Dipoli renovation

Espoo, Finland
aerial view
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
exterior view
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
exterior view
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
exterior view
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
lower lobby
Fotografia © Marc Goodwin
bistro
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
main staircase
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
upper lobby
Fotografia © Marc Goodwin
great hall
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
student cafeteria
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
student cafeteria
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
restaurant
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
office facilities
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
meeting room
Fotografia © Tuomas Uusheimo
Architects
ALA Architects
Localització
Otakaari 24, 02150 Espoo, Finland
Any
2017
Client
Aalto University Campus & Real Estate

Dipoli, the iconic, experimental student union building of Helsinki University of Technology designed by Raili and Reima Pietilä and completed in 1966 has gone through a complete renovation and gotten a new life as the main building of Aalto University. The landmarked building, located on the edge of the Alvar Aalto designed Otaniemi campus, is the result of an architectural competition organized in 1961, where the Pietiläs’ entry was awarded shared 2nd prize. The renovation was part of the larger campus reorganization project linked to the former Helsinki University of Technology campus becoming the main campus of Aalto University, born out of the merger of three Helsinki area universities.

In its new role Dipoli functions as the meeting place for the university administration, the academic community, the students and other stake holders. All of these parties were also activated in the spatial re-design process that turned the building into a sustainable, flexible workspace of the future. In addition to housing the administration, Dipoli continues to function as a prime location for important lecture events, as well as university festivities, and acts as a display platform for the university’s research and design projects. The cafés and restaurants at Dipoli cater for students, staff, as well as neigborhood residents.

The Dipoli renovation project was Aalto University’s test lab for flexible working methods and mobile work. The aim of the design team led by ALA was to re-radicalize the building by creating a fresh, open and dynamic user experience, not forgetting the original designers’ vision.

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