Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2020 | Página 27

The iconic Porvoo downtown is
about to get a smooth makeover
Building on Tradition
Porvoo is a unique traveling destination in Finland. With its red-ochre painted
riverside warehouses, the medieval wooden town center known as Old Porvoo
is one of the most photographed national landscapes in the nation. Admiring
the colorful wooden houses on a leisurely stroll along the winding cobbled
streets, many a traveler has felt like he/she is walking in a children’s storybook.
I
n fact, this environment is the very same
which inspired Johan Ludvig Runeberg,
Finland’s national poet, in mid-1800’s.
To this day, the best-known attraction in Old
Porvoo is the Runeberg family home, pre-
served in its original glory.
In Porvoo, safeguarding the identity
and the roots of the community is a big prior-
ity. With this in mind, the City has set out to
upgrade the downtown area. Dan Mollgren,
Head of Urban Planning, says that the idea
is to develop the town square into a vibrant
heart fort the local community.
“We want people to come to the town
square and really enjoy themselves and
spend some time there,” he says, explain-
ing that there are plans to add cafés, various
events and also new architecture.
Core Concerns
However, the makeover of Old Porvoo goes
well beyond simply reinventing the town
square. According to Mollgren, there will
be a full-blown town boulevard as local
Läntinen Mannerheiminväylä road will be
expanded and integrated more thoroughly
to the downtown area.
“With this development, we can add
as many as 2,500 new residents.”
Another major improvement is the
creation of a promenade, running from
Rihkamatori square via the entire renewed
Citymarket retail block (Nimbus) to the
town square. This way Old Porvoo will con-
nect to the Empire-style city quarters in a
pedestrian-friendly way.
“We’re seeking an over-all upgrade
which features many elements – all directed
at improving access to services and people’s
comfort in the downtown area,” Mollgren
says.
Re-energizing Downtown
The development efforts are in line with the
Porvoo city strategy which calls for more
vibrant street level activity, in the form of
e.g. retail and residential buzz. The City is
fully aware that it is the keeper of a true
national treasure and wants to preserve the
original spirit of Old Porvoo even as changes
are made to accommodate the future, as well.
“The Empire-style city center is devel-
oped with utmost care. We’re also explor-
ing hybrid construction in the downtown
area, bringing together hotel operations and
offices, for instance.”
Securing Sustainability
Porvoo has been keen on developing the
downtown since 2017, looking for ways
to make it more dynamic and accessible.
According to Mollgren, the City wants to
honor the existing iconic wooden houses by
raising also new wood buildings.
“Wood construction is quite high on
the City’s agenda,” he says. Furthermore,
Mollgren believes that Porvoo can make
advances in other type of climate friendly
development, too.
“We have room here to launch bold
pilots and experiments that really zero in
on environmental concerns.” l
Nordicum 27