Vicus Selvaticus
E18 TURKU SPECIAL MENTION
Maicol Negrello (IT), landscape architect
Silvia Lanteri (IT), architect urbanist
Sara Marzio (IT), landscape architect
Sara Barera (IT), architect
Chiara Fabbri (IT), architect
Alessandro Monaldi (IT), architect
Gaia Cattaneo (IT), student in architecture
Fabrizio Accossato (IT), student in architecture
Niccolò Bellei (IT), student in architecture
Junior Perri (IT), architect
Chiara Bossù (IT), student in architecture
Evaluation
Vicus Selvaticus transforms Vähäheikkilä into a contemporary village, with one of the most dense urban layouts in the competition. The proposal has a charming character, mixing dense urban block structures with plentiful greenery and gardens. A regenerative approach sets the tone for the solutions. The architecture is clear and colourful, and the proposal succeeds in creating a distinctive and fresh identity for Vähäheikkilä. Connections to surrounding ecological networks are a key feature and they are presented in ample detail. As a whole, Vicus Selvaticus creates a cohesive and detailed layout and the main ideas are easy to comprehend. Landscape architecture has a good scale and the public squares are well proportioned. A clear pedestrian and bike connection flows through the area and especially biking routes are well thought of.
The new built areas are proposed at two locations: around the old industrial area and along Vähäheikkiläntie in the middle of the competition site. Porkanpuisto is re-imagined as a large water basin, but no detailed explanation for this solution is provided. The industrial area is developed with the existing buildings as a starting point. The re-sourcing ideas for the buildings are on a good level in comparison to the competition as a whole, and different seasonal scenarios for adaptive reuse are also presented. However, the concepts would have needed more explanation to be understood properly, even with the more in depth description document.
The townhouse-like housing along Vähäheikkiläntie is at the core of the project’s village-like imagery. A small-scale facade rhythm breaks the blocks into smaller units.
However, the floor plans are somewhat unclear, and some of the choices in the master plan seem to result in non-functional, deep apartments with windows in one direction only. A careful re-organising would be needed to develop the proposal further in a more realistic direction. The surface parking creates quite large, unpleasant parking areas, even with the productive solar canopies. Moreover, the allocated space for the stormwater stream is too tight, and the buildings come too close to the stream.
Water is embraced and made visible; it is managed through nature-based solutions that regenerate soils, support biodiversity and build climate resilience, with focus on the co-existence of humans and nature. Some species in the ecological concepts seem foreign to the area’s nature, but the concepts are convincing as such. Even though the stormwater solutions are well presented, some of the placing of the retention ponds is unrealistic due to the elevations of the site.
As a whole, there is some disconnection between what the project aims for and what it has delivered in design. The sites are rather overdeveloped and if realised, the area would feel less green and natural, as the development takes away a lot of habitat and other green spaces.
Description
Vicus Selvaticus is a visionary proposal for Turku: not just a new neighbourhood, but a living ecosystem where humans and nature coexist, regenerate, and evolve together. Rooted in the Finnish concept of luonto, it celebrates a deep cultural bond with water, forests, and shared landscapes. The project repairs past urban fractures, supports local economies, and creates inclusive public spaces. Inspired by regenerative design, it fosters biodiversity, ecological corridors, and climate resilience. Like a new Aurajoki, Vicus flows into the city, nurturing collective memory and a multispecies community where care, coexistence, and transformation shape a fertile future.
An excessive number of buildings placed in inappropriate locations, disregarding the area’s history and current peaceful character.
No, itse asiassa tarkistin hankkeen, ja he todella vaativat hyvin paljon rakennusneliöitä. Ainoa ratkaisu on rakentaa korkeammalle. Lisäksi Turussa on päästävä yli tästä kaupunkirakenteen hajaantumisesta: olen kyllästynyt näkemään yksittäisiä omakotitaloja ja luontomme jatkuvaa kuluttamista.
Looks terrible when a large building mass is planned next to a park-like residential area.
I really like the idea of creating a new urban centrality. That area feels rather dull and just a place of passage at the moment. Establishing an attractive new core, with buildings conceived as part of a collective fabric—rather than isolated structures, which I believe are no longer sustainable in terms of land use—has the potential to foster a vibrant community.
Outi Väisänen