Helsinki connect along across around

A productive city is the city that balances the demands to provide sustainable, functioning, and livable environments, with equal consideration given to the quality of urban life. This factors in the public open space – which are essential to the maintenance of health and vitality in growing urban populations – and the role of the urban citizens themselves in participating in the formation of city’s routines to live, work, and most importantly interact.

A more urban Yliskylä in Laajasalo Island calls for an intertwining of housing, jobs and public amenities more closely with each other, which will enable the development of a more vibrant urban culture. Street-level active fronts in blocks of apartments mixed with supplementary functions, bicycle lanes, tram connectivity, a market place, urban productivity, adaptable public realm, reconquering of underutilized space to create small plazas, playgrounds, and parks, and remaining a pleasant island that is harmonized with nature.

The urban strategy is committed to the priority of the street/boulevard and public space, as well as to its generation, consolidation, and improvement of socio-economical parameters. With the creation of urban continuities and sequences between spaces, it is possible to promote city’s self-sustainable economy and livability. Connectivity and accessibility are necessary conditions for a healthy economy, culture, and community. Thus, an enhanced urban tissue in Yliskylä with relations of spaces along, across and around the Laajasalontie boulevard, implies a mixed urban structure, creates the conditions for a healthy public realm, and offers a diverse street-level public and private resources.

“Helsinki CONNECT: Along, Across, Around” offers a model of productivity in urban sidewalks within the contemporary urban landscape. The aim of this proposal is to improve the quality of spaces available for social interaction in Laajasalo and to engage local residents in the process of creating and advocating for better community environments. A successful Laajasoalontie brings people together in networks of reciprocity that foster productive forms of community engagement.