Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2011 | Page 55

I

t is clear from the fireworks
that the Capital of Culture
year will definitely put Turku
on the European map in a whole
new way. Turku wants to examine the boundaries of culture to
the fullest, to see what culture is
all about. Right from the opening ceremony, the proud history of Turku as the oldest city
in Finland intertwined with an
open-minded outlook on the
future, setting the course for
the rest of the year. All and all,
Turku is hoping to attract two
million visitors during 2011.

benefit from the special year,
but also the surrounding region
– and the entire country, in many
regards.

In the words of Aleksi
Randell, Mayor of the City of
Turku, culture will “do good”
for residents, visiting guests,
companies and the surrounding
region as a whole.
The same spirit is echoed
by Jouko Turto, Director of
Turku Municipal Property Corporation. He is excited that after the long years of preparation
and hard work, the Culture Capital Year is finally here.
“This will be one spectacular year,” he says, adding that
it’s not only the City that will

one year on a cultural rollercoaster, Turku wants to make culture a
permanent part of its DNA.
“We are pursuing continuity: the City will continue its
commitment to culture for years
to come.”
A good example of this is
Logomo, the industrial heart of
the entire extravaganza. The ancient engineering workshop located by the railway tracks is
getting a new lease on life as a
cultural powerhouse which will
host major concerts and exhibitions. Logomo will keep firing

Join the Fun
Jouko Turto notes that the Culture Capital is a “common effort” for all Finns: “Participation is the key here. We want to
make sure that everybody gets
involved in one way or another.”
Also, during the year seeds
will be sown for something more
lasting as well. Instead of just

Further proof of the lasting impact of the year is provided by
Fortuna Quarter which will become a “design heaven” just off

some good vibrations into the
neighbourhood,” muses Turto,
adding that the quarter is looking to deploy a new business
strategy where the small local
players join forces to reach a
bigger customer base.
“We have plenty of worldclass design-makers who are
known for their unique products, but it is easier to operate
if there is an entire cluster of
like-minded players.”
Various concepts such as
shop-in-shop and pop-up have
been explored in order to find

Aura River in the downtown area. The key idea of the Fortuna is to introduce a completely new type of commercial area
in town. The City sees Fortuna as a unique shopping destination, a place where you can immerse yourself in arts and crafts
and go design-hunting like nowhere else. Brimming with history, tradition and 19th century atmosphere, the Quarter will
give a big boost to the local creative industry and enhance the
appeal of the downtown area.
“It’s all about bringing

the right solutions for the neighbourhood. In its core, Turto envisions 10-15 players with fixed
operations in Fortuna area, and
others enterprises in a more supportive role.
The development plan
for the Quarter was drawn up
in the autumn 2010 and there is
already activity in the area. Still,
nobody wants to see an all-out
renovation effort in the Quarter
during the big year.
“But when 2012 comes
around, we can really get to
work.”

on all cylinders long after the
celebrations of 2011 are over.
“Logomo is significant also in the sense that it opens up
a brand new city district,” says
Turto, hinting at the vacant
space left in its wake by exiting
railway operations.

Introducing: Fortuna
Design Quarter

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