#oodi library

[tea-tuesday]

travel tales: oodi library in helsinki, finland

[laulappa]

[howshegoing]

16.07.2022_3:56 PM

[skrubu]

The Helsinki Central Library (19) by Pekka Nikrus

[allanwalshauthor]

A Simple Post on Libraries

Hello Readers, I haven’t done a post that isn’t a book review for some time now, so I thought I would put one together for you. I had a little think about what I could do and came up with this idea, a post on some of the awesome libraries I have visited locally and across the world. So, here are a few of the photos I have taken while on my travels (and one photo I didn’t take). This is the…

[dlyarchitecture]

[trietfotolog]

Reading at Oodi - 10 February 2023 - Helsinki, Finland

[viajarconrosana]

OODI, LA BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL DE HELSINKI, UN ESPACIO MÚLTIPLE, ABIERTO A TODA LA CIUDADANÍA; Por Rosana Saburo

Mientras existan bibliotecas, un mundo mejor puede definirse y hacerse realidad. Era la segunda cita con un país nórdico, acostumbrada a las temperaturas del Sur de Andalucía, el tren desde el aeropuerto de Helsinki al centro de la capital de Finlandia, mostraba la nieve acumulada que permitía caminar con mayor facilidad por las estaciones, eran imágenes muy distintas, este viaje generaba, desde…

[aradxan]

[bagusarisaputra]

One of the highlights of my trip to Finland was seeing how good the public services are. Elon Musk, in his opposition to a billionaires' tax, has spoken about how beyond a certain point, wealth is no longer about personal use, as an individual would struggle to spend such sums, but rather, about capital allocation. He thinks the tax would be foolish because it would take money away from an entity adept at investing it, which a billionaire by definition is, and put it in the hands of an entity that has a track record of being wasteful, which many governments do. The new Oodi library in Helsinki is the best refutation I know to his argument. It is a three-storey, €100 million public space with co-working areas, reading rooms, high speed internet, a cafe, restaurant, and cinema. There are video game booths with huge flat screen TVs, where I saw a father and child, a podcast recording studio where I met a local entrepreneur, a music studio, and a 3D printer. There is a piano and guitars on the wall. I wondered how much it would cost to rent them? Turns out they are all - the studios, the equipment, the spaces - free, you just need to book a time. The building houses 100,000 books on all sorts of topics, from academic textbooks through children's books to the latest bestsellers. Walking around, I saw a section of literature in Somali. After the onset of the Somali civil war in 1991, a number of people fled the country, some to Finland. I felt moved when I saw that rack - I imagined a child separated from his homeland coming across those books, and finding pride in them, a lost piece of himself, a connection to something greater than him. Billionaires are better at maximising profits but that is not what governments are for. Ideally they work towards creating a better, more equal society, and to deliver good living outcomes for their citizens. Libraries are a case in point: famously loss-making, but crucial in the functioning of a healthy democracy, for education, and social mobility. Oodi inspired me, because it showed me just what can be achieved when the funding and political will are there, and the system works for the good of the people. #oodi #libraries (di Oodi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdN9g-ctQMT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[certifiedlibraryposts]

I would love you to spotlight Helsinki's main library "Oodi"

It is the most stunning library I've ever been to!

WOAAAAAAAAAAH

this place looks amazing are you kidding me

!!!!!!!

I Want To Be Here

[kanelinsuomi]

Is lohikäärme actually a salmon snake?

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I already posted this to my Telegram channel, but since I know that many people do not use Telegram, I’ll post this one separately on Tumblr too.

I do stuff like this on the Telegram channel, but more relaxed stuff as well, like yesterday I filmed a short tour in Helsinki’s central library Oodi. I will probably post some other videos on here later too, but if you want to have more, head to my channel at t.me/kanelinsuomi (❁´◡`❁)

[archidemia]

Helsinki Central Library Oodi

[beardedmrbean]

In response to mounting criticism, some public places in Finland have chosen to revert their unisex toilets to separate facilities for men and women.

One of those is the Rewell shopping centre in Vaasa. About six years ago, the business introduced gender-neutral restrooms with the aim to aid inclusivity and save space.

Critical feedback started soon accumulating, particularly from women, prompting the return of gender symbols on the shopping centre's restroom doors in August 2022.

"The feedback, mainly from female customers, was that not all visitors were keeping the restrooms tidy. Hence, we reintroduced the gender division," said Susanna Spak, the CEO of Rewell.

She explained that now some stalls are designated for women, some for men, and one stall remains gender-neutral, alongside an accessible restroom.

The spread of gender-neutral unisex toilets in Finland accelerated rapidly after the amendment of the Equality Act in 2015, which aimed to prevent discrimination based on gender, gender identity, and gender expression.

