strong roots, a promising future

A magazine for Espoo residents
Stadens tidning för esboborna
4 / 2013
public bulletin
10
stories
about Espoo
Strong roots,
a promising future —
New history is
constantly being made » 6
Juha Jokela:
After the premiere » 15
Otaniemi prepares for the future » 10 | Schools on the move » 14 | Free online health education for all residents » 16
2 « editorial ESPOO Magazine 4/2013
our city » 3
ESPOO Magazine 4/2013 kuva antti vettenranta
MY NEIGHBOURHOOD
What do residents like about
Espoo? What needs
improvement?
4/2013
Text and photos: Lilli Ollikainen
Contents
Our city » 3
My neighbourhood
Near here » 4
Current affairs
The air we breathe
Near here » 5
Participation pays
This autumn, indoor air issues at workplaces, schools
At work » 11
A true professional
Pearls » 12
A mosaic of colours
In the spotlight »14
The air we breathe
Out and about » 15
On the skis
Column » 15
Juha Jokela
On the road » 16
Health education
On the move » 18
Active seniors
On the stage » 19
Events
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Magazine for Espoo
residents 4/2013
Public bulletin to all households
Feedback lukijapalaute@espoo-lehti.
fi Publisher City of Espoo, PO Box 12,
02070 City of Espoo, tel. (09) 81 621,
www.espoo.fi, firstname.lastname@
espoo.fi Editor in Chief Satu TyrySalo, Communications Director Editors
A-lehdet Dialogi Oy, PO Box 410, 00811
Helsinki, firstname.lastname@dialogi.
fi Creative Director Anneli Myller
Managing Editor Katarina CygnelNuortie Layout Jessica Leino Producer
Irene Dahlman Printed by Sanomapaino
Oy Distribution Itella Notifications
kari.blom@itella.com and mirja.myllymaki
@itella.com Cover Fleur Wilson and
Antti Vettenranta ISSN 1798-8438
Online version ISSN 1798-8454.
o
espoo.fi » 20
At your service
ebook • f
a
Carl Slätis, Managing Director, Premises Department
At the core » 10
Otaniemi Campus
c
fa
and day-care centres in Espoo have caused more concern
than before. For example, an acute need to relocate an
entire school is not easy to process.
Indoor air quality in buildings is affected by the design
solutions used in construction technology and materials as well as the quality and monitoring of construction
work and the use and maintenance of buildings. Surprising factors – such as the time of the year, interior decoration materials or even indoor plants – can sometimes
be related to indoor air quality and symptoms caused by
indoor air issues. The overall management of the situation is demanding and requires responsible collaboration
between several parties. Experts in various sectors of city
administration have been developing an operating model
for addressing indoor air issues. This includes providing
the users of buildings with instructions on how to report
problems.
The best way to address indoor air problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. This can be
achieved through high-quality property management,
timely repairs, appropriate use and user contribution to
monitoring.
Over the next few years, the City of Espoo will invest
in annual repairs even more strongly than before. In the
budget proposal, it is suggested the City of Espoo’s renovation programme be accelerated to give priority to
schools and day-care centres suffering from indoor air
problems.
At the core » 6
10 stories about Espoo
NORA, 14, TAPIOLA
+ The Tapiola library is located
near my home and has an excellent selection. I often borrow books,
films and music. It would be a
shame if the library moved away
from here.
+ Silkkiniitty and Kaskiniitty as
well as green areas in general are
important for recreation. I often
take my dog to the Tapiola dog
park. I also like Rantaraitti, the seaside pedestrian and bicycle route.
+ The area offers excellent opportunities for exercise. My favourites
include the Tapiola swimming hall,
which has a pleasantly peaceful
atmosphere, and the skating rink
next to the cultural centre.
– I go to Tapiola School, which
has mould issues. We were transferred to the former police college
in Otaniemi, but that building had
indoor air problems. Some of my
friends suffered from severe symptoms. I have had eye infections.
We were transferred to temporary
modular facilities. I hope things will
be back to normal by the beginning
of the next school year.
s
”Samaria ha
s...”
m
le
parking prob
“The Tapiola
library!”
north Espoo
g work
“Street pavin
e
has start d.”
centre of espoo
leppävaara
KARI, 45, HYLJELAHTI
kauklahti
+ Our area has not lost its peaceful,
park-like nature, even though more
tapiola
apartments have been built here. The
matinkylä
size of houses has been kept small.
