Fazer Visitor Center and Meeting Center in Vantaa, Finland by K2S ARCHITECTS

Article source: K2S ARCHITECTS

The chocolate company Fazer is one of the best known Finnish brands with a strong heritage. In short, the new visitor center transforms the existing candy factory area into a destination for visitors.

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

• Architects: K2S ARCHITECTS
• Project: Fazer Visitor Center and Meeting Center
• Location: FAZERINTIE 6, 01230 VANTAA, Finland
• Photography: Mika Huisman
• Client: Oy KARL FAZER Ab
  
• Architect: Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola & Mikko Summanen Nina Vauhkonen, Sasu Marila, Matias Manninen, Tetsujiro Kyuma, Petri Ullakko, Matti Wäre, Tuuli Kanerva
  
• Landscape Architect: MAISEMA-ARKKITEHTITOIMISTO NÄKYMÄ OY, Yrjö Ala-Heikkilä, Pia Kurki, Ana Torres Gomez
  
• Exhibition Designer: ATELJE SOTAMAA, Kivi Sotamaa, Tuuli Sotamaa
  
• Interior Designer: dSign Samuli Hintikka, Vertti Kivi
  
• Structural Engineering: SS TERACON OY, Pasi Koivisto
  
• Hvac Designer: INSINÖÖRITOIMISTO ÄYRÄVÄINEN OY, Esa Vehmaan-Kreula
  
• Area: 5130 sqm
  
• Status: Completed 9/2016

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

The new visitor center is a pavilion which becomes the architectonic signature of the area. It is the first object one sees as approaching Fazer village. The entrance front of the whole area will be transformed by means of landscaping. The main entrance to the visitor center will be guided through a garden of different grains and the raw materials of Fazer products will be strongly present.

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

A wooden cantilevered ceiling gives strong identity to the visitor center. In the main entrance the visitor in confronted with the café and the factory shop. A green room housing cocoa plants, sugar cain, vanilla etc. presents another experience of the raw materials in chocolate making. The free plan offers a platform for future experimentation of different concepts and product launches.

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

The exhibitions present both heritage of chocolate making and future directions. Events such as chocolate making or cooking courses can be attended. All public spaces in the Visitor Center are located on ground level, which allows easy access and flexibility of all spaces.

The new Meeting Center serves as an entrance to the existing Headquarters and also links the Visitor Center to the existing office spaces. This allows an easy indoor access from the Meeting Center both towards the Visitor Center and the existing offices and factories. This results in synergy and effectivity in the usage of space.

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

The chosen energy strategy and material choices results in a sustainable architecture. The land use and compact massing of buildings is effective and thus sustainable. Also the material palette is as sustainable as possible. For example there is extensive use of Finnish wood in the buildings. The energy strategy focuses on consumption optimizing, peak load cutting, demand management and on-site energy production by solar panels on the roofs.

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © Mika Huisman

Image Courtesy © K2S ARCHITECTS

Image Courtesy © K2S ARCHITECTS

Image Courtesy © K2S ARCHITECTS

Image Courtesy © K2S ARCHITECTS

Tags: Finland, Vantaa

Categories: Meeting House, Visitor Center

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 21st, 2018 at 6:51 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.