Stories

In Depth

Phenomena — 1.1.2024

Threat to Protected Buildings

Protected buildings should always be renovated preserving their distinctive features. Nowadays, more and more often, the proposed solution is demolition to make way for larger and more efficient spaces.

Research — 1.1.2024

Helsinki is a Prisoner of its Geography and Government

The growth of the Helsinki region is a challenge for the development of Helsinki’s city centre. The urban development ideals that have taken over the planning in Helsinki over the last few decades have failed to recognize the nature of urbanization in the long term.

Research — 1.1.2024

Urban Greenery as a Climate Action

To date, urban planning has failed to pay due consideration to urban carbon sinks and the numerous other benefits of urban green. Researchers in the Co-Carbon project compiled a set of tools for architects and landscape architects to foster carbon-smart solutions.

Phenomena — 1.5.2023

Tuned to Destruction?

Everyday tuning can help maintain and improve buildings, but in the worst cases it can even lead to the building having to be torn down.

Case Study — 1.5.2023

Six Lessons from Jyrkkälä

The Turku district of Jyrkkälä shows that a problem neighbourhood of the 1960s and 1970s can be renovated in a sustainable way rather than being demolished.

Case Study — 1.5.2023

Contextual Juha Leiviskä

Juha Leiviskä had an unsung ability to fit buildings to their surroundings.

Essay — 1.5.2023

Quiet Labours – On Care and Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall

What is it like to renovate a hundred-year-old building? Ulla Engman writes about the Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall and a type of care work.

Case Study — 1.5.2023

Revisit: Vuoranta Training Centre

Many types of intergenerational encounters define the faith of the former training centre in Vuoranta.

Essay — 1.4.2023

Urban Forest – an Object of Conflict or Care?

Urban densification is often executed at the expense of urban woodlands, which the local residents do not always like, nor is it ecologically sustainable. Interwoven problems can be solved by expanding the sphere of care to the more than human worlds.

Essay — 1.4.2023

Far from the Forest

Discussion on the architectural potential of CLT has been largely overshadowed by its positive environmental effects, writes Tuomas Siitonen.

Case Study — 1.4.2023

Erat, Still a Role Model

Bruno Erat’s ideas on sustainable construction from half a century ago are still, according to Pekka Hänninen, the best Finnish examples of ecological architecture.

Essay — 1.4.2023

No Guru, No Method, No Teacher

Who was Reima Pietilä, really? Roger Connah reminisces about his long-time friend.

Case Study — 1.4.2023

Dipoli, the Oxymoron

What makes the design of the Dipoli so unique? Moisés Royo provides an in-depth analysis of Reima Pietilä’s most enigmatic project.

Phenomena — 1.3.2023

Experts in Urbanism – Rap Music Echoes with the Experiences of Young Members of Minorities

Rap music echoes with the experiences of young members of minorities regarding their lives and living environments. Music linked to neighbourhoods may open up a local perspective on urban planning – provided that the planners recognize the potential to be found within the rap scene.

Essay — 1.3.2023

How to Plan Unplanned Encounters? A Formula Explains What to Take into Account When Designing Urban Blocks

In recent decades, the perimeter block has become the go-to urban typology in Finnish urban planning and a symbol of urban life. If you take a closer look at the form, however, it does not create life around it as such. The potential lies in more subtle design choices.