By Rhys Phillips
Part 1 of my April 2024 blog argued how Helsinki’s remarkably layered public transit network is a core element of that city’s well-functioning, knitted-together 15-minute communities. In Part 2, we summarize how Helsinki has for four decades developed such sustainable neighbourhoods.
A 2023 study by Juha Niemelä and Saska Lohi found Helsinki largely achieves the 15-minute community goals outlined in the city’s approved strategy. The study examined walking accessibility to eight essential services: public transit, sports services, schools, early childhood education, grocery stores, restaurants, cultural services, and health services. It found that Helsinki residents can generally access these services within 14 minutes by walking.
High accessibility was found for transit stations, early childhood education centers, grocery stores, and sports facilities (6.2 to 7.7 minutes). Moderate accessibility exists for primary schools and restaurants (15.6 and 15.2 minutes, respectively), but cultural and health services have moderately lower accessibility (17.9 and 24.1 minutes). However, 41% of residents do live within 15 minutes of health services.
Helsinki’s journey took off after 1969 when the city rejected a through city freeway. By 1992, the city had codified a mixed-use, transit-oriented development (TOD) Development Master Plan. By my first visit in 1995, several such new communities already existed.
One example was Ruoholahti, a 75-hectare community built along a new canal next to the city core that integrated residential buildings for 3500 residents with offices, shops, schools, parks, and cultural facilities. Easy access public transit (metro, trams, and buses) connected to the rest of the city and made the largely low-rise community highly walkable and bike-friendly. Striking high-tech office buildings added 10,000 jobs. Further out, Pikku Huopalahti was a colourful seaside neighbourhood built partly around a harbour quay. This mixed-use community also offered residential buildings, public services, parks, and small businesses, all linked to the city via trams and buses. Pedestrian paths and cycling routes wound through preserved wetlands, enhancing its eco-friendly design.
Jätkäsaari, now largely built out, replaces Helsinki's now relocated (2008) central container port. It has been transformed into a collection of well-scaled 15 minute-communities linked to the rest of the city by trams, the Metro, buses and an extensive pedestrian and cycling network. On the left side along the canal, is the Rouoholahti neighbourhood, one of the original communities planned and built from 1985-1995.
Finally, Viikki was a greenfield development centered around the University of Helsinki’s biosciences and agriculture departments. It also included eco-friendly residential neighbourhoods organized around a striking shared library, parks, schools, and shops. Now, with the new opened Jokeri LRT line, Vikki is being further developed as two, linked 15-minute neighbourhoods.
When I returned in 2008, two new major 15-minute communities were nearing completion. Arabianranta, integrated along Helsinki’s eastern coast and incorporating the historic Arabia pottery factory, was a new work-live community focused on art and digital media. Aurinkolahti, located at the eastern end of the metro line, featured a large LRT station based shopping center surrounded by civic buildings, schools, residences along a spectacular 800-meter public sand beach - all connected by narrow streets and extensive pedestrian and cycling routes.
Since that visit, Helsinki’s urban design projects have exploded. According to recent city documents, over 22 plans based on15-minute neighbourhood principles are in various stages of realization. Some are major brownfield conversions with a few large greenfield developments; some, like Viikki, are consolidations and densifications of earlier 15-minute neighbourhoods; and some are smaller initiatives, more surgical interventions to strengthen neighbourhoods’ full-service capacities.
Jätkäsaari, closed as a cargo port in 2008, is a major 200-hectare brownfield conversion just west of the city center. It will eventually host 21,000 residents and 6,000 jobs with a focus on sustainability, accessibility, and livability. Interlocked mixed neighbourhoods feature extensive bike lanes and pedestrian paths with a serpentine green park running diagonally across the site. Public trams connect the neighbourhood with other parts of Helsinki. Nearby on the east of the core, Kalasatama is also a former container port. It is emerging as eight, linked 15-minute neighbourhoods mimicking the communities outlined above. It is Finland’s first smart energy district, incorporating real-time energy monitoring, a solar park, and district cooling systems. Kalasatama will house 25,000 residents and 8,000 jobs by the 2030s.
Helsinki is also converting six major motorways that lead into the city into mixed-use boulevards. Vihdintie and Tuusulanväylä are in advanced planning stages and will include new trams. The latter will house 15,000–17,000 residents.
Two key factors distinguish Helsinki’s success from cities like Ottawa. First, during the Great Depression, the city acquired 70% of its land, positioning itself as the lead developer. Second, Helsinki takes a hands-on approach to urban design, frequently holding competitions to encourage innovative urban plans and architecture. Despite these apparent differences, there are still opportunities for Ottawa to learn from the successes in Helsinki. For example, the large number of Federal and city properties in Ottawa now being considered for housing development - like Tunney's Pasture, Confederation Heights, Bayview Yards - provide the opportunity to undertake similar progressive development projects.
Helsinki’s combination of public transit and 15-minute communities has turned aspiration into action, driving the city into the 21st century as a global model for sustainable urban living.
Aurinkolahti, is a 15-minute community in the Vuosaari district at the far eastern end of the Metro. Inside the LRT station (top left) is a supermarket, pharmacy and kiosks while nearby are a community centre, library, health services, sports centre and schools. Housing neighbourhoods, sprinkled with small stores, excellent restaurants and cafes and linked to the Metro station with an extensive cycling and pedestrian pathways. Helsinki's best beach is a major focal point.
To explore the full plan of Kruunuvuorenrantaan, a large emerging 15-minute neighbourhood in development, click here.
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