Vision Quest
Turku seeks to improve its urban appeal via downtown upgrade
Photos : Lundén Architecture Co
Turku is firing on all cylinders . The various hi-tech industries are in fine form , there ’ s a strong focus on expertise and learning , and the city keeps growing – proportionally speaking – faster than any other city in Finland . Nevertheless , there ’ s work to be done as Turku plots its way into the future . A new ambitious vision , Turku 2050 , calls for a major “ beauty treatment ” for especially the downtown area .
The vision states that as the commercial centre expands , the old town will turn into an “ European oasis for encounters ” and the eastern bank of the River Aura – with a view to the evening sun – will function as a vivid platform for a new kind of combination of culture , restaurants and work .
According to the vision group that has been considering the future of the downtown , it is possible for Turku to become a globally important city whose exceptional archipelago nature and developed infrastructure create the prerequisites for comfortable living and a vivid economy and culture .
Core Attraction
Markku Wilenius , Professor of Future Studies at the University of Turku , notes that the image of a city develops through the city centre – and Turku downtown with its riverside appeal do have “ unique points of strength ”. However , Wilenius feels that there is also plenty of potential that has not been harnessed as of yet .
To become a truly significant player also on the global stage , changes are required . Presently , competition between cities has shifted from national level to global level , with cities fighting over inhabitants , businesses and know-how . At the same time , the rise of the urban lifestyle has raised the level of expectations in terms of the quality of public spaces . Urban planning is decidedly more human-scale , and this is also a key message of the Vision 2050 .
And it all starts with taking a good , hard look at the city centre : what works , what doesn ’ t , and what can be done to upgrade downtown into an “ experience hub ” during the coming years and decades .
Going Strong
Jouko Turto , Director of Turku Municipal Property Corporation , says that Turku is in a great position to build something truly unique here , since the city presently enjoys powerful , positive momentum :
“ There is structural change as old industries are reinventing themselves and the results have been tremendous . The local business climate is a real honey jar ,” Turto describes the attractiveness of the city .
According to Vision 2050 , the centre is “ a manifestation of the European Turku ” and the most important location of work , trade and culture in western Finland . The key idea of the vision is the considerable expansion of the city centre core and a supporting useroriented traffic system that enables growth . This way development and investments are steered towards the centre more and more .
Ready for Big Time
Director of Urban Planning Timo Hintsanen notes that the structure of the city of Turku is largely influenced by the grid plan designed by Carl Ludvig Engel at the end of the 19th century . After that time , the development has been influenced by the rising number of cars and the major commercial projects of the recent years that have shifted the focus of commercial activity outside the centre .
“ At the same time , the most commercially attractive centre area of the city has remained narrow ,” says Hintsanen . “ What is needed now is to fully develop that beating heart of the city to boost competitive edge .”
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