THE LIGHTNESS OF GLASS AND STEEL
The spatial organisations in the designs for today's new office buildings often use various semi-open plans, the aim of which is to simultaneously provide the peaceful setting needed for work and cater to the demands imposed by fast communications. The nature of office work is undergoing rapid change: work is no longer bound to place, but rather to the flow of information. The old question resurfaces: what type of office buildings should we be designing today to meet the standards of tomorrow?
The basic working environment model is especially emphasised as the point of departure for architectural design in large, freely located office buildings, whose design is not limited by the density of urban structure or historically valuable surroundings. At worst these buildings are tedious repetitions of faceless office buildings built en masse, but at their best they are inspiring environments which encourage interaction.
Nokia House was designed with the working environment uppermost in mind, in other words, from the inside out. The triangular building sections arranged around the atrium form clearly defined, internally flexible basic units. The triangular shape also has visual advantages: the adverse impression of a vast room created by walls running in parallel direction can thus be avoided. The view moves along non-parallel surfaces, through the glass walls to the outside landscape or into the indoor courtyard illuminated by natural light. The view over the sea provides a sense of open space, while the atrium creates a feeling of togetherness.
The atriums of Nokia House are lare enough and certainly impressive. They are a change from the ubiquitous white central halls which characterise contemporary Finnish architecture. The architect has created his own colour spectrum by using grey-painted steel, glass and various types of wood. A remote echo of this can be seen in the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles which was built in 1893, and was one of the predecessors of office buildings based on the idea of a central hall. A similar spectrum of colours was there: dark-grey iron structures, yellow brick walls and floors. The scale and materials of the building are different from those of Nokia House, but the intensity is the same.
The steel and glass structures in the Nokia House atriums are provided with the necessary softening effect by the use of wooden surfaces: red-hued cherry tree floorboards, and oak ceiling battens. On the shorter sides of the atriums, the timber floors and ceilings of the gallery corridors reflect magnificently the wooden materials of the ground level. To be allowed to use wooden cladding in ceilings of this type of room is in itself a victory in one battle of the eternal war between designers and the fire authorities. The atrium to the left of the entrance hall serves as a lunch restaurant. The system of open self-service counters seems to be functioning smoothly. The room is spacious, and it feels as if one was eating half-way outside. In this respect, the atrium shows its best side: the room is full of life, particularly as the age structure of the customers, Nokia employees, is young.
The other atrium is reserved for conference and exhibition activities. In spite of the apparent likeness, it is not as magnificent as the one housing the restaurant. This is partly because of the difference in function, but partly also due to the protruding auditorium, which eats into the area of the atrium. This somewhat diminishes the plaza-like atmosphere.
The two square-angled basic masses of the building are connected to each other at the corners by bridges situated in the tall and narrow entrance hall. The connecting glass wall has been fearlessly built long enough to act as a clear break between the two units. The function of the transparent bridge section is particularly evident on the side of the entrance facade, as the impact created by the connecting section is not absorbed by a diagonal glass wall as in the facade overlooking the sea.
As one approaches the main entrance of the building, the dark silhouettes of people walking along the bridges are picked out against the sky behind. The company slogan - 'Connecting People' - is thus given a natural architectural interpretation.
Observed from the Länsiväylä motorway when approaching from the direction of Lauttasaari, the building might appear slightly awkward. On a cloudy day, the different orientations of the glass walls are not easily discernible. But on a closer view, from a different angle, the glass surfaces fall into place, and the structural units of the building are more conspicuous.
The mass of the building has been distributed with great skill, the connections of the units are light, and the details have been well considered and carefully designed. The facades give a pleasant impression, even from close up. This may be due to the fact that heavy pipe profiles have been avoided and edged metal structures creating a vision of a thin line have been used instead.
Standing on a wedge between the sea and the motorway, Nokia House fits confidently into its large-scale surroundings. It significantly improves the scenery of the over-proportioned Länsiväylä motorway at the Otaniemi interchange. The multistorey carpark, clad with metal lattice, follows the contours of the road and provides the main building with a well-proportioned entrance gate. The canopy above the main entrance is a handsome and yet airy construction of glass and steel.