A modern, spacious canteen with rows of tables and chairs, a staircase with blue accents, round windows, green plants, and a colourful landscape painting on the wall. A clock is mounted above the painting.

Kauhava School Centre

The modern learning environments at Kauhava School Centre, which opened in September 2020, also provide recreational facilities for the whole town. Ecophon acoustic solutions ensure an acoustic environment that works well for both school pupils and evening users.

Research/Case studies Education Corridor and breakout spaces Lecture hall Sports hall Canteen Classroom

Discussions on whether old schools should be renovated or demolished to make way for new construction are currently taking place throughout Finland. In Kauhava, located in Southern Ostrobothnia, it was decided that the old school, which was suffering from a range of interior problems, would be demolished to allow for new facilities to be built.

Planning of Kauhava School Centre began in 2015, with the overall costs totalling approximately EUR 20 million. The premises, spanning approximately 9,000 square metres, offer modern learning environments for 800 pupils, from the first grade through to upper secondary level.

“The different age groups are based in part in their own wings, each of which has their own entrances. The common areas used by all are the dining hall, auditorium, and technology and home economics classrooms located in the centre of the building,” explains the site’s Architectural Planner Jorma Keskikiikonen of architecture and engineering firm Motiivi Oy.

In the evenings, the building becomes a multifunctional space, hosting music and adult education activities. The spaces have also been designed with recreational needs in mind.

A modern, empty classroom with white walls, white desks and grey chairs, bright ceiling lights, a clock, and a whiteboard at the front. The room appears clean and organised, with large windows letting in light. — Sound absorption for the classrooms is managed through a perfectly fitted ceiling, as well as acoustic panels on the walls.

A modern workshop with multiple workbenches, ceiling-mounted equipment, and various tools. The room is clean, brightly lit, and equipped with advanced ventilation and technology. No people are present. — A grey acoustic ceiling was installed in the technology rooms. The product used was Ecophon Master™ A in Silver Stone.

A spacious indoor sports hall with a high ceiling, a climbing wall, basketball hoops, and multiple courts. Several blurred figures are playing sports on the blue-marked floor. Bright lights illuminate the area. — The new sports hall entices all kinds of users to get moving! When planning the spaces, the requests of school pupils and recreational users were taken into account, leading to installation of features such as a 10-metre climbing wall.

“We share arts teaching rooms, the auditorium and the sports hall, to give just a few examples, with our evening users. The school’s yard has also been designed with the broad user base in mind: the games pitches and courts and the outdoor play equipment serve both our pupils and recreational exercisers,” explains Principal Ville Vihla.

A modern canteen with orange chairs and white tables, high ceilings, blue columns, and a geometric black-and-white wall feature. The space is open, bright, and contemporary, with a first-floor railing. — Let’s meet in the canteen! An impressive canteen serves as the heart of the school, with the small group rooms and lobby on the second floor opening out onto the large space.

A modern lounge with orange sofas, a round table with magazines, large black pendant lights, light wood cupboards, a stainless steel fridge, and windows along a curved wall. The space is clean and brightly lit. — Acoustics have been taken into account throughout the school. This room features not only an acoustic ceiling, but also Ecophon Master™ SQ panels bonded to the upper part of the walls, improving the acoustics of the space even further.

Adaptability and versatility

When planning the new school centre’s rooms and spaces, flexibility and versatility were key starting points. The spaces had to be easily adaptable for teaching use and recreational activities.

“Our basis was finding two purposes for each room. For example, the auditorium can be used for both matriculation exams and for small-scale concerts,” states Keskikiikonen.

As many as a thousand Kauhava residents can study, work and engage in hobbies under the same roof on any one day. Given the number of users, the facilities do not seem particularly large in size. However, the spaces can be adapted to suit different needs and group sizes, by opening or closing folding walls, for example.

“When we are holding matriculation examinations, for example, we cannot fit everyone into one auditorium. Thanks to the adaptable spaces, we can, however, combine three classrooms and create an additional space suitable for holding exams in,” Vihla says.

Modern lecture theatre with rows of empty grey and teal seats, tiered seating, wood-panelled walls, blue and green accent wall, and a ceiling with recessed lighting. — The auditorium space and its acoustics are suitable for both matriculation exams and concerts. The audience seating can be split into two with a divider curtain, and the rear wall of the stage can be opened into the canteen if necessary.

A modern lecture theatre with rows of empty blue and grey seats, wood-panelled walls, colourful green and blue wall accents, a glass barrier, and a clock above doors at the back of the room. — Ecophon Master™ E grey acoustic panels were selected for the ceiling of the auditorium.

