A solid wood CLT day care centre Metsätähti

The day care centre Metsätähti has 2700 square meters space in two storeys, which provide their own group areas for 10 day care groups. Environmental friendliness and the possibility to construct in line with criterium of sustainable development, were among of the strategic decisions made by the city of Porvoo, which led it to choose CLT, cross laminated timber, as the building material of the kindergarten Metsätähti already quite early on during its planning phase.

There is a sheltered atrium yard in the middle part of this U-shaped building. Modularity, the use of straight lines and big glass surfaces have been the basis and starting point for the planning of this building. The areas, which are used by all of the groups have been located so, that the distance is short from every group to all shared spaces.

The modular cell structure has received a lot of positive feedback from the users of the day care centre. They say, that even though this is a big unit, the building is very cosy. The personnel and other users of kindergarten have praised the beauty of CLT, comfortable atmosphere and brightness in the building among other things. The users have also noticed, that the soundscape is more quate in Metsätähti kindergarten, when compared to their earlier facilities.

Scope of delivery: exterior walls and other CLT-structures
Technical information: 260 mm HOISKO CLT exterior walls
Location: Porvoo, Finland
Year of completion: 2021
Builder: Construction company Kalevi Suntio Oy
Planning: Architect office Perko Oy

Other information:
Metsätähti day care centre (Metsätähden päiväkoti / Daghemmet Skogsstjärnan) is also an educational tourist destination, where Finnish educational know-how is presented both for domestic and international educational and expert guests.
You can explore a virtual tour of the day care centre from the webpage of the project: Edutech products to boost the vitality of tourism. More information about the design of the building (architecture, structures and materials) is also available in the project’s website.

PHOTOS: JANI JUNTIKKA