Come Together, Right Now

By Sami J. Anteroinen
Editor-in-Chief

This article was published on NORDICUM 6/2008

The Greater Helsinki Region is about to enter an interesting development phase. As the brand new Vuosaari Harbour commenced operations on 24 November, the old Helsinki harbours are no longer needed for logistical purposes. Dynamic new construction is being planned for the old harbour areas, with both residential and office space in the mix.

The construction of the western metroline – connecting Helsinki and Espoo – could start a year from now. The metropolis is also reaching to the north, while a rail connection should link downtown Helsinki with the Helsinki- Vantaa International Airport around 2014.

Hannu Penttilä, the new Deputy Mayor for Helsinki, has remarked that the metropolis is not a problem, it is a solution. In the age of the Climate Change, we can not allow the community structure to fragment any further. City planning has to be sustainable inside and out.

Also in this issue, innovation guru John Kao – dubbed Mr. Creativity by The Economist – discusses his love for the arctic metropolis. Kao feels that the Greater Helsinki Region is brimming with “next practice” Living Lab potential. Whether it comes to human-centred design or wireless urban environments, Kao is convinced that the area will be in the forefront of future development.

The business of branding cities features an interesting paradox: the brandbuilders strive to create a streamlined, polished end-product, but truly successful communities always tend to break the moulds set out for them. Success stems from the diverse urban undergrowth, stealing a page or two from Chaos Theory. Playing it safe is often the best way to get it wrong. Not the fastest way, but the best way.

A true metropolis acknowledges no arbitrary boundaries. In the final analysis, metropolis is all about the people and their everyday work and play. Viewed against this background, having four cities in the capital region seems wasteful. And confusing to boot: a visitor to Helsinki University of Technology finds himself in Espoo and taking a business flight to Helsinki will land you in Vantaa.

The Greater Helsinki Region is still no giant in terms of population and is easily dwarfed by other metropolises. In such a scenario, setting up separate camps to safeguard personal interest is simply unacceptable.

Let metropolis be one.