Library Kirkkonummi

Library Kirkkonummi, Finland

The Finnish city of Kirkkonummi, located just outside Helsinki, has a new library that unites history and tradition with modern, high-end design. Finnish architectural office JKMM took the existing concrete structure of the original city library from the 1980s and created a building with an entirely new design, which is also used as an integrative community centre. The library now offers twice the space and includes event rooms, a café and a 198-m² reading lounge.

In Finnish architectural tradition, a library is a place for concentrated reading and studying; thus the design of the building and its interiors reflects and promotes this reverence for reading. Kirkkonummi’s new library is no exception and this tradition is evident down to the very last detail. The library’s reading rooms feature high walls whose shape is reminiscent of the design language of bookshelves. Their vertical white slats soar upwards into the ceiling. Ample daylight filters in through the exterior walls, which, together with the warm wooden bookshelves, create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Brass lamps mounted on the outer walls offer additional reading light and create visual accents.

For the seating in the reading rooms, interior designer Tiina Rytkönen chose the organically shaped 404 F by Thonet. This armchair is part of the iconic collection by renowned German designer Stefan Diez and the library features 76 of these chairs in the clear varnished oak version along the tables facing the windows as well as around a group table.

The 404 range, which references the historic archetypes from Thonet’s bentwood collections, is characterised by its innovative construction principle: the bent chair legs and armrests meet together in a “knot” beneath the seat, which connects the pieces of the chair without the need for a frame or screws. The chair appears at once minimalist and eye-catching, like a sculpture in the middle of a room. With an ergonomically shaped seat and a backrest that flexes, the 404 F does not dictate a specific seating position – the perfect choice for library visitors who want a comfortable chair to sit in while they lose themselves in a good book.