37 — Natural Urban Design 37. Describe how Urban Design has been effectively used to create public areas that characterise the city and improve the quality of life of the city’s inhabitants.
Nature: More than anything else, the very real Finnish reliance on nature as a source of mental and physical well-being and as a democratic, invigorating space for social activity defines the best public spaces in Helsinki. Helsinki residents respect and value their outdoor spaces; you’ll be hard-pressed to find a beach, park, or forest that’s in anything but immaculate condition. They invariably feature excellent signage and infrastructure, and almost all are accessible by public transportation – including the 45 km2 Nuuksio National Park, partially located in the City of Espoo, and the remote and idyllic Kaunissaari, an hour’s boat ride from eastern Helsinki. Parks Everywhere Looking down on the city from the air – or from Google Maps – suggests a quarter of the city is parkland; and it’s full of life. Every neighbourhood has its parks and playgrounds; even the most urban have some degree of green – from their youngest ages, Finnish children spend time outside every day, except in the foulest weather. A defining feature of Finnish suburbs are the nearby forests, where children play and explore, adolescents escape the constrictions of home life, and adults go to relax and recharge. We might call them organic-design public spaces. Central Park – the city’s biggest – attracts cyclists and cross-country skiers, berry-and mushroom pickers – and the occasional lost moose. There’s a whole world of things going on in here. Central Park reaches from the river defining the northern boundary between Helsinki and Vantaa almost into the centre of town, tailing off into the lovely Töölönlahti Bay park and cultural hot spot Finlandia Park. Kaivopuisto park, the city’s largest social playground. The symphony performs live in the sprawling seaside park, a giant outdoor screen shows a silent Chaplin classic; thousands sit entranced, together. Petanque, chess, picnics, ice cream, jogging, sledding and snoozing all work. Shoreline and cycling routes Walking, cycling, bird-watching, rollerblading – much of the shoreline of the applicant cities has been set aside for public use, reiterating the Finnish policy of public access to natural spaces. For those areas where there is no seashore, rivers, lakes, and streams provides respite from the society – as do forest paths for cycling, skiing, and walking. Island life Outlying islands like Pihlajasaari and Kaunissaari or nearby Uunisaari are the other, supernatural side of the manmade-organic. Sand beaches and thick pines; also paths, changing cabinets, grills and hidden wooden restaurant villas – and of course, a sauna.
Open Helsinki — Embedding Design in Life
World Design Capital 2012 Application