2024-12-22T16:29:17-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/77844999/verstas-architects-saunalahti-school-exemplifies-finnish-school-architecture Alexander Walter 2013-07-24T19:07:00-04:00 >2013-07-25T02:18:49-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/p3/p32n5vfhx4aw8gca.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Helsinki-based VERSTAS Architects has shared with us the beautiful Saunalahti Comprehensive School project in Espoo, Finland's second largest city. The school building, completed last fall, was the result of an open architecture competition in 2007 which VERSTAS Architects won.</p></em><br /><br /><p> <em>At the core of the design process for Saunalahti School stood the question of, primarily, how the physical school environment effects the learning results, and secondly, if a school building could also serve the larger audience as well. &ndash; Crucial thoughts considering the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessment#Results" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">continuously highest ranking</a> of Finnish education in international comparison.</em></p>