-olari
+ Iivisniemi Lower Comprehensive
espoonlahti
School is sufficiently small, but it is
burdened by the increasing number of
residents. There are plenty of opportunities for children and young people.
As adults, we must encourage our chil”Rullavuori!”
dren to use them.
+ The natural beauty of the Rullavuori area should be fostered and
protected. The harbour area adds a
maritime atmosphere, and the traffic
has not been too heavy. The Suomenoja bird pond is one of the bestknown natural attractions in the
country.
– Poor traffic planning causes the
most concern. Some drivers are
TAPIOLA
HYLJELAHTI
LUUKKI
LUGNET
speeding on the narrow streets, and info:
info:
info:
info:
there have been dangerous situaPart of the
Part of the
Part of the
Part of the Old
Espoonlahti
North Espoo
Espoo region and
tions even on streets where passage Tapiola region.
region and Kaitaa
region. Nearby
Kaupunginkallio
is not allowed. Heavy traffic near the Nearby areas:
Otaniemi, Wesdistrict. Nearby
areas: Kalajärvi,
district. Nearby
Suomenoja power plant is disturbing tend, Haukilahti,
areas: Matinkylä,
Röylä, Velskola,
areas: centre of
at times.
Niittykumpu.
Soukka.
Lahnus.
Espoo.
MAURI, 74, LUUKKI
+ I have lived amidst the rural landscapes of Ruukki for 50 years, surrounded by forests, fields and little
lakes. In my opinion, new buildings
are not needed here. Luukki, Salmi
and Pirttimäki are important for
Espoo residents in terms of recreation, even though the city missed
an excellent opportunity when
refusing to buy land and manor
areas at a low price. Helsinki seized
the opportunity.
+ There are many stables near
here. I used to run a blacksmith’s
workshop, and we shod horses.
+ Kalajärvi has a shop and a healthcare centre. I often go shopping
in Nurmijärvi and Vantaa and use
health-care services in the centre
of Espoo.
– Why was the Samaria health-care
centre built on such a small lot? It
is plagued by parking problems.
JOHANNA, 36, LUGNET
+ We live close to Central Park,
near nature, jogging trails and skiing tracks. The centre of Espoo
offers additional opportunities:
excellent football fields and a swimming hall suitable even for babies.
+ We have a strong sense of community. People help one another
and organise themed parties. We
have an active residents’ association, which organises popular
events around Christmas.
+ Street paving work has started.
It will be great to get paved streets
here.
– Many children are hoping for a
playground and a field for playing
games.
The best
place in Espoo?
“Muurala offers easy access
to forests, golf courses, swimming halls, libraries and
shops. A new shopping centre
will soon be opened in Lommila. Muurala is a peaceful
environment for families with
children.”
— Haidi79, Espoo
“The high-rises in Länsikorkee, the symbols of Tapiola. Short distances to the
beaches of Espoo and the services of Tapiola. Yet you can
see squirrels, crows, rabbits
and the occasional pheasant
on the rocks in the small forest to the east of the buildings. A peaceful place to live,
no through traffic. From the
sauna facilities on the roof
of the high-rise, you can see
over the trees all the way to
the sea.”
— Tiuku, Länsikorkee, Tapiola
4 « near here ESPOO Magazine 4/2013
4. 5. 6.
1.
7.
8.
9.
2. 3.
11.
12.
10.
13.
extremely tight over the next
few years. Each year, the city
grows by more than 4,000
new residents, which increases
the need for services, particularly those for children, young
people and the elderly. This
is the reason behind the City
of Espoo’s investment programme of more than EUR
500 million, more than ever
before. New schools, day-care
centres and hospitals as well
as road and rail networks are
needed for its rapidly increasing population.
Service development will
focus on the core duties of
Espoo. A new type of service
centre will appear in Matinkylä by the West Metro, providing cultural and health
services. Other major projects include the development programmes for the
T3 area (Tapiola, Otaniemi
and Keilaniemi) and the centre of Espoo as well as the
implementation of the Suurpelto project. The West Metro
stations and tunnels will be
equipped in 2014. New service facilities will be deployed
over the next few years,
including the Opinmäki campus, Espoo Hospital and
senior centres. In addition,
schools will be renovated in
accordance with the life-cycle
project model.
The City of Espoo will
acquire EUR 102 million in
additional debt in 2014.
