Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2016 | Page 55

Learning Process
Turku also learned a lot from the three-year
Urban Infrastructure Initiative (UII), working together with international “heavy hitters” such as Siemens. Turku was, in fact, the
first city to take part in the UII programme
which was a key project of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD).
Under UII, new paradigms for urban
development have been applied, and the
opportunities and impact of cutting-edge
technology on Turku’s development were
assessed. These include, among other things,
the sustainable development study for the
Skanssi and Linnakaupunki residential
areas, and an impact assessment for the light
rail network planned for Turku.
“For Linnakaupunki, we are moving
ahead with the construction of the Harpoon
Quarters next year,” promises Turto.
Furthermore, during the UII project
Siemens helped Turku along by contributing its expertise about the newest technical
innovations and solutions – for example, in
the areas of electric buses, smart electricity
networks, and automation of building technology – to the cooperation. These solu-

tions are helping to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption as
well as lend a hand in the building of new,
smart residential areas.

Enter: Innovation Campus
One special area in Turku that already has
considerable “brain power” is Turku Science
Park and the emerging “Smart Campus” all
around it. Turku Science Park is already one
of the biggest and oldest innovation parks
in the country, but the aim is even higher: a
world-class hi-tech campus that will bridge
the academic and the corporate with unprecedented flair.
Mikko Lehtinen, Managing Director of
Turku Technology Properties, says that similar “innovation dynamos” are quite common, but they’re often missing a key ingredient, and that is flexibility. As the owner
of the premises, Turku Technology Properties is able to utilise existing space in creative ways.
“For the local companies, it’s not about
walls and desks and an internet connection, it’s the whole ecosystem – who’s your
next-door neighbour and what can you do
together?” Lehtinen says.

“The other thing is staying close to the
companies to find out what they need. We
even have banking services available.”
Jouko Turto adds that what the City
wants to do here goes well beyond providing premises:
“We’re not interested in building mere
office space; we’re interested in building
communities.”

Start Me Up
The next phase in the evolution of the
Science Park began in 2015, as the Turku
University of Applied Sciences focused all
its resources in the Science Park. Currently,
Turku Technology Properties owns 145,000
square metres of existing premises – and
the creation of full-fledged innovation campus will add even more. In the entire Turku
Science Park area, there are over 250,000
square metres of completed premises.
Special care is taken of start-up companies who keep flocking to the Park in record
numbers: all space provided by SparkUp and
Werstas programmes are currently full.
“For example, at Werstas – which is
our newest business incubator – there are 46
rooms and they’re all taken,” says Lehtinen.

Turku is shifting to electric buses.
Photo: Jari Paasikivi

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