Lippulaiva library in Espoolahti is opening March 31st, 2022

30.3.2022 18.56Updated: 1.4.2022 21.17

Lippulaiva library, Espoo’s fifth district library, opens it’s doors March 31st, 2022 at 10:00am. The library is located in Lippulaiva shopping center and offers a wide range of services and long opening hours.

The model library for sustainable development

Lippulaiva library, Espoo’s fifth district library, opens it’s doors March 31st, 2022 at 10:00 am. The library is located in Lippulaiva shopping center and offers a wide range of services and long opening hours. The library was developed with the help and input of local residents to create an exceptional and original library experience. Sustainable development is featured in a new and innovative way in the library public space.

"We want to offer an alternative to the traditional scandinavian style public space. New additions to the public space can be acquired with customer input in a sustainable development style", tells customer service manager Juha Kortesluoma.

Recycled furniture, natural materials and colors reflect local identity and create a unique world from within the shopping center. Espoolahti’s nature and island inspired interior decoration and within the library can be found furniture from Soukka’s library and Espoolahti nightclubs. The library’s lobby art is a fantasy style map of Espoolahti designed together by Soukka author Ilkka Auer and Meritori primary school.

The library interior is designed by KVA Arkkitehdit and recycled furniture made possible in cooperation with Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus. Custom made furniture has been acquired from F-inno Oy.

The library is still being finalized after opening

Due to the library’s ambitious vision, part of the library space will continue to be built after opening day. Library material and services will be continuously updated and fulfilled during the spring. Over 75,000 books will be available to borrow in the almost 3,000meter square size library, including a magazine collection developed according to the input of library customers.

Would you like to cook in a communal kitchen? Check out the spaces of the new library!

The library offers space to customers for various hobbies and work and all of the space names were chosen by library customers. These spaces include Kajuutta (Wheelhouse) and Hytti (Cabin) meeting rooms, Salonki (Salon) multipurpose space for events and exhibitions, a place for clubs and makerspace and Solmu (Knot), a sewing room. A brand new concept to Espoo libraries is a community kitchen named Kapyysi (Galley) which offers the possibility for food clubs and cooking. The community kitchen is designed to be accessible to all.

A large family area was requested by local families and includes Satulaiva (Story Boat) storytime room and a minikitchen for children’s snack times as well as a stroller park in it’s own entrance. Supplies for organizing children’s events can be borrowed from the library. The library also has a separate gaming space called Messi that’s was designed especially with the help of young adults.

"Working together is a part of our library concept and we invite everyone to give ideas and actualize library concepts and operation and cooperation, for example in book clubs, food preparation and handicrafts", says Juha Kortesluoma.

In a happy coincidence, the year 2022 that the new library opens, Espoo City library as a municipal service hits 100 years and Espoo as a city hits 50 years.

Espoonlahti