Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2011 | Page 40

seems to be exactly what the
doctor ordered:
“We are addressing numerous modern-day issues
with the metro. Due to Climate
Change considerations, residential living can not be scattered all over the place – the city
structure must be tighter. We are
answering the call by developing new communities along the
metro line.”
The other major improvement is, of course, that many
capital region citizens can soon
make the switch to using the
metro as their primary mode
of travel. Energy efficiency of
rail traffic exceeds that of bus
traffic, not to mention passenger cars. Bus lines from southern Espoo to the centre of Helsinki along the Western Motorway will be replaced by
feeder traffic. The west met-

38 Nordicum

ro is also expected to curb the
growth of car traffic in southern
Espoo.

Easy on the Eyes
A lot of effort has gone to the
designing of the metro stations
themselves. One of the prerequisites for the designers was instant recognition: that you need
but to glance at the station from
the train and know immediately where you are. The designation of Helsinki as the World
Design Capital 2012 – with Espoo as a main partner – has only strengthened the resolve to
come up with a memorable visual experience.
The platforms will be 90
metres in length, spacious and
unbroken, with tracks located on
both sides. The stations of the
west metro will be fitted with

platform screen doors, increasing passenger safety in the platform area. Also the old stations
will be equipped with platform
screen doors.
Lighting of the stations
plays a big role in the eventual user-experience. Natural light
will be exploited whenever possible and lighting solutions will
aim to promote accessibility
and prevent glare. There will
be no separate ceiling designs;
ceilings will be shotcreted. The
master plan calls for all stations
to be accessible and each level
easy to reach.
The City of Espoo acknowledges that a metro station changes its environs and
creates new opportunities. The
stations will be designed to have
a tight connection to the local
environment and its construction, services and traffic con-

nections. The individual starting points and needs of each area will be taken into consideration in the design of the stations’
surroundings. The over-all guiding vision is that of “metro station as a meeting place” and it
is realised a little differently in
each of the locations.

Money Matters
What about the price tag of this
grand venture? At present, the
costs of the west metro are estimated at EUR 713.6 million.
The City of Espoo and Helsinki have agreed to distribute
the costs in accordance with a
“split at the border” principle:
both cities will cover the costs
of construction incurred in their
own areas. As a consequence,
Espoo’s share will be 72 per
cent and Helsinki’s 28 per cent.