China has just announced it began constructing the world’s longest sea bridge which will be 50km long. It is y shaped in plan and connects China, Hong Kong and Macau. Just for reference there has been much talk in Finland and indeed Estonia about a link between Helsinki and Tallinn, it was in the Helsinki2050 [...]
Tag Archives: helsinki
Helsinki World Design Capitol 2012
So Helsinki won the World Design Capitol 21012 competition today. There is already a website, twitter feed and facebook group to follow such being the norm nowadays. I’m happy but not that surprised that we won as the city is home to a vibrant if small design community and the changes in the city coming [...]
Posted in Architecture Also tagged Aalto university, networked urbanism, world design capitol Leave a comment
New Pasila
Cino Zucchi Architects have updated their masterplan for Pasila redevelopment. It would add up to forty story 160m high skyscrapers to the Helsinki skyline, at the moment the highest buildings are about 100m high. Pasila was planned and built as an expansion of the centre of Helsinki, infact as early as Eliel Saarinens’ masterplan which [...]
Innovations – Architect and Engineer
The Alvar Aalto academy has organised a two day seminar at the Helsinki University of Technology called Innovations Architect and Engineer on 26th and 27th of November. Go here for the programme, and it’s free. (via)
Wasted Space Helsinki
I went to Vaihtolava in Kallio on Wednesday evening to see some talks given by the Hukkatila Group which, inspired by wastedspace.se is looking for their own wasted space in Helsinki to turn into projects, whether it’s urban farming or setting up a cafe. The talkers last night were
Antti Möller- Introduction.
Otso Lapila from Oranssi [...]
Subterranea Helsinki
Although a country with few people and plenty of space, Finlands’ capitol city Helsinki being located on a peninsula finds itself constantly constrained by the sea for space. Luckily the city sits above bedrock which is deep and which frequently punctures the ground. So Helsinki increasingly uses its bedrock to tunnel into and create an [...]
Low2No Finalist Videos
A quick update on the low2no competition in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki. The finalists’ presentations have been posted on the low2no website. I won’t critisise here except to say they all meet the challenge of the brief in a provoking way, and are all worth watching in their differing styles.
c_life : City as a Living Factory of [...]
Helsinki Remapped
A wonderful post and map (seen above) from Locating Helsinki about the coast at the centre of Helsinki and how it has changed, and Darren found a list of islands some of them shown on the image above which have disappeared. Another set of large changes are due to take place over the coming years [...]
Jätkäsaari Low2No Competition Winner
The Team of ARUP , Sauerbruch Hutton , Experientia, Galley Eco Capital with their entry ‘c_life – City as living factory of ecology’ have won the Low2No Competition for a block development in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki. It will be Finland’s first Carbon neutral district and the competition was run by Sitra an innovation fund and though [...]
Open House Helsinki 2009
It’s that time of year again. Open house helsinki 2009 with a few very notable buildings which are rarely open to the public like the German Embassy by Juha Leiviskä. Its part of Helsinki design week 4th to 13th September, which again shows why finnish design punches above it’s weight.
World Design Capitol 2012
There are two cities shortlisted for World Design Capitol 2012, Eindhoven and Helsinki. If the websites are anything to go by it’s a shoe in for the fins. I don’t know what the prize is but I’m sure we can win!
Geo Finland
Yesterday Google updated their 3d buildings layer in google earth so that now downtown Helsinki is modelled. It all looks really good, but clearly some of the modelling was automated as there are plenty of building facades that are just the vegetation in front of the building. This should be cleared up in time though. [...]
Optical Illusion at Finlandia Hall
There is an optical illusion that the National Museum tower is built into Finlandia Hall when looking at it from a cafe across the bay. It seems Alvar Aalto most likely put it there deliberately.
Down 20
The construction of new buildings fell in Finland by 19 per cent in January-March. (sigh) I have a feeling it’s going to get worse before it gets better. (via)
Dynamic Helsinki Website
The international real estate industry will gather in Cannes, March 10-13 for the MIPIM fair, I’d imagine it will be a sombre affair taking place as it is agaisnt a backdrop of a projected world recession. But Greater Helsinki is bringing an exhibition stand there and it is a historic time for the city as [...]
No New Building In Finland
No new private apartment building projects were started in Helsinki , and the equivalent of only three apartment blocks in the whole of Finland were begun between October last year and February this year according to HS. There is a cold wind blowing so button up!