HAKANIEMENRANTA URBAN INFILL PLAN

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Year: 2018

Status: Competition. 2nd prize. Preliminary design. Completed.

Program: Urban infill plan, housing, commercial spaces, outdoor spaces

Client: City of Helsinki

Area: 33 600 m2

In collaboration with Benjamin Schulman, Veera Tolvanen, Matti Wäre.

In 2018, the OPUS team along with our collaborators won the 2nd prize in an open urban planning and architecture competition for the urban development of Hakaniemenranta area. The competition organized by the City of Helsinki sought conceptual ideas for the urban infill and development of new residential and commercial districts along the shoreline of Hakaniemenranta. The proposal included the creation of new public outdoor spaces and a complete revamp of the traffic plan of the area. Although the main focus of the competition lay in solutions for the waterfront area, the brief included the planning of a few urban blocks adjoining Merihaka on the Kruununhaka side of the area.

The jury acknowledged the merits of our solution for the northern block, and the team was commissioned to develop a preliminary design for the block to support masterplanning. The block accommodates a total of 33 600 sq. m. of floor area that caters to both residential and commercial functions and includes their shared and parking facilities.

Situated within a central district of Helsinki, the new block works as a mediator between two contrasting urban situations. It, not only follows the local typology of Hakaniemi - a central courtyard block, but also combines it with towers, inspired by the tall and heroic buildings of Merihaka.