Helsinki University of Technology

Aalto University (Finnish: Aalto-yliopisto; Swedish: Aalto-universitetet) is a public research university located in Espoo, Finland. It was established in 2010 as a merger of three major Finnish universities: the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design Helsinki. The close collaboration between the scientific, business and arts communities is intended to foster multi-disciplinary education and research. The Finnish government, in 2010, set out to create a university that fosters innovation, merging the three institutions into one. The university is composed of six schools with close to 17,500 students and 4,000 staff members, making it Finland's second largest university. The main campus of Aalto University is located in Otaniemi, Espoo. Aalto University Executive Education operates in the district of Töölö, Helsinki. In addition to the Greater Helsinki area, the university also operates its Bachelor's Programme in International Business in Mikkeli and the Metsähovi Radio Observatory in Kirkkonummi. Aalto University's operations showcase Finland's experiment in higher education. The Aalto Design Factory, Aalto Ventures Program and Aalto Entrepreneurship Society (Aaltoes), among others, drive the university's mission for a radical shift towards multidisciplinary learning and have contributed substantially to the emergence of Helsinki as a hotbed for startups. Aaltoes is Europe's largest and most active student run entrepreneurship community that has founded major concepts such as the Startup Sauna accelerator program and the Slush startup event. The university is named in honour of Alvar Aalto, a prominent Finnish architect, designer and alumnus of the former Helsinki University of Technology, who was also instrumental in designing a large part of the university's main campus in Otaniemi.

Aalto University Undergraduate Center is a building designed by the Architect Alvar Aalto. Originally the building was designed to serve as the main building of the Helsinki University of Technology. Today it is one of the main buildings of the Aalto University's campus in Otaniemi, Espoo.The first part of the building was completed in 1965 and the extension with the major auditoriums in 1975. The library building of the University was completed in 1969, also designed by Alvar Aalto. The main building and the library are crucial part of the campus that is defined to be national cultural heritage of Finland. It became the Undergraduate Center, one of the main buildings of the new Aalto University, and all the buildings were renovated in the early days of the Aalto University.

Väre is a building of the Aalto University in Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland. The main user of the building is the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, in addition to which the metro centre on the ground floor contains about 6000 square metres of commercial space such as two grocery stores, special stores and many restaurants and cafés. The building has a connection to the Aalto University metro station. In the immediate vicinity, on the other side of the Korkeakouluaukio square, are the Aalto University Undergraduate Center and the Aalto University Library. There is a stop for the Helsinki light rail line 15 on the Korkeakouluaukio square. A design contest was held for the building, which was won by the entry by Verstas Arkkitehdit in 2013. Designers included Jussi Palva, Väinö Nikkilä, Riina Palva, Ilkka Salminen and Mikko Rossi. Construction started in December 2015. The building was completed in summer 2018 and was opened to the public in September 2018. The main building of the Aalto University School of Business located in the same block was taken into use in February 2019 when the rest of the facilities of the business school moved from Töölö, Helsinki to the new building in Otaniemi. In order to strengthen stereotypes, the railings and stairs at the business school part make playful use of gold-coloured paint while the part for the school of arts, design and architecture make use of rusted steel. There is a café at the bottom floor selling sparkling wine. On the bottom floor of the schgool of arts, design and architecture is a vegetarian restaurant.

Aalto Media Lab is a transdisciplinary laboratory focusing on digital design and its impact to culture and society. The Lab is part of the Department of Media at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Aalto University in Finland. Media Lab is a base for MA and Doctoral studies, and for research on design and production of digital culture, digital media, interaction design, games, new media art and sound and the effect they have on society. The current MA programs and majors of the Aalto Media Lab are MA in New Media, Sound in New Media and Game Design. The Lab is a coordinator and a partner in number of international research, design and development projects focusing on digital technology, art, design, media and culture.

Aalto University (Finnish: Aalto-yliopisto, Swedish: Aalto-universitetet) is an underground station on the western metro extension (Länsimetro) of the Helsinki Metro. It is located inside the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University.

FiR 1 (Finland Reactor 1; also sometimes referred to as Otaniemi research reactor, Otaniemi reactor, TKK reactor or VTT reactor) was Finland's first nuclear reactor. It was a research reactor that was located in the Otaniemi campus area in the city of Espoo. The TRIGA Mark II reactor had a thermal power of 250 kilowatts. It started operation in 1962, and it was permanently shut down in 2015. At first, the reactor was operated by Helsinki University of Technology (TKK), and since 1971 by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.In addition to research, the reactor was used for production of radioactive isotopes for industrial measurements. It was used also for neutron activation analysis of geological and biological materials. Lunar soil samples from Apollo 12 were analyzed with FiR 1. Radiation damage to equipment has been investigated with the reactor. For example, magnetometers for the ITER fusion reactor have been irradiated with FiR 1. University students have performed exercises with the reactor. After the year 2000, the most significant use of the reactor was boron neutron capture therapy for patients with a cancer in the head or neck area.

