Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2013 | Page 20

High Times
Finland’s biggest residential area project is taking
shape in Kalasatama, Helsinki – bringing also
unprecedented commercial appeal

Kalasatama is the most significant residential area construction
project in Finland during this decade, and quite possibly the
next, too. In fact, the area will be ready by 2030 when 20,000
residents and 8,000 jobs are to be found here.
An undertaking of this magnitude deserves a worthy anchor –
and SRV is poised to build a strong heart for the new district.

K

alasatama Centre will introduce the
age of skyscrapers into the metropolitan area – with as many as eight highrise towers reaching for the sky.
This octet of towers will be built
around the Itäväylä highway and the metro
station. All and all, there will be six residential towers, one office tower and one hotel
tower, with the highest of the pack rising up
to 126 metres. Consequently, Itäväylä and
the metro will be covered with an expansive
green deck, allowing for smooth traffic flow.
While residential living in Helsinki is
destined to reach new heights, there is plen-

18 Nordicum

ty of action down below, as well: SRV wants
to maximise the impact of the centre by creating a superb shopping centre.

Ready for REDI
Pia Svensk, the new Director of Retail Concepts for SRV, says that the shopping centre
REDI will be something to see. She is of the
opinion that the very best shopping centre
in Helsinki might not have been built yet:
“We are confident that REDI will be a
contender for the top spot,” she says, adding that SRV has been in preparation to take

on this challenge for a long time. Benchmarking of international success stories has
yielded insights into such issues as customer
flow and guidance techniques, but the most
important lesson is, in fact, a matter of the
heart:
“What is missing from Finnish shopping centres right now is emotion,” she
says, pointing out that many shopping centres come off as sterile places of business,
with no real feel to them. She talks of “cold
space” which should be brought to life
through various means.
“In the best international shopping