The City of Espoo has chosen the proposal Walk Around by YIT, the architecture company Arco and the engineering and consulting company Ramboll, as the winner of the Leppävaara idea competition

The aim of the competition was to find an overall plan for the area north of the railway tracks - one that is of high quality in terms of architecture, urban structure and functionality and increases the recognisability and attractiveness of the area. The plan will steer detailed planning and multi-phase construction in the area over the next 10-20 years.

Alongside the architectural competition, the City of Espoo looked for parties to implement the plans for the competition area through a separate planning reservation application process, which merged into the idea competition during the second phase. The results of the idea competition will be used as selection criteria when deciding on the reservations. The decision on the planning reservations will be made by the Business and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the City Board.

In the winning proposal, the northern and southern sides of the tracks are connected by a deck structure over Turuntie and buildings to be constructed on the deck. According to the plan, residential and workplace blocks would be built on the deck and on the northern side of the tracks.

"Walk Around best met the aim of the competition to build a functionally diverse urban centre where services, housing, jobs, events and recreational opportunities form new and diverse urban structures," said Olli Isotalo, Espoo's Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment.

"The plan is ambitious, but the individual buildings and blocks seem realistic and feasible. The central area is compact and efficient, but the block structure becomes lighter and more diverse towards Gransinmäki," said Mika Rantala, Project Director for Leppävaara.

"In recent years, we have carried out several projects in Espoo and have had the opportunity to develop the city together with our partners. We are very pleased that our proposal to develop Leppävaara won the tough competition and also received the most positive reactions from the public. Collaboration among the working group was excellent, which contributed to the plan. In particular, we succeeded in planning the conditions for walking and cycling, managing storm waters and strengthening biodiversity with the principles of controlled rewilding," said Juha Kostiainen, EVP, Urban Development and Sustainability at YIT.

"The name "Walk Around" tells of the vision behind our proposal. Our goal has been to develop Leppävaara's central urban environment into an area in which travelling on foot or cycling means truly easy movement throughout the entire central Leppävaara area, at the same time linking southern and northern Leppävaara. The aim has been to create a central area with a strong identity, where a stimulating public space forms a living room that supports a sense of community for the residents and users of the area," said Vesa Jäntti, Arco's Director of Architecture.

"The design is based on the premise of human scale, functionality, comfort, and greenery. The main route naturally integrates with other modes of transportation and serves as the backbone of the area. The core area is protected from traffic, and green construction and biodiversity are enhanced in the dense urban environment. During the planning phase, we analysed the impact of various solutions on factors such as microclimate, stormwater quantity, urban greenery, and biodiversity," said Tommi Eskelinen, business director, Ramboll.

For further information:

YIT's Corporate communications, tel. +358 44 743 7536, press@yit.fi

YIT is a leading construction and development company. Building on over 110 years of experience, we develop and build sustainable living environments: functional homes, future-proof public and commercial buildings, and infrastructure to support the green transition. We employ approximately 4,300 professionals in eight countries. Our revenue in 2023 was EUR 2.2 billion. YIT Corporation's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. 

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