Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2014 | Page 35
Kalasatama is poised to become the first true Smart City in Finland.
tancies that were deployed in making the
best possible blueprint for the area, as Finland’s biggest passenger harbour deserves
some special attention.
Naturally, the fact that the city centre
is only a javelin’s throw away is an important attraction for tourism. The City believes
that the new urban passenger port will enable high quality services as part of the diverse and colourful Helsinki.
carbon or even carbon neutral urban design
and construction.
In the same vein, the waste management of the entire Jätkäsaari area is carried
out using the innovative and environmentally friendly technique of automated vacuum collection. This system involves separating different types of waste and then
transporting it at high speeds through underground pipes.
Jätkäsaari Gains Momentum
Kalasatama: Smart City
Moving west from here, we find Jätkäsaari,
a new urban area located just 10 minutes
from the city centre. Schools, day-care centres, a social centre, a public library and a
sports centre are all in the cards for this new
neighbourhood. The new seaside community promises to be an interesting mix of urban and marine environments.
Green ideology is very much in the
DNA of Jätkäsaari, as the area is planned according to the principles of sustainable development. An effective public transport network, incorporating both trams and the metro, will service this compact urban structure.
Also, the commitment to light traffic runs to
the core here – quite literally, too. The bicycle route Baana uses an ancient railroad canyon to speed cyclists straight to downtown
in mere minutes. Outi Säntti says that Baana
has been very well received by the locals:
“People are very happy that West Helsinki has been linked to downtown in such
an effective way,” she says, adding that thousands of cyclists utilise the “Low Line” daily in the summer months.
Jätkäsaari is also home to the ‘City
Block for Sustainable Construction’ project
where SRV and VVO are developing energy-efficient, innovative solutions for low-
In addition to Jätkäsaari, the other former
port area which is now open for redevelopment is Kalasatama. Located along the eastern shores of the core city area, Kalasatama
is just minutes away from downtown. Again,
there is the beautiful maritime milieu and
Project Manager Hannu Asikainen is convinced that, upon completion, Kalasatama
will be an amazing area for everyone. Effective public transport (spearheaded by the
Kalasatama metro station) and the central
location make Kalasatama an alluring prospect for residents and companies alik