If a group at any point expands beyond the capacity of a classroom, surrounded by teaching rooms each school level has its own lobby area suitable for independent study, group work and open learning.

The spaces were put to their first major test straight away in the autumn, when the school was positively surprised by the number of upper secondary applications it received. The adaptability meant that a larger-than-planned intake of upper secondary pupils could be accommodated.

“In this sense, the school undoubtedly works well and will continue to do so for a long time to come. No matter how the pupil numbers or space requirements change, the building can adapt,” Vihla declares.

An acoustic environment to suit all users

Kauhava School Centre is an impressive site with a personal feel, with a design that plays with both surfaces and colours. The indoor spaces use bold statement colour walls, graphic wallpaper and wood panelling to create an inviting and home-like atmosphere.

A modern building interior with geometric windows, blue columns, a metal railing, white lockers on the left, and an open, brightly lit corridor. — The Ecophon Focus™ Ez solution was used in the lobby ceiling,

A modern, brightly lit interior with blue beams, a staircase, metal railings, lockers along the wall, and tables with chairs in an open area below. Large windows let in natural light. — and instead of a standard smooth surface, the panels are positioned asymmetrically,

The personal feel continues in the acoustic solutions. The Ecophon Focus™ Ez solution was used in the lobby ceiling, and instead of a standard smooth surface, the panels are positioned asymmetrically, with one side dropping below the ceiling line. Additionally, Ecophon Akusto™ Wall panels, most commonly used on walls, were used here on the ceiling of the kitchen area, amongst other places.

A modern, spacious canteen with geometric ceiling lights, grey counters, stainless steel equipment, and patterned tiled flooring. The space appears clean and well-lit, ready for food service. — An impressive triangular design was custom-made for the kitchen ceiling using Ecophon Akusto™ Wall panels most often used on walls.

“The Akusto panels used in the suspended ceilings feature integrated spotlights, allowing them to provide both good lighting and sound absorption. Some of the spaces feature acoustically-designed surfaces on the walls, too, in order to achieve optimal acoustics,” explains Keskikiikonen.

The users of the spaces were involved in the planning of the spaces and their acoustics from a very early stage. When it comes to music tuition in particular, it is important that the spaces used for teaching are suitable and acoustically pleasant. It was ultimately decided that the music teaching spaces would be located in the civil defence shelter, which by nature offers thick walls and good sound absorption.

Ecophon acoustic solutions have been used in all teaching rooms, the sports hall, corridors, lobbies, and dining rooms. Marko Haikka of Sisustus-Nummi Oy was responsible for the installation.

“In addition to the space planning and acoustic solutions, we’ve also tried to influence the noise levels of the spaces through our own actions. For example, meals take place in five sittings, so the number of people and noise level do not get too high,” says Vihla.

Thankfully we have a lot of options available to us to resolve potential acoustic challenges. For example, in the auditorium we can add round acoustic boards to the walls, if acoustic problems arise in the future.

During the autumn, noise measurements were carried out at Kauhava School Centre, with the majority of the spaces performing well. The sports hall proved to be one of the more challenging spaces, where noise rose to excessive levels in places when the hall was full to capacity. The intention is to replace the divider curtains to provide better sound insulation.

“Thankfully we have a lot of options available to us to resolve potential acoustic challenges. For example, in the auditorium we can add round acoustic boards to the walls, if acoustic problems arise in the future,” states Keskikiikonen.

The first school year in the new premises has got off to a great start. According to Vihla, the teachers, pupils and recreational users have taken to the spaces well.

“This is a hugely significant site for all of Kauhava, and it has drawn interest amongst residents of the local area and municipality. It is great to see the finished spaces now in active use,” Keskikiikonen adds.

Text: Eveliina Miettunen / Ground Communications
Photos: Studio Juha Sarkkinen

Kauhava’s new school centre

Completed autumn 2020
The school centre was designed for 750 pupils
The facilities comprise a comprehensive school for grades 0–9 and an upper secondary school
The building spans approximately 9,000 square metres in surface area

Ecophon products

Ecophon Focus™ Ez / Canteen, lobby
Ecophon Master™ E, colour Silver Stone / Auditorium ceiling
Ecophon Akusto™ Wall, Akutex FT, colour White Frost / Kitchen ceiling ‘triangles’
Ecophon Master™ E, Ecophon Akusto™ Wall Texona, Ecophon Master™ SQ / Classrooms
Ecophon Master™ A, colour Silver Stone / Technology room