Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2012 | Page 32

HELSINKI
– THE MOST LIVEABLE CITY IN THE WORLD
Read more about all urban development projects from internet-pages: www.en.uuttahelsinkia.fi

The new Kalasatama Centre will
be the most focal urban project in
Helsinki for the next few years.

H

elsinki is the centre of Finnish science
and art. Its architecture is a fascinating amalgamation of old and new. Helsinki has sometimes been described as “the
smallest big city in the world”. Even though
one fifth of the whole country’s population
– more than one million inhabitants – live
in Helsinki, here everything is nearby. You
can reach the centre on foot. Biking is popular. Trams, the underground, and buses are
reliable. Helsinki is also one of the world’s
cleanest and safest capitals, and its cultural
diversity is hard to match.

World Design Capital Helsinki
This year Helsinki will be the World Design Capital. Urban planning and architectural design have played an important role in
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the selection. Design manifests itself in the
everyday lives of Helsinki citizens in many
ways. The creative sector plays a huge role
in the economic growth of the Helsinki area.
Also in all future developments, design will
play a relevant role.

Huge constructions;
the city is undergoing
remarkable changes
During the next ten years the Helsinki area will undergo more changes than probably any other large city region in Europe. In
particular, the development of shores, ports
and railway yards will radically alter the city.
250 hectares of waterfront area have already
been vacated by the transfer of two cargo
ports out of the city centre.

This, together with the city’s other major development projects, will create
4.5 million m² of new residential floor area
and almost 2.5 million m² of business floor
area by 2040, representing new homes for
100,000 people and jobs for tens of thousands.
Helsinki combines a nearly untouched
seascape with efficient infrastructure, excellent transport connections and multicultural interaction.
Successful urban planning forms the
foundation for a good city culture. Helsinki
has aimed to create harmonious urban spaces with a unique flavour, according to the
principle of placing residential areas, services and shops together. The diversity of the
population is ensured by combining various
forms of living side by side.

Photo: Jarmo Roiko-Jokela

Helsinki is one of the newest success stories among European metropolitan areas.
The New York Times listed Helsinki as the second most interesting destination in the world in 2012.
It is also officially one of the world’s best places to live – at least accordin