Despite their increasing number, unisex toilets have sparked mixed reactions. While some places have made changes based on feedback, new gender-neutral restrooms continue to be introduced.

Unisex toilets receive both praise and criticism

In the case of Tampere University Hospital, the negative feedback from users resulted in the hospital reverting its public toilets to separate men's and women's facilities.

Despite this, the new Oulu Hospital, which is being partially designed by the same architectural firms as the Tampere Hospital, has chosen to incorporate gender-neutral restrooms with shared vestibules marked with gender-neutral symbols, along with single-occupancy restrooms.

The Helsinki Central Library Oodi, completed in 2018, has also retained its gender-neutral toilets despite criticism – which has been steadily fading.

"In June, we received one piece of feedback regarding the gender-neutral restrooms, while there were none in May and April. The restrooms have not been changed based on the feedback. We inform those who inquire that Oodi also provides single-occupancy restrooms, and all of them are gender-neutral," Kari Lämsä, Oodi's service manager, said.

Why do gender-neutral restrooms provoke such debate and strong emotions?

Most critics of gender-neutral restrooms highlighted the untidiness of the shared spaces.

Messiness was the primary reason for customer dissatisfaction, even though the restrooms are cleaned eight times a day, Spak from the Rewell shopping centre pointed out.

"Since the change, I haven't personally heard any negative feedback, so I believe the current solution pleases everyone. We recently renovated all the restroom surfaces, which makes cleaning easier," Spak said.

Some women also expressed feeling unsafe or uncomfortable in unisex restrooms; for example, some said applying makeup can be awkward when a man is washing his hands nearby.

Hanno Airas, CEO of Novosan, a company specialising in public toilets and baby-changing facilities, said he has encountered a lot of "toilet shame" in his work. He explained that a surprising number of people suffer from shy bladder, feel embarrassed by restroom sounds, and experience shame and insecurity in public restrooms. Suitable toilet design should also include consideration for different cultures and nationalities; for instance, gender-neutral restrooms may not be without challenges from religious perspectives.

Airas also acknowledged the criticism regarding the cleanliness of gender-neutral restrooms.

"If there are only stalls in the restroom, they can be quite messy. Some men are accustomed to using urinals while standing, and now that they use stalls standing up, urine may splash onto the toilet seat. This quickly creates a very dirty feeling," Airas explained.

"Everyone should have access to safe restroom facilities"

The Equality Ombudsman regularly receives reports of cases where discrimination is suspected based on gender identity or expression, according to Senior Inspector Päivi Lehto.

These cases can include situations where individuals belonging to gender minorities have been denied the use of dressing facilities that align with their identity.

"At the moment, we have very limited legislation that takes gender diversity into account in gender-segregated spaces and services. The Equality Ombudsman has to assess individual situations on a case-by-case basis," said Lehto.

Last spring, the Equality Ombudsman recommended to the parliament that the law should explicitly address how gender diversity is considered in dressing and sanitation facilities.

The matter is now being actively promoted during the new government's term.

Lehto pointed out that individuals whose gender is unquestioned may not be aware of the challenges faced by gender minority individuals on a daily basis.

"The positive aspect of unisex facilities is that one's gender doesn't have to be defined at the restroom door, potentially avoiding negative attention," Lehto said.

Lehto stressed that safe restroom facilities are a right for everyone, including those from different cultural and religious backgrounds.

"When updating legislation, we must take into account the equality and equal opportunity principles, ensuring that new construction provides inclusive and safe spaces for all," Lehto noted.

She also emphasised that sexual and gender-based harassment is prohibited by equality laws, and any such cases must be addressed promptly.

Examples of good unisex toilets exist

Not all gender-neutral toilets are criticised. According to Airas, the right spatial division is crucial.

For instance, urinals can be made available for men, but they should be separated from the rest of the restroom. Airas cited public sauna Löyly's unisex restroom in Helsinki as a successful example, where urinals are discreetly separated from the main area by saloon doors.

Enhancing comfort can also involve providing good sound insulation and sound design within restroom stalls, as restroom sounds can be embarrassing for some. Background music or soundscapes in the restroom can help mask these sounds.

Airas suggested that in large unisex restroom areas, there could be separate single-user restrooms. It is essential to carefully consider the overall picture.

"If we want unisex restrooms, we must consider the perspectives of everyone: children, young people, people from different nationalities, religions, genders, and ages. Suddenly, what seemed like a simple issue becomes very complex," Airas noted.

[skrubu]

The Helsinki Central Library (18) by Pekka Nikrus

[landscapesscenerypeopleplaces]

Galaxy - by endegor

Oodi library, Helsinki, Finland