At the end of the year,
its debt per capita will be
EUR 1,010 and is expected to
increase over the next few
years. The Mayor’s budget
proposal includes a rise in
the municipal tax rate from
17.75% to 18.25%. However,
even after this increase,
Espoo will have a lower
municipal tax rate than other
large cities.
The City Council will
decide on tax rates in November and on the budget and
financial plan in December. n
New Espoo
Ambassador
Public Office
Building 1
Pensioner
of the Year
Professor Tapio Lokki from the
Department of Media Technology of Aalto University is
Espoo Ambassador for 2013,
promoting Espoo as a conference city. Lokki is head of
the virtual acoustics research
team at Aalto University. In
the summer of 2013, he was
granted the ICA Early Career
Award, which is regarded as
the Nobel prize in acoustics. n
The demolition of Public
Office Building 1 in the centre
of Espoo, next to the city hall,
will be completed by the end
of November. The work began
in late June. The town plan
for the area mainly includes
apartments. Of the demolition
debris, 95% will be recycled.
The concrete will be crushed
and used in the foundations of
park routes, for example. n
The Espoo Association of
Pensioners selected Timo
Typpö as the 2013 Pensioner
of the Year. He has played a
key role in creating and maintaining the association’s website, and he has familiarised
other members with information technology. In addition, he serves as an instructor in hobby groups related to
music. n
A village united by a factory
In the 1920s, Espoo attracted new small
industries, including the Kauklahti glassworks.
It was established in the facilities of
the former Åminne brick factory in 1923
by Claës Norstedt (1870–1952), who had
successfully served as manager of the
Iittala glassworks. However, the melting furnace at the Kauklahti glassworks
kept playing up, causing shutdowns. In
1927, Norstedt had no option but to sell
a majority holding in the company to the
Riihimäki glass company.
The new manager, V. E. Kolehmainen,
had a new melting furnace built. The
glassworks specialised in household,
pharmacy and lighting glass as well as
painted decorations. Its best-known
glass artists included Helen Tynell, Gunnel
Nyman and Kyllikki Salmenhaara.
The raw materials were melted at
1500°C in melting pots made of clay.
The melting pots were replaced every
two months, which was an exciting
event. The guests were served pilsner
and, occasionally, something a little
stronger. Entire families came to see
glowing melting pots being removed
from the furnace.
At the end of the working day, the
glass-blowers often returned to the factory to tell stories. The factory brought
the villagers together through work as
well as play. It organised Mother’s Day
and Christmas celebrations. At its highest point, the glassworks employed more
than 160 people. Some of them lived in
apartments provided by the factory – two
of the buildings were called Milk Wagon
and Buttermilk Wagon because of their
white plaster walls.
In 1946, the factory burned to the
ground. It was soon replaced by a new
building, and production continued. In
ty Museum
The Espoo Ci
a booklet
ed
ish
has publ
orks.
uklahti glassw
about the Ka
1951, the glassworks was shut down for renovations. Surprisingly, it was never opened
again, but closed down for financial reasons.
Today, the facilities are occupied by Kuusakoski. n Tarja Sinervo
350
members
and tens of local
supporters in related
projects.
Exemplary
projects
Sea of Flags 2013 is a prime
example of how residents can
affect the development of their
local area. Originally made possible by the Leppävaara Society in
2003, this work of art was complemented by 21 new flags ten
years later.
The society is known particularly for its annual carnival, Raittikarnevaali, which attracts as
many as 10,000 visitors, as well
as its Lepuski newspaper and
reminiscing circle, which was
established ten years ago. The
society has contributed to the
establishment of the Leppävaara
outdoor swimming pool and the
cinema at the Sello shopping centre as well as flea markets on
Alberga Esplanade.
In addition, it has played an
active role in the development of
the Alberga manor and its park
and proposed that the area be
protected from the noise of the
Ring I highway. n
Espoo
through
the eyes
of a
resident
activist
Kai Fogelholm, 49, wants
to have an impact on the
future of Leppävaara.
University studies inspired
photo antti vettenranta
1. Karhusuo School, additional building 2017–18.
2. Kirsti School, renovation 2016–2017.
3. Tuomarila school, renovation 2017–2018.
4. Aurora School, new building 2014–2016.
5. Viherlaakso School and Upper Secondary School,
renovation 2016–2017.
