International Ideas Competition
The population of the Helsinki region will grow from 1,3 million to 2 million within the next 50 years. The amount of required new building is so great that it enables developing the region’s overall structure in a way which strengthens the region’s position and competitiveness as one of the Baltic Sea region’s leading cultural and technological centers and an appealing residential and business location.
The competition was organized by 14 towns and municipalities of the Helsinki region: Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen, Kerava, Tuusula, Järvenpää, Nurmijärvi, Mäntsälä, Pornainen, Hyvinkää, Kirkkonummi, Vihti and Sipoo, together with the Ministry of the Environment.
The winner of the international Greater Helsinki Vision 2050 ideas competition is an entry entitled Emerald. Its author is planning agency WSP Finland Ltd. The core members of the competition team are the architects Juha Eskolin, Jenni Lautso, Ilona Mansikka and Tuomas Vuorinen.
Winner: Emerald is an innovative entry where building is directed both to supplementing existing community structure and to some completely new areas in the urb
an core and border municipalities of the metropolitan area. The consequent community structure for the whole region is balanced. The choice of focal points for growth is determined by rail transport connections. Residents are encouraged to choose more ecologically viable lifestyles through various active inducements. The service structure is considered from new, innovative, and ecological bases. The service innovations include the idea of a mobile shop that comes to the client. Public transport is proposed to introduce a “climate bonus card” which benefits the user through e.g. free fares for favoring public transport. The entry thoroughly considers the quality of life from the perspectives of residents of different kinds and ages.
Shared 2nd prize: Towards City 2.0 is an interesting and in a positive sense idealistic entry whose goal is to activate residents to create information, innovations, services, and entrepreneurship on their own initiative. Social innovations are presented to be the area’s central developmental force (”Social Silicon Valley”). The members of the entry’s creative team were architect Tuomas Toivonen, Hans Park and researchers Roope Mokka ja Aleksi Neuvonen, Finland.
aitoa arkkitehtuuria 