Finland’s education minister criticises open-plan school designs as a mistake

Finland’s education minister Anders Adlercreutz has described the widespread adoption of large, open-plan learning spaces in schools as an error, arguing that future school designs should better balance social interaction with quiet, focused work.

In an interview with public broadcaster Yle, Adlercreutz—who is a trained architect—visited Korttelitalo Leskenlehti, a school and kindergarten in Helsinki’s Viikki district that he designed over 20 years ago. The 2003 building, one of the city’s early wooden schools, houses a kindergarten, preschool, and early primary grades.

The minister praised the school’s combination of spacious classrooms and small withdrawal areas for concentration, a model he believes should guide future designs. “The trend toward large, open teaching spaces was driven by misguided efficiency thinking,” he said, adding that such layouts often fail to meet students’ needs for both collaboration and solitude.

Teemu Lappalainen, principal of Latokartano Primary School, which operates in the building, described the facilities as exceptionally functional, highlighting the generous classroom sizes and dedicated quiet zones. Students also spoke positively about the space, though few were aware of Adlercreutz’s role in its design.

Adlercreutz, who worked as an architect for two decades before entering politics, said his background in education facility design has informed his policy work. “Understanding both children’s realities and teachers’ workflows is essential,” he noted, drawing parallels between architectural problem-solving and political negotiation.

The minister’s past projects include the Ilola School expansion in Vantaa, Villa K in Espoo, and the Sansipelto Kindergarten in Kauniainen. He emphasised that sustainable, maintainable materials—like the wood used in Korttelitalo Leskenlehti—should remain central to school construction.