Dipoli is the main building of Aalto University, located in the university's Otaniemi campus in Espoo, Finland. It was designed by architects Reima and Raili Pietilä and opened in 1966. Dipoli was initially owned by the Student Union of the Helsinki University of Technology who sold it to Aalto University in 2014.

Teknologföreningen is the only student nation at the Aalto University. The only other university in Finland hosting student nations is the University of Helsinki. The Aalto University was formed in 2010 by a merger of three universities, before the merger Teknologföreningen was a student corporation of the Helsinki University of Technology. Therefore the majority of the members are students of engineering or architecture. Teknologföreningen was founded in 1872. It was the predecessor of the student union of the Helsinki University of Technology. It is also older than any other student organization at the Aalto University. Teknologföreningen's primary purpose is to unite students interested in speaking the Swedish language and to guarantee equal rights to Swedish-speaking students at the bilingual Aalto University.Teknologföreningen has its own peculiar building from 1966, named Urdsgjallar — a building that resembles the shape of a drinking horn seen from an aerial perspective, that according to legend has no two perpendicular walls. It was designed by Kurt Moberg, and it is a well-known example of Brutalist architecture in Finland. The name of the building derives from Gjallarhorn of norse mythology. The building hosts a lunch restaurant for students as well as rooms intended for work and recreational purposes. The building also hosts a semicircular sauna called "Pi" with a radius of 3.14 meters. — In 2020 it was decided to tear down the building because it is in poor condition.

Aalto University School of Engineering (Finnish: Aalto-yliopiston insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu, Swedish: Aalto-universitetets högskola för ingenjörsvetenskaper) is part of Aalto University. It is one of the four new schools of technology established on 1 January 2011 from Aalto University School of Science and Technology, formerly known as Helsinki University of Technology. The four new schools continue to offer education and research that promotes advances in science and technology. The Department of Architecture was part of the School of Engineering until 2012, when it was restructured into the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.The School of Engineering teaches and researches sustainable development, global warming, energy conservation and clean energy, and the sustainable use of natural resources. In 2018, Aalto University had a World University Ranking of 140, and was ranked 9th overall in the Top 50 under 50.The School operates in the fields of applied mechanics, civil and environmental engineering, energy and HVAC technology, mechanical engineering, real estate economics, geomatics, structural engineering and building technology, and urban and regional studies.

Otaniemi (Finnish), or Otnäs (Swedish), is a district of Espoo, Finland. It is located near the border of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Otaniemi is the home of Aalto University's campus, thus "Otaniemi" is often used as a synonym for Aalto. However, several research and business facilities are also located in Otaniemi. The most prominent institutions for science and engineering in Otaniemi are the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). Business is represented in the area by the business incubator Technopolis. In 2010, Otaniemi became home to Aalto University, formed from the merger of the Helsinki University of Technology, the University of Art and Design Helsinki, and the Helsinki School of Economics.

The Geological Survey of Finland (Finnish: Geologian tutkimuskeskus abbreviated GTK, Swedish: Geologiska forskningscentralen) is the geological survey of Finland. The organization was founded in 1885 when Emperor Alexander III decreed that the Geological Survey of Finland (Suomen geologinen tutkimus) be established. The survey produces impartial and objective research data and services in support of decision-making in industry, academia, and wider society. provides solutions to accelerate the transition to sustainable and carbon-neutral world. GTK employs more than 400 experts specialising in the mineral economy, circular economy, solutions related to energy, water and the environment, as well as digital solutions. GTK is a research institution governed by the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, operating in Finland and globally.

Länsiväyläjuoksu is an annual running event held in Espoo, Finland since 1976. Länsiväyläjuoksu is organised in conjunction by several private sporting clubs, and is open for everyone, both men and women, both adults and children, for a small participation fee. There are three different options available in Länsiväyläjuoksu: Long-distance run (the main Länsiväyläjuoksu event): 17.4 km Short-distance run: 6.5 km Walk: 6.2 kmAll options start and finish in Otaniemi, Espoo. From there all routes go to Tapiola, after which the short-distance run and walking routes turn back to Otaniemi. The long-distance run route goes from Tapiola to Mankkaa, then to Leppävaara and Laajalahti, crosses the municipality border to Munkkiniemi, Helsinki, then to Kuusisaari and Lehtisaari, crosses the municipality border back to Keilaniemi, Espoo and finally back to Otaniemi. Participants in the running events are given individual participant numbers and RFID tags which provide real-time recordings of their running times. Participants of the walking event do not get any individual participant identification. All participants who successfully finish any event are given a commemorative medal as a reward.