Our design process for AALLOILLA Sports & Spa Centre in Viinikanlahti started with analysing what people are willing to achieve with their free time. One important goal for free time is to regain the energy that was lost during the week of work and to “recharge the batteries” for the upcoming week. The way to ensure the stress of work, increase health in both mind and body, is to have physical activity and calm rest, muscle-care, and meditation. In our concept and architectural idea, we have separated active side and serene side to their own buildings to have unique visual atmosphere, sound and material theme and feeling in them. The active side has more bright stimulating colours, lively sounds of music and people in the building and airy dynamic atmosphere with a smell of chlorine and main materials. On the other hand, the serene side has more natural materials and soft tones in indoor spaces and little unique and mysterious spaces with a soft light. The holy and relaxing atmosphere is filled with a smell of candles, wood, nature, salt water and fire.
We wanted to make the building footprint as small as possible and orientate it towards the city centre to make it fit to the plot and surroundings as well as possible without blocking views from the neighbours. The relation to water is one of our main conceptual ideas and all of the three buildings have a view or an actual connection to water. All the spaces above the ground have views towards the Pyhäjärvi-lake and the canal while separated restaurant building and spa area has been built on top of the water creating instant connection for water sports and fresh lake breeze. The interesting wavy rooftop which is covering all the three buildings has taken inspiration of the water waves in front it. The Sports Centre near to the public plaza has three floors, one under the ground level and two above it. All spaces inside have plentiful of natural light coming inside. The serene side has two floors, one under the ground level and one above. The bath area is having less views to canal and to busy roads with soft rice-coloured windows to make it calm and relaxing place to the visitors.