6. Karakallio School, renovation 2013–2014.
7. Lintuvaara School, renovation 2014–2016.
8. Leppävaara School and Veräjäpelto School, renovation 2017–2019.
9. Perkkaa School, new building 2017–2019.
10. Tapiola School and Upper Secondary School, renovation and extension 2014–2016.
11. Opinmäki School, new building 2013–2015.
12. Päivänkehrä School, renovation 2015–2017.
13. Maininki School, renovation 2014–2015.
Espoo finances will be
The Leppävaara Society
has about
Photo: Photography Studio Roos/Espoo City Museum. This photo was taken in 1935.
Between 2000 and 2013, Espoo invested a total
of nearly EUR 362.5 million in building and
renovating schools. Over the next five years,
Espoo will invest EUR 312.7 million in further
improving its schools – more than any other
municipality in Finland. n
compiled by Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie
Cost control
BETTER SCHOOLS
near here » 5
ESPOO Magazine 4/2013 Kai Fogelholm to make a difference in his residential environment in the late 1990s.
“My thesis was related to sustainable development and resident participation in Leppävaara.
Soon after completing my thesis,
I moved to South Leppävaara and
joined the Leppävaara Society. I
also participated in organising a
cherry tree planting party for local
residents and schoolchildren on
Alberga Esplanade, which encouraged me to launch a project to
acquire new flags for the square
at the end of the esplanade.”
The beauty of the urban environment is important for Kai. He
hopes that the sphere of art will
be expanded beyond the walls
of the museum and integrated
into the everyday cityscape. As a
father, he also pays attention to
safety and traffic issues as well as
activities for children and young
people. He dreams of the Alberga
manor finally being renovated
and restored to its former glory.
“In the meantime, I will try to
make a difference in my residential area in a number of ways. For
example, I have been in discussions with a local school about
the renovation of the schoolyard
for a couple of years now.”
The city is more attuned to residents’ needs than people may
The flags were
created by pupils
of Leppävaara School,
their teachers
and artist
Kia Winqvist.
realise.
“Even an individual opinion
can have an effect on planning.
For example, safety walks in different parts of the city have
resulted in many measures.”
What inspires Kai to keep trying?
“My background in athletics
may be one of the reasons for my
persistence, and I’m resolute by
nature. In addition, I’ve learned
patience in my work in residential
area development. My wife gives
me strength, as do members of
the Leppävaara Society, whose
support is invaluable when you
feel that you are just banging your
head against a brick wall. Collaboration is power!” n Lilli Ollikainen
6 « at the core 10 stories
of Espoo
The new permanent
exhibition at the Espoo City
Museum tells a thousand
stories about the history
of Espoo. New history is
being made all the time
– something that may be
included in the permanent
exhibition in 2113.
The story of Espoo
continues.
Text: Lilli Ollikainen, Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie and Tarja Sinervo,
Illustration: Fleur Wilson, Photos: Antti Vettenranta, Espoo City Museum, Natalie Gaudet
ESPOO Magazine4/2013
at the core » 7
ESPOO Magazine4/2013 WOOD CONSTRUCTION now »
Smart wooden city
Last year, the City of Espoo, Aalto University and
the Ministry of Employment and the Economy signed
a cooperation agreement on the promotion of highquality, intelligent and climate-friendly urban
development. The three partners will systematically work to make wood construction more attractive over the
long term and develop their expertise in energy efficiency, wood
architecture, high-quality design
and user-focused innovation.
Espoo has already completed
several wood construction projects, such as the Finnforest Modular
Office (FMO) building and the Finnish
Nature Centre Haltia in Nuuksio. Projects under
construction include the Matinkylä day-care centre,
wooden apartment buildings in Tuuliniitty and the
six-storey InnOta office building that will serve as the
headquarters of the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes), Finnvera and Finpro.
Long-term goals include the construction of the
Hista area for 20,000 residents. The area is intended to
be developed as the leading national project in wood
construction and renewable energy in accordance
with Tekes’ goals for the Witty City programme.
Visit Haltia, the first public building in Finland built entirely of wood. www.haltia.com
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
WOOD CONSTRUCTION before »
Wooden house
in the Stone Age
At dusk, the men come home from seal hunting,
and a family in Bosholm in Espoo enters the
warmth of their home.
Their rectangular house was built of pine
in 3800 BCE. The trees were felled with an
axe, a multifunctional tool. The entire family
participated in the construction of the house:
mother, father, children, grandparents and an
uncle with his family. The roof was insulated with
birch bark and covered with peat, protecting the family from the cold. To prevent loss of heat, the house
had a hall and a small doorway – people needed to
watch their heads.
