Actions in the suburban regeneration areas

Malmi is an open, lively and diverse residential area. Malmi’s strong sense of community and the historical layers are reflected in the residents’ desire to participate in the development and growth of the area.  

You will not find another Malmi. 

In 2024, we will, for example, organise events, improve the attractiveness of the market square areas and improve local sports services. Read more about the measures below. 

We are developing diverse areas and parks in Malmi. We will build two park bridges in Longinojapuisto park and continue the renovation of the Filpus playground. In addition, we will continue to plan the renovation of Ala-Malmi park and Ylä-Malmi square, as well as start the pre-construction of the Pikitehtaankortteli blocks. We will repair the steps at Malmi station.     

You may be interested in:

Malmitalo(Link leads to external service)

Borough liaison 

Community House Malmi 

Malminkartano-Kannelmäki offers peaceful living conditions, good services and great opportunities for recreation. There are numerous parks, local sports facilities and playgrounds. 
 

A lively atmosphere along the railway line in Malminkartano and Kannelmäki. 

In 2024 in Malminkartano and Kannelmäki, we are, among other things, involved in organising events and community farming in Malminkartano.  

We will improve the lighting at Sitratori square and around Malminkartano station (southern and northern entrances). We will renew the murals on Sitratori square in Kannelmäki. We will starting the renovation of playground Pakarituvanpuisto in Malminkartano. 
 

You may be interested in:

Participate in the planning of Malminkartano library

Kanneltalo (Link leads to external service)

Borough liaison

Mellunkylä is a diverse, lively and lush district. You can find great outdoor and recreational opportunities in the area, as well as urban culture and events.  

Urban nature in Mellunkylä. 

In 2024, we will, for example, improve the attractiveness of the urban environment in Mellunkylä and increase the number of hangout places for children and young people. Read more about the measures below.  

We will improve the safety of Kontula square by improving the lighting in the area and investing in the attractiveness of the square through placemaking. In addition, we are improving the popular Kostinkallio urban farming area. We are building the Kontula rescue station, and both will be completed at the end of the year. In addition, Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd will carry out a platform renovation at Kontula metro station in the summer of 2024. The development opportunities at Kontula shopping centre are being studied together with the businesses at the shopping centre and their development partner NCC Property Development Oy.  

We are building a local sports venue in Kivikko with facilities for parkour, skateboarding and scooting.  

In Mellunmäki, we will repair the metro bridge, and artists will create art on the construction site fences. On Saariseläntie, we are building new Heka and Haso apartments. We are building the Mellunmäki playground building and finishing the playground functions. In Mellunmäki, we are building a new kindergarten: Tunturi. The planning of the Vantaa light rail is progressing, and the future terminal will be located next to the Mellunmäki metro station. The goal is for light trail traffic from Mellunmäki to the airport to be running at the turn of the decade.  

You may be interested in: 
 

Community House Kontula

Borough liaison

Meri-Rastila’s marine nature creates a great setting for living, outdoor activities and recreation.  The urban renewal will bring plenty of new housing opportunities to the area in the future.   

In 2024, we will implement an architectural competition for the new Meri-Rastila block house and improve the attractiveness of Meri-Rastila square together with the residents.

We will begin renovating Meri-Rastilan tie and Haruspuisto park. 
 

You may be interested in: 

Vuotalo(Link leads to external service) 

Borough Liason

We tested various smart everyday solutions and carried out smart city experiments for three years together with Forum Virium Helsinki in the Helsinki Innovation Districts. In the project, we brought approximately 20 smart solution experiments to the suburban regeneration areas, in the implementation of which we cooperated with residents and companies.  

The experiments emphasised themes related to the characteristics and development of each area. In Malminkartano, the focus was on urban green and empty spaces, in Mellunkylä, on wood construction and living solutions aimed at children and young people, and in Malmi, on lighting and the use of outdoor spaces. 
 

