Description
The park around Kronoby Folk High-School has an area of about 2.7 hectares.
There are plans for more trees, hedges and bushes to enhance the aesthetic and recreational value of the area.
Location
The area and the school buildings are situated in the countryside in the centre of Kronoby, approx. 16 km from Karleby and 25 km from Jakobstad.
History
The school was founded in 1891, and the first buildings that were then erected are still in use. Agriculture and horticulture have long traditions in the curriculum. As early as 1900, the programme for ”farmers and housekeepers” was approved by the senate. The Kronoby School of Farming and Housekeeping was in function during the years 1914 – 1924.
Actions
1. Main overall plan for the area
2. Improvement of recreational value:
-build an outdoor swimming-pool
-plant hedges and decorative plants
3. Increase the value of the area by adapting it, where possible, to the school curriculum.
Expected Results
- A functional and inspiring environment for learning and recreation, both for the students and for the public.
- A well planned area that creates, in combination with the school buildings, an aesthetically pleasing environment.
- Maximum usage of the area with a minimal requirement of continued maintenance.
Architect’s Vision
The school grounds are being developed as a basis for improving the character and future of Kronoby Folk High-School. Under ”grounds” we are not only discussing the buildings and practical solutions for them, but also the Ostrobothnian countryside in itself and the environment that is valuable and meaningful to us in its own right.
Our concept is to develop primarily the existing green areas around and between the buildings. Our aim is to establish a foundation that makes room for future activities and projects - to create a park that is aesthetically pleasing from an Ostrobothnian cultural perspective and at the same time flexible, so that the users can develop it and make it their own. Different groups with participants from varying backgrounds should be able to use and enjoy the school and park facilities unhindered. Our desire is to create a close-to-nature resource both for participants in school courses and for the general public.
The thin belt of forest will begin to be utilized, first by developing better accessibility. Weeding the forest and bringing out its different aspects will be a way to work with the plants and the pathway as a living project in the future.Every year courses are held that involve the participants in the maintenance and development of the forest, which is gradually developing into a unique part of the park. A series of different experiments and locations has come about over the years. The intention is that various kinds of competitions and races can also take place here.
Since the periphery of the park is of a rougher character, the central courtyard area will be given a more ordered, cultivated profile. The existing buildings form a clear frame around the inner courtyard, automatically giving it a central, focal position. Areas are being developed here that can be appreciated also on a less active level. The natural walkways will be opened and a central room will be created in the middle. Here, various experiments could be positioned which reflect the school’s activities. For example a wind power station, which in itself is a positive symbol. The trees will be kept and complimented by more trees and plants so that the courtyard is dominated by natural greenery. The courtyard should be inviting and reflect the values of the school and park. A local, Ostrobothnian environment created by natural beauty that is pleasing to the senses.
”The School in the Park” is a project that looks optimistically to a future that is closer to nature and more people-centred. An ecological outlook is not only about ”green” values as such, but above all about a way of existing in the larger context. In our case it is about living with and supporting our own local environment and continuing on the warm Ostrobothnian tradition of living close to and aware of nature. In this project we want to support the existing positive attributes of Kronoby Folk-High School and to enhance the area with details and solutions, so that the improvements blend in to form a complete entity which is a unique example of a learning institution for the people in a tolerant Ostrobothnian environment.