The house had no windows. The room was lit by a
fireplace and seal oil lamps. On the floor were hides
and furs. Even in the Stone Age, people liked to surround themselves with beautiful things: earthen pots
were beautifully decorated.
Can you light a fire with a bow
drill? Give it a try at the A Thousand Stories about
Espoo exhibition at the Espoo City Museum.
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
»
8 « at the core ESPOO Magazine 4/2013
at the core » 9
ESPOO Magazine4/2013 innovation now »
multiculturalism now »
entrepreneurship now »
TAPIOLA & HEIKKI VON HERTZEN now »
Birds in space
Garden city game
Lonkkaliukumäki is an award-winning treatment
“I don’t speak Finnish,” says a young woman, with
The cooperation between Rovio and
The story of the TAPiola game began in 2012 when
Hot business trends
programme that has reduced the rehabilitation chain
of hip fracture patients by nearly half. In addition, the
programme has resulted in considerable cost savings
and attracted praise from health-care professionals
and senior citizens alike.
“The programme is based on a need to provide
individualised care with optimal results. Hip fracture
treatment requires multidisciplinary expertise, and
no one had the overall responsibility for the treatment and rehabilitation,” says Jukka Louhija, the man
behind the idea.
“The purpose of the innovation competition held
by the Mayor of Espoo is to improve services and
working conditions in the city. The competition is
open for employees, workplace communities, networks and teams of the City of Innovation.”
Why does Espoo need innovation?
“Presently, Espoo has 36,000 pensioners, and their
number is estimated to increase to 105,000 in two
decades. According to experts, however, Espoo will
not have triple the funds it has now, so the current
system will lead to a dead end. Geriatric innovations
make it possible to offer better health care for the
elderly at a lower cost.”
a handshake, on the Aalto University campus in
Otaniemi. Canadian-born Natalie Gaudet works at
Startup Sauna, where newly established businesses
from Northern Europe and Russia are provided
with intensive training by serial entrepreneurs
and investors in a one-month programme.
“Our business accelerator programme was
established by ambitious students in 2010. As the
programme grew more international, we wanted
its name to reflect Finland. Sauna is one of the few
Finnish words that is known all around the world.”
It is no surprise, then, that the programme attracts
participants from all over the world.
“Our success is founded on our ability to create collaboration between students, researchers, entrepreneurs, start-up companies, investors and the university
in Espoo. Companies from different countries increase
internal competition, and international teams inspire
Finnish teams to work harder – and vice versa.”
The conference room at Startup Sauna resembles
a sauna.
“Particularly our Asian guests often ask if they
should take their clothes off. My standard answer is:
only if you want to. We will not stop you.”
Read more about the innovation
of the year at espoo.fi. Do you have ideas? Share them
at www.espoo.fi > In English > Give Feedback.
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
Innovation before »
multiculturalism before »
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
Power from petrol
Stationary engines revolutionised agriculture
at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Modelled on steam engines, this innovation
was primarily used to generate power for
threshing machines, circular saws, shingle
machines and flour mills.
Villages usually acquired one or two
engines for common use. Some villages
established stationary engine cooperatives.
Stationary engines were mounted on wooden
platforms and moved by horses between machines
and houses. They were difficult to move because they
weighed hundreds of kilos. Once a good place had been
found for an engine, it was used there for a long time.
Stationary engines were mainly used in threshing,
which was an arduous process involving at least four
or five people: the operator of the threshing machine,
the feeder of the crops and collectors of the grains.
Gradually, tractors replaced stationary engines. However, stationary engines were still used in the 1960s to
some degree.
Listen to the sound of the
petrol-fuelled Avance stationary engine at the
Espoo City Museum.
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
Have an espresso at ADD CAFE on
the Otaniemi campus at Sähkömiehentie 4G and enjoy
the innovative atmosphere.
From Sweden
with love
People used to move abroad because of work long
before our time. Commander Carl Tersmeden, 37,
who worked for the Swedish Navy, bought the Alberga
manor in 1749 and moved there with his young wife in
1752. She gave birth to two children, a girl and a boy, in
Finland.
The premises of the manor were located where Leppävaara Vocational School is located today. The Tersmedens enjoyed a good celebration, and social life in
Alberga flourished during their time in Espoo. Their
New Year’s parties started with a lunch and continued
until the following morning. Hot chocolate, tea and
lemonade were served all through the night. The dance
ended at 7.30 a.m. and the guests left at around 11 a.m.
