KOKO3 created a sophisticated and thoughtful design for the Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Leppävaara in Helsinki, Finland.

The Laurea University of Applied Science Leppävaara campus stands on a beautiful plot of land in Espoo. The building designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen is a beautiful portrayal of 1970s architecture. The large windows offer stately views of the building’s surroundings. Together with Laurea’s development team, we were responsible for the spatial development of the campus learning environments. Teachers, staff, and members of the student community actively participated in this collaborative development process. Based on our findings, we created a concept that served as the basis for the learning environment transformation.

The development and renovation process is conducted in stages. The goal is to modernize the learning spaces and make them multifunctional with added flexibility. The first phase saw the updates of learning spaces on the 1st and 2nd floors. Certain specialty rooms were also updated, including Living Lab, a space dedicated to circular economy. The updated spaces received color and material palettes that feel timeless and tie with the building’s original hues and the surrounding nature. Furniture pieces are light and easily moveable, making it easy to change the layout in each space. Interchangeability and multipurpose use were key factors in the furniture selections. The textiles and built-in furniture in Living Lab are made of recycled materials – the theme of the space is highlighted in all design choices.

Design: KOKO3
Photography: Riikka Kantinkoski