4 minute read
My Kind of Savilahti
Savilahti provides a platform for growth, development, experimentation and inspiring living by a beautiful lake, at the heart of the city. The new, unique neighbourhood responds to our future needs for living, working and communicating.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA PHOTOS BALINT CZUCZ AND SANNA PIETIKÄINEN
Communality is the driving force of Savilahti. At the Joy and Light event, the teamwork showed itself at its best.
Savilahti combines living, studying, working and leisure in a unique way. It is a place where you can live right next to your job and study opportunities and cherry-pick the pieces you need to build a good, balanced life for yourself. In addition to exercise facilities, the recreational opportunities of Lake Kallavesi and local forests are located close by – and yet Savilahti is right next to the centre of Kuopio.
“After a day’s work in Savilahti, you can grab your skis and swoosh a few kilometres to the Tervaruukki hut or take part in a guided tour organized by the Kallan Melojat kayak club or enjoy a cup of soot pot coffee at one of the leantos or campfire sites nearby,” says City of Kuopio Project Manager Antti Niskanen.
According to Niskanen, Savilahti gives businesses access to a bunch of networks with companies in different industries, the research sector and schools. As a learning and innovation environment, Savilahti is in a league of its own. It links the campuses of three levels of education, Kuo-
pio University Hospital and the 200 companies operating in the area. The area is also home to international companies that are leaders in their fields, and some of the more than a thousand international students in the city also live in "Companies give students the area. The business sector and study opportunities also opportunities to take lend support to each other. Companies give students part in inspiring work opportunities to take part in trials or even find a job." inspiring work trials or even find a job. On the other hand, the companies benefit from having access to fresh talent graduating from the educational institutions.
One of the students in the area is Joel Naukkarinen. His main occupation is sport, but his studies in medicine have been a fascinating part of his life for nine years now.
Savilahti provides a platform for growth, development, experimentation and inspiring living by a beautiful lake, at the heart of the city.
Joel Naukkarinen enjoys the inspiring environment of Savilahti, where studying and working are seamlessly combined.
He has completed on-the-job learning modules as part of his studies at Kuopio University Hospital in Savilahti. Being able to study and complete on-the-job learning in the same area has been very helpful, because there is a lot of moving from place to place.
“I like how Kuopio is structured as a city: everything is within walking distance. When walking from one place to another, you can mentally prepare for the next task at hand. Such moments are important both in terms of studying and in sport”, says Naukkarinen.
Naukkarinen competes in three rowing disciplines: Olympic classes, indoor rowing and coastal rowing. He has worked on his performance and technique measurements in cooperation with the Department of Applied Physics, which can also be found in the Savilahti area.
“The idyllic environment of Savilahti and the campus with its student community also allow me to enjoy the student lifestyle, despite not having been able to attend all the student events due to sport,” says Naukkarinen.
SAVILAHTI IS A NEXT-GENERATION URBAN ENVIRONMENT
Antti Niskanen believes that people want to belong to the multidisciplinary, colourful community of Savilahti. The area provides excellent synergy opportunities, and knowledge only attracts more knowledge. Savilahti features just the right
Savilahti is characterized by a special Savilahti spirit, meaning creative and open atmosphere, and openness and interaction in every encounter.
mix of contrasts from business buzz to lakeside Various investors have already committed more nature and from student parties to high culture. than half a billion euros to the area, and the num-
A versatile exercise and event centre is being ber of people involved has increased by thoubuilt in the area. It will accom- sands in the last few years. modate events of up to 2,500 Savilahti is a next-generpeople. The centre has been "Savilahti is ation urban environment, designed so that the same fa- an all-in-one area for living, cility can be adapted to meet a next-generation working and leisure. Savilahti the needs of as many types of users as possible, and the faurban environment." has an abundance of positive curiosity and a fresh way cilities can be partitioned into of doing things, combined several spaces. with rock solid expertise and
“Shared use and flexibility are featured in all research. Above all, it is an area whose story is construction in Savilahti. Not every operator is co-written by residents and operators together. building their own parking area or civil defence shelter, but they will be shared,” says Niskanen.