However, Tersmeden was not able to make Alberga
profitable. Much like other noblemen at the time, he
overspent without a care. In 1765, he was assigned back
to Sweden. Tersmeden left Alberga with a heavy heart,
but his wife was happy to leave Finland for good.
The Tersmedens served tea, coffee
and hot chocolate at their parties. Enjoy the aromas at
the Espoo City Museum.
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
Sources: Espoo City Museum, www.kansallisbiografia.fi, Alberga – Research publications of Espoo City Museum, http://www.student.oulu.fi/~turytky/maam/
Hip rehabilitation
Nasa began with a tweet that was sent in
jest. First NASA noticed tweets about our
smartphones using more computing power
than NASA used to launch man to the moon. We use
our smartphones to play Angry Birds, to launch birds
into pigs. NASA then tweeted that it might be able to
help Rovio launch birds if the company could find a
pig in space. Rovio responded that we should start
launching pigs into space. NASA liked the idea.
Angry Birds Space was launched in March 2012,
about a year after the tweets. In the spring of 2013, an
Angry Birds theme park was opened at the Kennedy
Space Center. NASA saw in Angry Birds an opportunity to interest children in physics and mathematics, the basics of space science. “Even though Angry
Birds Space is an entertainment game, it also involves
themes suitable for educational purposes,” says Marja
Konttinen from Rovio.
An incredible coincidence is related to the cooperation.
“It was only afterwards that we heard that a Russian astronaut had taken a red Angry Birds stuffed toy
into space because his daughter had asked him to.
When the bird had begun to float, the crew knew that
the space shuttle had reached zero gravity.”
Mayor of Espoo Jukka Mäkelä established a working
group to make preparations for the 100th anniversary
of Heikki von Hertzen’s birth. The idea was to produce
a board game that would illustrate the history of Tapiola and Heikki von Hertzen’s vision for a garden city.
At the first meeting, however, the mayor suggested
a mobile game – in the spirit of the times. Students
from the Espoo School of Art, South Tapiola Upper
Secondary School and the music technology group
of Espoo Music Institute participated in the project,
supervised by an instructor from the Department of
Media Technology of Aalto University. Weekly workshops were organised for the participants at the WeeGee Exhibition Centre.
Tapio, the hero of the game, is a mythical character who overcomes obstacles and plants trees in the
Tapiola garden city. As the game progresses, the rural
landscape transforms with the decades, reflecting the
history of Tapiola.
Create a garden city. After 14
November 2013, you can play the TAPiola game at
www.espoonkuvataidekoulu.wordpress.com/tapiola
EXPERIENCE ESPOO:
TAPIOLA & HEIKKI VON HERTZEN before »
EXPERIENCE ESPOO » Visit the free Angry Birds
playgrounds in Suurpelto and Oittaa. A third
one is being planned for Leppävaara.
A man and
his dream
entrepreneurship before »
The dream begins to take shape. The
man travels around Finland, Sweden
and Denmark. He examines city
plans, walks the streets and talks
with engineers and architects as
well as passers-by. In the Etu-Töölö
and Kallio districts in Helsinki, he
observes the confined spaces, small
yards surrounded by high buildings.
He senses the anxiety of an outcast on the
street and decides to make a difference.
He writes A Home or Barracks for Our Children?, a
polemic pamphlet in which he explains how cities of
stone create social problems. Why are we not making
use of the opportunities offered by nature? He also
presents a solution: a garden city where nature and
the shapes of the terrain are respected and reflected
in the architecture and where single-family houses
and bicycle and pedestrian routes create a sense of
space.
The man is Heikki von Hertzen, and he means
every word he says. Uncompromising, he engages in
long negotiations. As a result, the foundation stone of
Tapiola is laid on 5 September 1953. The construction
of the garden city begins.
Heavy industry
After the Winter War, Erik Isomaa, 27, grew tired
of his job. Having worked in electric services, he decided
to establish a company specialised in electricity and
heating: Oy Sähkö-Lämpö – Elektro-Värme Ab (later
Slev). The company began to manufacture electric irons
– which weighed an impressive eight kilos at the time.
Electric heating stoves were another hit product. They
were in huge demand because of the fuel shortage after
the war. The stoves were made from asbestos tubes,
which were sawn to measure and painted. They were
later made of glazed earthenware produced by Arabia
and exported as far as Turkey.
