Support and promotion of community spirit is central in the design of the new building of the School of Business

The new building of the School of Business in Otaniemi will be completed at the end of 2018. The faculty and staff of the School of Business will move to the premises from Töölö in February 2019, and the Master’s and Doctoral studies will be organised in the new building from 25 February 2019 onwards. Associate Dean Timo Saarinen who isin charge of the construction project has chosen what are, in his opinion, stunning spots in the building.

BIZ Learning Hub supports team activities and the terrace encourages networking

‘In a well-lit spot on the building’s first floor, there is the BIZ Learning Hub which has already provided us with positive experiences in Töölö. With its adaptability, the space is particularly good for student teamwork. Technical solutions, such as large screens and easily convertible furniture, support multiform learning without sacrificing comfort’, Saarinen explains.

‘From Töölö, we will bring to Otaniemi restored and repainted Domus chairs, which were designed by the famous Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara in 1946. In the future, they can be found in the lobby as well as the BIZ Learning Hub. And so, a piece of our history is brought in the new premises’, Saarinen continues.

BIZ Lounge & Terrace on the third floor is a spacious conference room and terrace, offering great views across Campus. It is possible to arrange festive occasions in the lounge, such as for cooperative partners or a team. Students can also reserve the space.

Diverse food options

The sense of community is also reflected in the restaurant facilities. Restaurant and Wine bar Arvo (“arvo” means value in English) and Café Kylteri located immediately at the street level, are natural meeting points with good food and drink. ‘We wanted to choose a name for the café representing us business students (“kylteri” is a nick name in Finnish for a business student) in Otaniemi. Kylteri is exactly that: historical and strong’, Saarinen describes the winner of the name competition.

Sodexo is in charge of restaurant and café services in the new building of the School of Business. Restaurant and Wine bar Arvo’s dining hall is spacious and bright, so it can also serve as a space for events or work. The restaurant opens at breakfast time and serves both home cooking and specialities. Grill food is prepared in a real wood charcoal grill. Café Kylteri is located in the middle of the building, close to the lecture halls, where it serves customers from morning to evening.

The opening ceremony of the new building will take place in spring 2019

After a break of over fifty years, all of the departments of the School of Business will again be under the same roof in the new building. Thus, the premises are expected to support and promote a sense of community. The new building of the School of Business at Ekonominaukio 1 is open to all.

The opening ceremony of the School of Business will take place after the move in spring 2019. By then, Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture and a few joint units and programmes of Aalto’s different schools have been operating for over half a year in the Väre building, as well as the A Bloc shopping centre opened at the end of August. The whole building complex was designed by Verstas Architects consisting of Aalto University's alumni. The main designer was Jussi Palva.

‘We will arrange events open for all in our new building during the year 2019, and would like to warmly welcome everyone to our premises. Hopefully the move of the School of Business to the main campus of Aalto University in Otaniemi in the City of Espoo will bring with it new opportunities for cooperation, and the ongoing collaborations will continue as well as they have done so far’, Saarinen says.

Floor map

• Ground floor, i.e. street level: Restaurant and Wine bar Arvo and the cabinets, Café Kylteri and lecture halls
• 1st floor: work spaces of the deans and service units, the Department of Marketing, BIZ Learning HUB, open work space and meeting rooms
• 2nd floor: Departments of Management and Information and Service Management
• 3rd floor: Departments of Finance, Accounting and Economics and BIZ Lounge and Terrace

Photo (above): Café Kylteri
Photo (below): Restaurant and wine bar Arvo