Lagmansgården Reform School, located in the natural landscape of Finland´s west coast, offers a safe, home-like, and rehabilitative environment for youth in need of intensive substitute care and special needs education. Commissioned by state-owned Senate Properties and selected through an architectural competition in 2020, the facility combines living, learning, and support spaces into a unified whole

The complex includes school and residential buildings with 20 accommodation rooms across four units, alongside classrooms, recreational areas, a kitchen, dining hall, and administrative spaces. Designed around a central courtyard that opens toward the shoreline, the layout preserves a century-old pine forest and encourages outdoor activity. The buildings’ single-story structure and wooden material palette create a calm and therapeutic living and learning environment.

Architectural inspiration was drawn from Ostrobothnian building traditions, emphasizing simplicity, extended eaves, and integration with nature. The buildings’ frames, facades, and interior surfaces are primarily made of wood. The main structural element is massive CLT (cross-laminated timber), which was left exposed wherever possible. In the residential buildings, frame structures were also used. The wooden frames of the exterior glass walls are load-bearing, allowing for a simple aesthetic without a separate structural frame. The facade cladding is a modern interpretation of traditional batten cladding and is finished with a translucent treatment close to the wood’s natural tone. A light-colored standing seam metal roof conceals the building’s technical systems.

Low carbon emissions and energy efficiency were prioritized throughout the project. The compact building form, geothermal heating, solar power, use of wood and low construction-phase emissions contributed to Senate Properties’ most climate-friendly project to date.

Functionality and adaptability guided the interior design. Surfaces combine CLT and plywood for a warm yet informal look, and furniture was selected for flexibility and durability. Interior colors reflect the surrounding forest, and both staff and students contributed to design choices. Students also helped build furniture, including coffee tables for residential lounges.

The school supports research and development efforts by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), contributing to the continuous improvement of residential care models. The spatial concept was developed through earlier pilot projects and further refined through this project’s insights.

Lagmansgården represents a holistic, sustainable, and humane approach to institutional care and special education—blending architecture, therapy, and nature to support recovery, growth, and community.