A City District by the Sea Vuosaari Is a Metro City District
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#ITYåOFå(ELSINKI #ITYå0LANNINGå$EPARTMENT HELSINKI PLANS 2005:9 Vuosaari A city district by the sea Vuosaari is a metro city district. The journey to the Vuosaari’s strengths are the sea and nature. View Outdoor camping areas and parks form a diversifi ed centre of Helsinki takes less than 30 minutes. from the beach of Aurinkolahti over Vuosaarenselkä. recreational network. Shown is the rocky shoreline at Uutela. Vuosaari A city district by the sea Vuosaari is a maritime-fl avoured city dis- apartments to single-family houses in the railway network as well as – via Ring trict with distinctive natural features; the natural surroundings – from recently con- Road III – Helsinki-Vantaa International waterfronts that surround Vuosaari on structed seaside locations to forest-ori- Airport. three sides have been utilised primarily for ented neighbourhoods built in the1960s. Helsinki is concentrating its goods recreational use. Several small boat mari- Beginning in the 1990s, Vuosaari has been harbour operations on Vuosaari’s new nas and bathing beaches are to be found one of Helsinki’s focal areas in housing harbour, the construction of which began at Vuosaari, and new ones are being built. construction; the population will increase in 2003. When it is completed in 2008, Vuosaari has many forest tracts as well as from 14,000 in the late 1980s to almost the new state-of-the-art harbour and the several nature conservation areas. Parks, 40,000 in the 2010s. The housing area associated business area being con- camping grounds, pedestrian and cycle construction has aimed at high quality and structed with it will form a signifi cant paths, as well as scenic natural features, innovation, and several design competi- concentration of jobs. Vuosaari’s form a diversifi ed recreational network. tions have been organised for the area. centre will also offer businesses Life in Vuosaari is characterised by a There are excellent traffi c connections advantageous locations near the close proximity to the sea, extensive out- to Vuosaari; from the direction of the cen- metro station. door recreational areas and a diversifi ed tre of Helsinki, Vuosaari can be reached range of services. Vuosaari offers a wide by the Metro or along Vuotie road. The variety of amenable living surroundings traffi c connections built for Vuosaari’s new ranging from high-density urban-fl avoured harbour operations link the district with This 1930s map shows Rastila and Nordsjö manors, as well as several seaside villas, that are now protected architectural landmarks. Vuosaari was incorporated into the City of Helsinki in 1966. Planning situation in 2005. The basemap © Helsinki City Survey, 022/2005 Large-scale housing construction in Vuosaari will Helsinki’s new goods harbour will turn Vuosaari Vuosaari is located on the coast continue to the 2010s. Kallahti features seaside living. into a maritime-flavoured commercial centre. 12 km east of the centre of Helsinki. Picture: www.vuosaarensatama.fi 1. Northern Vuosaari 2. Central Vuosaari 3. Port and business area 4. Rastila 5. Centre 6. Meri-Rastila 7. Kallahti 8. Aurinkolahti 9. Uutela 10. Ramsinniemi 11. Ramsinranta 12. Kallahdenniemi 13. Kurkimoisio 14. Pienen Villasaarentie area 15. Vuosaarenhuippu 16. Porslahdentie area 17. Golf course 18. Sports park 19. Omenamäki 20. Rastilankallio 21. Camping area Metro station Built in the 1800s, Nordsjö Manor and park are pro- Uutela’s continuous forest area covering approximately Kallahdenharju’s landscape, natural features, bathing tected in the town plan. A cemetery is being planned 100 hectares is large by Helsinki standards; a recrea- beaches and villas offer a journey of exploration into in connection with the park. tional centre is being developed on the Skata estate. the worlds of biology, geography and history. Structure of Vuosaari’s recreational areas. Sea, nature and recreation Vuosaari’s natural features have their roots in the Uutela nature park and hiking area. The the area’s bedrock, as well as in the Ice Age entity also includes Vuosaarenlahti bay boat that sculpted Vuosaari’s characteristic land- marina, a golf course, the Nordsjö Manor area scape. Five hundred years ago Vuosaari was and its parks, a cemetery, as well as parks – as it name would suggest – still an island. for recreation and cultivation. At the northern The gradual rising of the earth’s crust can be end of the park is Vuosaarenhuippu, a former seen at Kallahdenniemi’s shore meadows, earthfill area and waste tip re-landscaped as a which were still submerged as recently as recreational area, from where pedestrian and 100–200 years ago. cycle connections extend towards Mustavuori In Vuosaari’s urban structure, the sea and and Sipoo’s Talosaari. The Mustavuorenlehto recreational areas encircle housing areas: and Porvarinlahti areas are part of the Natura Vartiokylänlahti bay in the west, Kallahden- 2000 network. niemi headland in the south and Vuosaari’s Kallahdenniemi forms its own unique recreational park, also