: Sistem
Photography: Riikka Kantinkoski