The kindergarten in the Suomi Hloubětín project will be designed by Jyrki Tasa

The company YIT is building a new residential neighborhood, Suomi Hloubětín, in Prague 9 on an area of nine hectares for nearly 2,000 residents. In such a large urban complex, where many families with children will also find a home, it does not forget the necessary infrastructure and civic amenities. Just like in major YIT projects in Helsinki, Finland (Merenkulkijanranta, Konepaja, Tripla), it will include a commercial zone with shops and service establishments, recreation areas, relaxation spots, and last but not least, a playground and kindergarten. The renowned Finnish architect Jyrki Tasa will design it, bringing elegant architecture in Nordic design to the Czech Republic. YIT plans to start construction of the kindergarten in 2018.

“Functionality, structure, and aesthetics are key to my work. I consider it most important that the buildings I design provoke interest in people.” – This is what Jyrki Tasa says about his architecture, who is not only a co-owner of the studio Architects NRT but also a professor of contemporary architecture at the University of Oulu and a visiting professor at the University of Applied Arts in Helsinki. The fact that his professional creed is being fulfilled is evidenced by more than 20 first prizes he has received for his work in various architectural competitions. His implementations range from residential projects to family houses and public buildings. Among his iconic works are, for example, the family house Moby-Dick in Espoo, the Paavo Nurmi athletic stadium in Turku, and the library in the Finnish town of Hollola near Lahti.

“We chose Jyrki Tasa for the architectural concept of our kindergarten in the Suomi Hloubětín project because of his extensive experience with public building architecture, as well as the fact that he and his team perfectly realized our vision of living in large YIT projects Merenkulkijanranta and Konepaja in Helsinki. We look forward to projecting Finnish style characterized by elegance, moderation, respect for nature, and the use of natural materials through Jyrki Tasa into the Prague kindergarten,” says Vladimír Dvořák, managing director and CEO of YIT Stavo. Architect Tasa designed the kindergarten to meet all requirements for low-energy buildings. But not only that: above all, it is intended to stimulate imagination and inspire children to play. It will also include an interactive playground. An example is the kindergarten Lentävä Matto (Flying Carpet) in the Finnish town of Espoo, also designed by Jyrki Tasa and his studio.

Jyrki Tasa considered the Czech kindergarten not only technically but also very empathetically. “I greatly appreciate that YIT gave me free rein in the design of the kindergarten, so I could let my imagination run wild – just like I did, for example, in my earlier realization of the family house Moby-Dick. By using unusual shapes, atypical structures, and surprising details, I want to play out a fairy tale in the children's minds that will be different every day. That is how the kindergarten in Suomi Hloubětín should be. It is shaped by round and organic shapes, cream colors, and materials that evoke an icy kingdom. The round skylight, through which natural light penetrates, creates a unique and somewhat festive atmosphere. Thanks to all these features, children can easily imagine many shapes from real nature - and even that inside the building they will experience adventures as if they were inside some large animal,” describes Jyrki Tasa.