(5 Dec 2018) LEADIN Finland is celebrating the country's birthday with the opening of a new state of the art library in Helsinki. The new public space has more than just books, featuring 3D printers, recording studios, cinemas and other leisure facilities that are all free for the public to use.   STORYLINE The sweeping design of Helsinki's new multi-million dollar library building in the new Citizens' Square.   Called Oodi, the large glass structure offers some of the best views over the city. It will be the centrepiece of a new public square which is still under construction. The designers wanted to create a multi-purpose space in the heart of the city, like a neighbourhood centre, where people can just hang out and spend time doing something constructive. The main designer from the ALA Architects studio team, Antti Nousjoki says: "A lot of people in Helsinki are working freelance style or fragmented jobs, and we all have several times a week, an extra two hours to kill in the city centre, so instead of just going to the shopping mall or a coffee shop, there was this idea of building a shared non commercial space." As well as thousands of books, there are also various spaces that visitors are free to use. "So the Oodi library is organized in three different levels. So what we basically done with the architectural concept of the building is to take the public space catalogue, that citizens wanted, and then define three different levels in the city centre which all have very different contacts with the urban heart of Helsinki," says Nousjoki. He adds: "The upper most floor where we are now, is a kind of open landscape of the library, which is kind of floating above the city, so we are little bit removed from the noise of the street, the traffic, the people passing by and peeking in and just happening to visit the building. This is more quiet space for contemplation, for reading, for thinking, for intellectual activities. Maybe more for individual activities." There are facilities available for sewing, 3D printing, reading, meeting and even recording studios and a cinema. Oodi librarian and information specialist, Ulla Leinikka says: "Public libraries (in Finland) have, from the very beginning, been places where people can go to develop themselves, to study, to read, to get books. And the same basic task they have even today. Also, very important is matter of life long learning and equality, so people can come to libraries to get different skills, not only reading books, but also learning to use different equipment, to use computers for example, 3D printers, UV printers, all kinds of different equipment." The library opened to the public on Wednesday (5 Dec) ahead of Finland's Independence day on Thursday. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a0b061744ce66e77decd720152e1e50e

• published: 10 Dec 2018
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