Verstas Architects was announced as the winner of the international invited competition for the design of an office and apartment building in the heart of Helsinki. The competition was organized by Lemminkäinen Talo Oy in co-operation with The City of Helsinki, City Planning Department and Etera Mutual Pension Insurance Company.

The traditional topping out ceremony was organized last week at Saunalahti school to celebrate the completion of the building’s structure. View from the dining hall balcony

Finnish teachers’ union magazine Opettaja praises Kirkkojärvi school in the latest issue. The article (in Finnish) can be read online at www.opettaja.fi.

Also, Betoni magazine issue 3/2011 features an article on Kirkkojärvi school yards. The article can be found at www.betoni.com.

Verstas Architects is honored as a “40 UNDER 40, EUROPE’S LEADING EMERGING YOUNG ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS” laureate 2011, awarded by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies with The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.

Europe 40 Under 40 recognizes the best emerging European design talent in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and industrial design and their exceptional leadership contributions and achievements early in their professional careers.

“Some of Europe’s most exceptional design talent was selected this year,” states Christian K. Narkiewicz-Laine, Museum President, The Chicago Athenaeum. “These young practitioners, currently designing and building some of the most provocative work today, promise to be riding the crest of the future in Europe.”

The attic conversion project by Verstas Architects, is completed. The attic of an early 20th century residential building, located in Punavuori district, Helsinki, was converted into four loft apartments. More images will soon be uploaded to “projects” section.

Kirkkojärvi school is fetaured on ArcDaily, the world’s most visited architecture website.

Monocle Magazine picked Kirkkojärvi school as one of three case studies of succesful design in their global school design report. Kirkkojärvi, referred to as “the quality establishment”, was praised for being specifically focused on making pupils feel valued. The education special is featured in Monocle issue 46.

Designboom’s editor Lauren Grieco likes Verstas’ City Cottage. www.designboom.com

Kirkkojärvi school was selected as a winning project in the 2011 International Architecture Awards organized by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. The building was the only awarded project in Finland.

An exhibition of all 90 awarded projects takes place in a special exhibition “New World Architecture” during the XIII BA11 International Biennial de Arquitectura in Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 8-30, 2011. After Argentina, the exhibition is scheduled to travel to Warsaw and inside Europe 2011-2012.

All awarded projects for 2011 can be viewed on organizers’ websites at www.europeanarch.eu or www.chi-athenaeum.org.

Kirkkojärvi school is featured as the cover story of the new ARK magazine (The Finnish Architectural Review 3 / 2011). The school can also be seen in the new book The Best School in the World: Seven Finnish Examples from the 21st Century published by the Museum of Finnish Architecture in conjunction with the exhibition of the same name. The exhibition will remain open at the museum until September 25th.