Helsinki’s Oodi Central Library has reinvented the idea of the traditional municipal library to create a new kind of community space. With the range of resources and specialist equipment available at Oodi Central Library, Helsinki residents and visitors can learn handy skills, see a film, edit video, create music, or access a 3D printer at the local library. Opened in 2018, Oodi offers more than your average public library creating a community meeting place with regular events and workshops, music rehearsal and performance spaces, play areas, a cinema, and even a sauna.

Each story is designed to create a unique atmosphere. The first floor offers an open-plan hall, event spaces, and a cinema. The second floor is home to designated work areas including photography, music and recording studios, games rooms, and meeting rooms.  The third floor combines relaxation, learning, research, and play with a vast book collection, reading areas and a children’s play area. Oodi also has specially designed robots to facilitate the transportation of books in the library, freeing professional staff free to assist visitors.

Oodi reimagines what is expected of libraries by offering a modern and inclusive space that opens up new opportunities for its users. From the citizen’s advice services to access to new hobbies, Oodi is both a cultural hub and a practical space where locals can find accessible resources. It combines the space of the library with a socializing space, event space and leisure center where users can learn and explore in a public space.