In the late 1950s, the company’s range of products
included the best-selling electric cooker in Finland.
The company manufactured electric cookers in the
factory that had been constructed in Kauklahti in
1958. The factory employed 220 people. In the 1960s,
increased competition in the electric cooker market
presented profitability problems. Slev was eventually
sold to the Swedish Electrolux in 1969.
How heavy were electric irons
back in the day? Try holding four bags of potatoes, two
kilos each.
EXPERIENCE ESPOO »
EXPERIENCE ESPOO: Experience Tapiola by foot.
www.kaupunkipolut.fi > Tapiola
10 « at the core ESPOO Magazine 4/2013
Art and technology
A true professional
Formerly a crown estate and a summer
paradise of the Sinebrychoff family,
Otaniemi has developed into the largest
technology hub in Northern Europe
over a period of 50 years.
In September 2013, young desig-
ners from Verstas Architects are
all smiles. Their entry was selected
as the winner from among 189
submissions to Campus 2015, an
international architectural design
competition for the Otaniemi
central campus of Aalto University. The new main building of the
Aalto University School of Arts,
Design and Architecture will be
constructed in accordance with
the winning entry. The campus
area surrounding the new metro
station will also be given a new
appearance. The young architects join an honourable tradition:
more than 60 years ago, the area
was designed by Alvar Aalto.
In September 1948, an increasing number of engineering and
technology students returned to
the cramped lecture halls of the
Helsinki University of Technology
in Hietalahti. At the same time
in Otaniemi in Espoo, just seven
kilometres west of Hietalahti, an
old manor area continued to gradually turn into a forest. At the
end of the year, President J.K.
Paasikivi helped the government
secure an appropriation to buy
the area – more than 100 hectares
– from a bank for the construction of a university campus.
This inspired the Student
Union of the Helsinki University of
Technology to organise the most
impressive event in its history.
The embassy of the Soviet Union
had been destroyed in an air raid
in the war, and 800,000 bricks
were transported to Otaniemi to
be used for the construction of
the student village. The first student apartments were completed
in 1952, just in time to serve as
accommodation facilities at the
Olympic Games in Helsinki.
The Helsinki University of
Technology moved to more spacious premises in 1964 when the
new main building was completed.
The main building was designed
by Alvar Aalto. VTT Technical
Research Centre of Finland was
also transferred to Otaniemi.
a large
number of new facilities for
science and business have been
constructed in the campus area.
Today, the Otaniemi and Keila-
Over the decades,
Contrary to popular belief, working
in a museum can be hectic, even chaotic
at times.
The Glims Farmstead Museum
niemi area – the Silicon Valley of
Finland – houses 16,000 students
and 5,000 researchers, along with
800 companies with a total of
16,000 employees.
was preparing for the opening
of an exhibition. The guest speaker visited the museum the night
before. After a while, the speaker
wanted to check that there had not
been a mistake about the opening
date, says Exhibition Manager Eeva
Kyllönen with a laugh.
The speaker was confused,
because there were still piles of
empty boxes on the floor. The last
moments before opening a new
exhibition can be chaotic, and working in a museum is not as sluggish
as people seem to think.
“My work is stressful and hectic
at times,” Eeva says.
The preparations for a major
exhibition usually begin about two
years before the opening. Much of
the time is spent at a desk. Things
must be studied and examined,
and the message of the exhibition
must be determined, among other
aspects.
The new architectural design
will bring new life to the campus, characterised by red brick
buildings, a town in its own right
surrounded by forests. When the
West Metro begins operation in
2016, passengers will arrive from
underground at a car-free square
surrounded by core campus services: library, shops, cafés and
new teaching facilities. Aalto University has decided to make Otaniemi its central campus. In the
future, engineering and technology students will be joined by
business and art students.
With the West Metro and the
covering of the Ring I highway,
Otaniemi, Keilaniemi and Tapiola will constitute an integrated
area that will develop rapidly and
be easy to navigate. Over the next
ten years, a total of EUR 5 billion
in private and public funding will
be invested in the area. n
PeTJA PARTANEN
1949
Alvar Aalto wins
the architectural design competition for the
Otaniemi campus
area.
1964
The Helsinki University of Technology moves from
Helsinki to its
new main building
in Otaniemi.
2013 The winner of the Campus 2015 architectural design
competition of
Aalto University
is selected.
