Kamppi Center
Encyclopedia
Kamppi Centre is a complex in the Kamppi
district in the centre of Helsinki
, designed by various architects, the main designer, however, being Juhani Pallasmaa
. It is said to be Helsinki's new downtown commercial and residential centre. As a four-year construction project, it was the largest singular construction site
in the history of Finland
, involving the extensive and difficult redevelopment of the Kamppi district in downtown Helsinki.
The Kamppi Centre combines the commercial need for streamlined, optimized shopping environment with the necessary supply of customers by maximum accessibility and mobility. One of the first of its kind in Europe, the centre consists of:
The entire complex was opened in stages, with the new metro station entrance opened on 2 June 2005, the central bus terminal on 5 June, the long-distance bus terminal on 6 June and the shopping centre opened on 2 March 2006.
The appearance of the building is a reflection of the main architect Juhani Pallasmaa's ongoing interest in Constructivist architecture
and Structuralist architecture
, as if the building functions as a machine.
Kamppi
Kamppi is a neighbourhood in the centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The name originally referred to a small area known as the "Kamppi field" , but according to the current official designation, "Kamppi" encompasses a much larger area with a population of 10,000 in 2004.The heart of Kamppi...
district in the centre of Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, designed by various architects, the main designer, however, being Juhani Pallasmaa
Juhani Pallasmaa
Juhani Uolevi Pallasmaa is a Finnish architect and former professor of architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology and a former Director of the Museum of Finnish Architecture . He runs his own architect's office – Arkkitehtitoimisto Juhani Pallasmaa KY – in Helsinki...
. It is said to be Helsinki's new downtown commercial and residential centre. As a four-year construction project, it was the largest singular construction site
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
in the history of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, involving the extensive and difficult redevelopment of the Kamppi district in downtown Helsinki.
The Kamppi Centre combines the commercial need for streamlined, optimized shopping environment with the necessary supply of customers by maximum accessibility and mobility. One of the first of its kind in Europe, the centre consists of:
- Central bus terminalBus stationA bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
for local buses - Long-distance traffic terminal (underground)
- Kamppi metro stationKamppi metro stationThe Kamppi metro station is a station on the Helsinki Metro. In addition to serving the area around Kamppi in central Helsinki, the station is integrated with the Kamppi Center bus terminal and shopping complex....
(underground) - A freight depot (underground)
- Internal parking area (underground)
- 6 floor shopping centre with a supermarket, shops, restaurants, night clubs and service points
- High-class offices and residential apartments
The entire complex was opened in stages, with the new metro station entrance opened on 2 June 2005, the central bus terminal on 5 June, the long-distance bus terminal on 6 June and the shopping centre opened on 2 March 2006.
The appearance of the building is a reflection of the main architect Juhani Pallasmaa's ongoing interest in Constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture was a form of modern architecture that flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and early 1930s. It combined advanced technology and engineering with an avowedly Communist social purpose. Although it was divided into several competing factions, the movement produced...
and Structuralist architecture
Structuralism (architecture)
Structuralism as a movement in architecture and urban planning evolved around the middle of the 20th century. It was a reaction to CIAM-Functionalism , which had led to a lifeless expression of urban planning that ignored the identity of the inhabitants and urban forms.Two different manifestations...
, as if the building functions as a machine.