Lo scorso 5 dicembre, proprio alla vigilia della festa che celebrava i 101 anni d’indipendenza della Finlandia, a Helsinki e’ stata inaugurata la nuova grande biblioteca centrale: Oodi. In questo caso, “grande” e’ aggettivo che indica proprio le sue dimensioni: Oodi copre ben 17 250 mq di spazio su tre piani ed e’ anche un centro multiservizi. Affacciata sulla baia di Töölönlahti, e’ situata di fronte al palazzo del Parlamento, vicino alla sala da concerti Musiikkitalo e al centro multifunzionale Finlandia-Talo, al museo Kiasma e alla sede del Helsingin Sanomat, il quotidiano nazionale a maggior tiratura: quindi in un’area gia’ dedicata alla cultura. Oodi e’ costata 98 milioni di euro, pagati per due terzi dalla citta’ e per un terzo dallo Stato.
In questo post ci dedichiamo agli esterni del nuovo gigante. Progettata dal gruppo di architetti ALA Architects e presentata in anteprima alla scorsa Biennale Architettura di Venezia, Oodi e’ rivestita esternamente in listelli di abete locale, con un design moderno e accattivante; la struttura dall’aspetto ondeggiante si avvale di ampie vetrate affacciate sulla piazza civica e sul palazzo del Parlamento, a significare la relazione tra il Governo del Paese e la popolazione. Spero che le mie foto, scattate in un pomeriggio d’inverno, rendano giustizia al colore caldo della copertura lignea.
Nelle foto seguenti: Oodi come appariva la sera del 5 gennaio 2019 in occasione della manifestazione Lux Helsinki: all’ingresso principale vi era un’ installazione dell’artista britannico Tim Etchells, il quale usa le sculture di luce per esplorare la poeticita’ del linguaggio. La frase recita: “We wanted to be the sky”.
Infine, il nome “Oodi” significa proprio “Ode“; ma vi avviso che l’interpretazione “Ode alla cultura” e’ solo mia. A presto per una panoramica degli interni e per altre info.
(Fonti: la Rondine; my Helsinki; il blog dell’amica Riitta; il sito ufficiale: www.oodihelsinki.fi/en/visit/ )
Ode to Culture. (part 1).
Last December 5th, one day before the celebration for 101 years of Finnish Independence, in the heart of Helsinki we had the grand opening of the new Central Library: Oodi. In this case we can use the adjective “grand” to define Oodi itself, as it extends onto 17 250 sq metres upon three storeys. The new library (and multi-service centre) is located in an area of the city already devoted to culture: overlooking the Töölönlahti bay, opposite the Finnish Parliament, between the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, the Musiikkitalo concert-hall and the offices of the major newspaper Helsingin Sanomat; a few steps from another important building, the Finlandia-Talo, famous venue for concerts and happenings. Oodi cost 98 million euro, paid partly by the municipality and partly by the State.
In this post we will concentrate on the outside of the building. Oodi is a project of the ALA Architects group, which was also presented in the Biennale Architettura exibition in Venice last summer; its design is modern and eye-catching. The swooping structure is clad in planks of local spruce timber and takes advantage of wide steel and glass windows, overlooking the civic square and the parliament building, to mean the relationship between the Goverment and the people. I hope my photos taken on a winter afternoon make justice to the warm hue of the wood cover.
In my last shots: Oodi as it appeared on January 5th, during the art event Lux Helsinki. A light installation on its main door made by British artist Tim Etchells consisted in an illuminated text: “We wanted to be the sky”. Etchells in fact uses light sculptures to explore the poetic nature of language.
Finally, the name of this imposing building: “Oodi” means “Ode”; even though “Ode to Culture” is just my interpretation. Soon more info and a detailed view of the interiors.
(Source: laRondine; myhelsinki; my friend Riitta’s blog; Oodi official webpage: www.oodihelsinki.fi/en/visit/).
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Linked to: All Seasons. Image-in-ing. Makrotex Challenge (a precious wooden box!). My Corner of the World.
It is a very interesting building… 🙂
“We wanted to be the sky” sounds lovely indeed.
Buona domenica! xx
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Great photos of stunning Oodi! Happy Sunday!
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Grazie, Sara. Serena domenica (nevosa?) anche a te! xx
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Thank you, Riitta! Happy Sunday!
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Hello, what a beautiful building and library. Very grand! I would like to see inside too. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day. Have a great new week ahead.
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Thank you Eileen. Have a happy Sunday you too!
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…what a dramatic building, I like the saying ‘We Wanted to be the Sky!’
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Yes…dramatically different. So contemporary. Thanks for your visit, kind Tom!
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Gosto bastante desta arquitectura.
Um abraço e bom Domingo.
Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados
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Obrigada, Francisco. Bom Domingo!
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Such an interesting building! “We wanted to be the sky” is fun! #AllSeasons
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what an interesting building, fabulous architecture!! it is aptly named!!!
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Thank you Debbie. Thanks for your visit!
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Thank you Lisa. Have a nice week ahead!
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Davvero un edificio “poetico” nelle forme e nello scopo… dove c’è biblioteca c’è desiderio di conoscere e migliorare
Le tue foto mi piacciono tantissimo… vorrei essere uno di quei passanti!
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Grazie, mia cara, il tuo commento mi piace tantissimo! … Grazie davvero!
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A new magnificent building for the library. Congratulations!
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Thank you Carol. So up-to-date!
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Even with the dashes of colour, you can feel the cold in these pictures. I like them.
Cheers – Stewart M – Melbourne
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Veramente molto bello questo edificio.. Nonostante le dimensioni importanti, la struttura ondeggiante lo rende molto leggero e per nulla “pesante” dal punto di vista visivo e rispetto al contesto. Aspetto le foto degli interni 😉
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Grazie, mia cara. Ti dirò di più: stanno ristrutturando anche un terminal dell’aeroporto e il progetto è di farlo egualmente ondeggiante… Vedremo. A presto. Buona giornata!
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Thank you very much, Stewart. Thanks for your visit!
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It is a beautiful building. Especially so in your lovely winter light. Here in the UK we are beginning to question the use of libraries for public use when everyone is so digital. For research of the ancient yes, but perhaps less so for daily reading.
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People are so much digital also in Finland. In fact libraries are meeting points and provide many collateral services… Thanks for your kind visit!
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Bella l architettura contemporanea.. Saranno 250 mq per piano, é maestosa..
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Great shots.
Have a nice week.
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I visited Oodi today for the first time! When you live in Helsinki, it takes time to visit new places. Smooth lines, beautiful architecture.
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It is a beautiful building. I am curious to see how they will transform Helsinki Vantaa airport… from the project it seems that it will look quite a lot like Oodi. Thanks for your comment!
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So cool!
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Yes it is… indeed!
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Thank you Maarit! Have a nice week you too!
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Si…maestosa e’ giusto. Un saluto a tutta la family!…;)
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Bellissima!
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Davvero. Grazie Cri!
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Great photos of Helsinki’s magnificent new library building.
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The architecture is quite impressive!
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Nice pics! Oodi looks really interesting place. Maybe next summer I’m able to visit there, too. 🙂
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Thank you. Yes…it is worthy a visit. Have a nice day!
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Yes, indeed… Thank you William!
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Thank you very much, Kirsti! Have a good day!
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Grazie, ricambiano!
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Amazing looking building.
All the best Jan
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Simply beautiful! Thanks a lot for linking up to My Corner of the World!
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Thank you Betty! Thanks for hosting.
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Yes… so grand!
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Nice idea!
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Thank you!
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