The Fifty-Year Myth
An often-repeated claim in the media and popular discussions is that 1970s buildings were not designed to last for more than thirty or fifty years. Where did this belief come from? Might there be some truth to it?
The Fate of Modern Office Buildings
Without a heritage listing, the preservation or demolition of an office building is up to the property owner. The deciding factor is whether the owner can see beyond an outdated mass of construction.
Transforming Suburbs – Viewpoints from Finnish Cities
Residential districts built between the 1950s and 1980s constitute a large geographic segment of Finnish cities. We asked those in charge of urban planning in our largest cities how the suburbs in their cities are being developed right now.
Three Cases of Nordic Suburban Renewal
The renovation, infill and renewal of suburban neighbourhoods built during the 1960s and 1970s is a burning issue across Europe. The three examples demonstrate the ways in which this problem has been addressed in Sweden and Denmark.
Unique, Personalised and Urban Housing
When an architect or client sets out to build a multistorey residential building for their own use, the end result is often more intriguing than what is typically generated through ordinary housing production – for example, a home base for a theatrical community or a combination of a private home and an editorial office for an architectural journal.
A Realized Social Utopia
19th-century France and the small town of Guise, about 200 kilometres north of Paris, offer inspiration for concepts of more communal living.
The Views Are What Really Matters
If the plans materialise, the new business district on Makasiiniranta will become part of Helsinki’s national landscape during the 2030s. Architect Mikko Summanen considers its design a “once in a lifetime” project.
Helsinki’s Sprawls and Burrs
The urban structure of Helsinki is fragmented by wrong planning ideals, says architect and professor Kai Wartiainen.
Ode to a Work in Progress
Instead of clearly defined development projects, urban design should entail more continuous processes without predetermined end results. Ecosystem thinking offers guidelines for changing the focus.