Aerial view of an urban landscape featuring numerous buildings surrounded by dense green patches. Roads intersect the area, and various rectangular structures are scattered throughout. There are visible open spaces and pathways connecting the buildings.

Aalto University

Espoo, Finland

2015

Client Aalto-Yliopisto

Masterplanning

This proposed masterplan for Aalto University aims to develop a connective public space on campus, at last realising one of Aalto’s original intentions for the site.Retaining and reinforcing an existing lime tree-lined axis, leading from its main faculty building, a new perpendicular axis has been added to link to important transport and metro hubs. As part of this, service traffic was contained underground, freeing up surface-level space for pedestrians a cyclists and, in effect, humanising it.

‘A beautifully and clearly presented proposal... (it) represents a refreshing reinterpretation of the traditional collegial courtyard model.’

Jury Citation, 2015

A detailed architectural site plan showing a complex array of buildings, roads, and green spaces. The layout includes various rectangular and irregularly shaped structures, pathways, and intersections within an urban environment.

Another result of this plan is that the importance Aalto University’s main faculty building has been reasserted, again based on Aalto’s on intention and befitting of the function and architectural prominence of that structure.