Helsinki Innovation Districts (Link leads to external service)

In 2023, Helsinki participated in the joint development programme of the American Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation and Harvard University, where we sought solutions to improve the safety experience of children and young people. In the programme, we strive to find solutions for, above all, preventive work, as well as operating models for tackling problems together with various professionals and local actors. We piloted the measures in Kannelmäki in 2023.  

In 2024, we will expand the operating model to all suburban regeneration areas. 

Helsinki was part of the Ministry of the Environment’s Suburban development programme 2020–2022 . The government’s cross-administrative Suburban development programme strengthened the comprehensive development of suburban areas and prevented their regional segregation. We implemented all suburban programme projects in the suburban regeneration areas.

Measures in Malmi 

•    Renovating and improving the attractiveness of Ylä-Malmi square, for example,  
•    the renewal of playground equipment, vegetation, surface materials and wading pool at playground Traktori’s yard area.   
•    Renovation of the Ala-Malmi park fountain 

Measures in Malminkartano-Kannelmäki  

•    Improving the areas surrounding the train stations in Malminkartano and Kannelmäki 
•    Replacing Malminkartano’s fitness stairs and adding lighting 
•    Renovation of playground Trumpetti 
•    Renovation of playground Filpus 

Measures in Mellunkylä 

•    Renovation of playground Mellunmäki  
•    Renovation of the Mellunmäki resident park 
•    Renovation of the Kivikko disc golf course 
•    A new outdoor recreation area north of Mellunmäentie  

Read more Suburban development programme 2020–2022 (Link leads to external service) 

We carry out placemaking in all to the suburban regeneration areas. Placemaking could also be called place design. It refers to a method of co-creation of urban spaces. Its aim is to create more functional and attractive urban spaces in cooperation with local residents and actors. As part of the experiments, we collect valuable user-oriented information on how residents and other actors experience the central urban spaces of their residential areas and what they want from the spaces in the future. We will use this information in further planning. Our goal is to make future urban spaces more responsive to the wishes and needs of their users. 

Malmi 

Ylä-Malmi square  

We have developed the Ylä-Malmi square together with RaivioBumann Oy using placemaking methods as part of the renovation planning. During the summer seasons, we have brought greenery as well as organised opportunities for recreation, small-scale market events and sales events on the square. During the experiment, we collected information from the residents on how the temporary experiments and variety of events have changed the atmosphere of the square and what the people of Malmi want from the renovation of the square. The experiment will continue during the summer of 2024, and the OmaStadi proposal concerning the square will also help improve the area in the manner requested by the residents.  

Summer events in Ala-Malmi park 

In the summers of 2022 and 2023, we implemented an “event summer” in Ala-Malmi park, during which the park came to life with residents and visitors enjoying summer events. We are planning a renovation of the park. During the event park, we gathered information about how the park is as a venue and how people experience the park when it is more functional and lively. Our goal is to have a great park for active event use that functions as Malmi’s unique attraction factor.  
 

Kannelmäki

Sitratori square’s lounge for children and young people 
In the summer of 2023, we created a space for children and young people to hang out at in front of the youth centre on Kannelmäki’s Sitratori square, on the basis of children’s wishes with modules from Parkly Oy. The space offers an opportunity to eat lunch, wait for the youth centre to open and hang out with friends. We designed the space together with children and young people. Next to the lounge, there is a toy box from which you can borrow various yard games.   

Malminkartano community garden

In Malminkartano, the underutilised grass area of the Puustelli multi-purpose building was used as a community garden in the summer of 2023. During the gardening experiment, residents could reserve a gardening box free of charge and grow plants of their choosing during the summer. Blockgarden Oy, the company responsible for the garden, offered weekly garden advice on the spot and organised events with an urban gardening theme. The season culminated with a joint harvest party. The experiment was carried out at the request of the residents. During the summer, there were about ninety gardeners from primary school students to over people over eighty. The gardening will continue in the summer of 2024.