55 Years of Student Homes: PSOAS Celebrates with a New Mural

The Northern Finland Student Housing Foundation (PSOAS) was founded on 20 September 1971. Fifty-five years later, the anniversary was celebrated on 21 September with a gathering attended by PSOAS staff, board members, and representatives of partner organisations, featuring coffee and the unveiling of a new mural.

A Long Journey to 4,000 Apartments

The story of PSOAS began at a time when students in Oulu were in urgent need of affordable and safe housing. Over the decades, the foundation has grown alongside the city. Today, PSOAS provides homes for around 5,600 students in nearly 4,000 apartments across Oulu.

Along the way, PSOAS has invested in both new developments and renovations of existing properties. One of the most recent examples is the Välkkylä area, where the first building was completed in 1966 and the new UNO apartment building was completed in spring 2024. Oulu’s oldest student residence, Domus Botnica, welcomed its first tenants in 1958, more than a decade before PSOAS was founded.

A Mural Brings the Anniversary Year into the Cityscape

The highlight of the celebration was the unveiling of a mural painted on the exterior wall of the PSOAS office. The artwork was created by architect and illustrator Timo Tyynismaa.

“The building’s red brick facade guided my choice of colours. I wanted to use complementary colours that would stand out against the brick surface rather than blend into it. At the same time, the mural is connected to its surroundings. The greenery in front of the building inspired the plant motif. I wasn’t trying to imitate any specific plant, though. Instead, I created imaginary plants with subtle references to shoreline vegetation.
Some of the colours shift towards blue. My daughter even asked whether the mural was meant to depict the seabed, and I think the artwork leaves room for interpretations like that. During the sketching phase, Uuno Välkky and the PSOAS logo were added. Stylistically, I wanted to create contrast and include subtle influences from street art and graffiti.”
– Timo Tyynismaa, Architect and Illustrator

The mural created by Timo Tyynismaa on the facade of the PSOAS city centre office (Mannenkatu 6)

PSOAS CEO Ville Isoherranen (left) and architect and illustrator Timo Tyynismaa on 21 September 2026.

Looking Ahead

Ville Isoherranen, CEO of PSOAS, reminds us that 55 years is a milestone, but the journey continues.

“55 years is a significant age. It speaks of long-term commitment, the ability to renew and adapt, and a mission that has been important from the very beginning: providing students with a home in Oulu.
To us, a home has always been more than square metres, walls, and a roof. It is a safe starting point, a place to rest, study, and look confidently towards the future.
The mural brings Uuno Välkky to life on the wall, a fictional character whose significance is very real and rooted in the early days of student housing in the 1960s. The story is humorous, but behind it lies a serious and still highly relevant message: every student should have access to an affordable, safe, and comfortable home.
Our mission is to build homes for students. At our best, we also build community, wellbeing, and opportunities. We help create a future that begins at home.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of PSOAS’s 55-year journey. Together, let’s make the coming decades just as meaningful.”
– Ville Isoherranen, CEO of PSOAS

The mural will remain as a lasting reminder of the anniversary year and will continue to bring the PSOAS story into Oulu’s cityscape for years to come. It is also a reminder that our work of building student homes and supporting everyday student life will continue also in the future.