forming a protective entity; Kallahdenharju, the shore meadow, zone between the harbour and residential as well as the water area and underwater areas, in the east. sandbanks encircling Kallahdenniemi, are part An outdoor path from Ramsinniemi winds of the Natura 2000 network. Several protected along the shore of Vartiokylänlahti bay and architectural landmarks are also to be found continues northwards towards the Broända among Kallahdenniemi’s villas. brook valley. The surroundings of Rastila Manor Within the residential area, parks cre- serve as Helsinki’s only camping area; the ate a network of recreational paths. The outdoor area is only a short distance from north-south park axis forms an unbroken A full-sized golf course and clubhouse, whose planning the metro station. pedestrian and cycle path from Vuosaari’s has taken the proximity of the sea into account, have Vuosaari’s recreational park is a diversified highest elevation to the seashore. Along been built next to the port’s business area. recreational area that begins in the south at the route is a series of attractive city parks: Ilveskorvenpuisto park in Central Vuosaari as well as the Mustankivenpuisto, Ullaksenpu- isto and Lillkallvikinpuisto parks at Kallahti. There is also a general-purpose sports field in Central Vuosaari. Halls for ball sports and golf, as well as extensive grass and sand-surfaced fields for football and other ball sports, are being designed for Vuosaari’s new sports park. Impressive views open up from the crest of the Six marinas for small boats, the newest ones in The low sand beaches at the southern tip of Vuosaarenhuippu hill. Rare bird and butterfly Aurinkolahti and Vuosaarenlahti, operate in Vuosaari. Kallahdenniemi attract swimmers from all over species favour the vegetation that has evolved to Helsinki. There are also bathing beaches at withstand the open landscape. Rastila, Kallahti, Aurinkolahti and Uutela. Vuotalo houses a library, adult education institute and Living in the centre means a close proximity to the The centre’s main elements – the axis leading to the cultural affairs centre. The architecture that won the Metro and services. View from inner courtyard of Eden sea, Metro, shopping centre, service centre and tower design competition has attracted international atten- site based on planning competition. Architects’ Offi ce have found their form in this conceptual illustration tion. Architects’ Offi ce Heikkinen-Komonen Oy, 2000. Nurmela-Raimoranta-Tasa Oy, 1998–2000. from the early 1990s. Architects’ Offi ce Tommila Oy. Conceptual design for the centre of Vuosaari. Architects’ Offi ce Kouvo & Partanen, 2004. 1. Vuosaari Metro station 6. Expansion of sports building 11. Delfi ini offi ce site 2. Columbus Shopping Centre 7. Metro site 12. Upper secondary and upper grade 3. Shopping centre expansion 8. Apartment living comprehensive schools 4. Albatross service centre 9. Nordsjö-Rastis multi-purpose facility 13. Service centre for senior citizens 5. Vuotalo 10. Apartments for young people 14. Cirrus offi ce tower The Albatross service building contains a social The structural elements of the Columbus Shopping A future vision of Mosaiikkitori square: centre, health centre, parish facilities, as well as Centre completed in 1996 stand out as landmarks over the Metro site, the centre’s housing and privately operated fi tness and health services. Vuotie road; an expansion section will be completed in the sports building’s expansion. Architects’ Offi ce Schauman, 1998. 2006. Architects’ Offi ce Tommila Oy, 1996. Architects’ Offi ce Kouvo & Partanen Oy, 2004. Vuosaari centre Currently under construction near Vuosaari other gymnasium and fi tness facilities. Also metro station is a new centre whose ser- situated nearby is the Swedish-language vices and workplaces will link the new and Nordsjö-Rastis multi-purpose facility. existing housing areas. Passengers arriving The planning of the centre has continued at the metro station will ascend to the based on a conceptual design prepared in Valkopaadentie terminal from where buses 2004. Offi ces, commercial premises and will depart to different parts of Vuosaari. other functions will be placed in the “metro The Columbus Shopping Centre, with its sites” near the metro station. The sports interior streets, has been built as a bridge building and underground parking facili- spanning Vuotie road and the metro tracks. ties may be extended, and new housing Behind the natural multi-level solution is blocks are being planned near the existing the placement of the centre between the outdoor parking areas and along the edge surrounding ridges at a site of previously of Mosaiikkitori square. occupied by sandpits. Oy Gustav Paulig Ab’s coffee roasting The unifying concept for the centre is a plant continues to operate near the centre. straight axis that links the city districts and The Paulig Group has actively participated continues as a park to the waterfront. The as a landowner in the development of the axis also continues as a pedestrian precinct centre, for example by building the shop- through the shopping centre.