HIILI/CARBON - K2S Architects

The HIILI/CARBON project was designed by Niko Sirola at Helsinki University of Technology’s yearly timber studio. HIILI/CARBON is located on a high-contrast boundary between the asphalt surface of the Finlandia Hall parking area and the lawn of an art garden. It gives citizens a place to sit and admire a new view of the city: CARBON frames the view of the surrounding landscape. The building comprises customer and service facilities, covered terraces and an eastern and western terrace, as well as a separate toilet building for diners in the restaurant. The building is formed by a glulam frame, assembled on site from industrially prefabricated Safe Wood glulam units, which were pre-dried using a new method. The outer surface of the cafe has been carbonised by burning and creosoted to make them weather resistant.