Gymnasiet Lärkan and Hoplaxskolan, Helsinki

The school still contained many original surfaces and structural elements, as it had not previously undergone a major refurbishment. The renovation upgraded and modernised the facilities to meet the needs of early childhood education and teaching. The building was also complemented with new extensions. A key starting point was to avoid demolition and preserve as much of the existing structure as possible. An extensive condition survey conducted at the outset guided the selection of repair methods. The condition of the structures was also assessed during construction, which helped prevent excessive repairs. The design solutions emphasised low‑carbon choices and long‑lasting materials. The culturally and historically valuable school building was designed by architects Woldemar Baeckman and Eero Miikkulainen. Integrating modern building services into the low ceiling heights of the protected building required close collaboration and creative spatial solutions. The façade and architectural characteristics had to remain unchanged, and the ventilation units could not be placed above the roof. Space for technical rooms was therefore created in former classrooms, which in turn increased the need for the extension. Today, the building houses a Swedish‑language upper secondary school for 420 students, Hoplaxskolan’s Haaga unit for 150 pupils, and the Haga daycare centre.