An exhibition manager is
responsible for the coordination of exhibitions and the
planning of their content
as well as research. However, true professionals are
no strangers to a drill, saw
or paintbrush, or providing
transport, if need be.
“I like doing all types of
things.”
Negotiation and organisation skills are often
needed. For example,
artefacts were borrowed from a total of 33
individuals and institutions for
a past exhibition on Aurora
Karamzin.
“These included three Russian
museums, as well as private individuals from Paris, London and
the United States. This was reflected in the amount of
paperwork.”
When the plans
materialise and
the exhibition is
opened after hectic preparations,
something moves
in Eeva’s heart.
She also
enjoys the
variety
in her work: all projects eventually
run their course.
“Every new project is an opportunity to familiarise yourself with a
new topic.”
One example is the history of
manors in Espoo, the topic of an
exhibition that will open at the Espoo
City Museum on 19 February 2014.
In her free time, Eeva plays floor-
ball and enjoys outdoor recreation.
She has also taken up paddling.
“Up until now, I have only paddled
in the Turku region, but I cannot wait
to go paddling in the beautiful water
areas in Espoo.”
In addition, her hobbies include
studying Spanish at the Espoo Adult
Education Centre. n katarina cygnelnuortie
Eeva Kyllönen, 53, Master of Arts,
Exhibition Manager at the WeeGee
Exhibition Centre of the Espoo City
Museum. Hired by the City of Espoo
in 2002. Lives in Espoo.
380,000
2016
The West Metro
will take passengers directly to
Otaniemi.
The budget of A Thousand
Stories About Espoo
2
years.
The average time
needed to prepare an
Espoo City Museum
exhibition at WeeGee
PHOTO antti vettenranta
photo ALVAR AALTO -museo ja Aalto-yliopisto
timeline
1858
Business magnate Paul Sinebrychoff from
Helsinki buys
Otaniemi.
“An exhibition is not just about
putting artefacts on display. Each
exhibition has a specific message.
For example, A Thousand Stories
about Espoo, the new permanent
exhibition at the Espoo City
Museum, helps people understand
the present of Espoo through the
past and their own roots.
EUR
Otaniemi,
Keilaniemi
and
Tapiola
will be
integrated.
1662
Otaniemi
becomes a seat
farm of the Swedish Crown.
AT WORK » 11
ESPOO Magazine4/2013 18
exhibitions.
The number of major
exhibitions Eeva has
helped prepare
A Thousand
Stories about
Espoo will be on
display for the next
10 years.
Basutställningen
Tusen historier
i Esbo pågår de
närmaste 10 åren.
12 « pearls ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013
pearls » 13
ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013 rs
u
o
l
o
c
f
o
c
i
a
A mos
North Espoo
Centre of Espoo
leppävaara
kauklahti
tapiola
matinkylä
-olari
Text: HELEN MOSTER, Photo: ANTTI VETTENRANTA
espoonlahti
WHAT? Tuomarila Day-Care Centre
is vibrant with colours all through
the year. The smallest children
enjoy the calm of blue and green,
while older children enjoy the
energy of red and orange.
WHO AND WHEN? Designed by
architects Claudia Auer and Niklas
Sandås, the new Tuomarila DayCare Centre was built to replace the
old one in 2008.
HOW? The architects were inspired by playing with Lego with their
children. The building is a white toy
box that hides a mosaic of colours.
BEST FEATURES? Children appre-
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES? Comfort
TEN A PENNY? No! The building is
ciate the spacious yard. The building is easy to recognise as a daycare centre.
and a sense of community are key
to the day-care centre. The plates
on the facade symbolise the height
of the children at the ages when
they enter and leave day care.
unique in Espoo and one of the outstanding public construction projects of the 2000s. It is an important meeting place for parents and
children.
What are others saying? The
playful building stands out in an
area of single-family houses. Frequent comment: this is thinking
outside the box!
WHERE? Puistotie 24 A, next
to Tuomarila School. Old trees,
climbing frames and colourful
outbuildings add character to the
yard.
14
« IN THE SPOTLIGHT ESPOO-lehti 4/2013
YMPÄRILLÄ » 15
ESPOO-lehti 4/2013 P O
K
I
U
L
G
R
T
F
H
D
The new hot box
at the Oittaa ski
service point ensures
excellent glide and
surface qualities.
stefan bremer
J
Teksti ja kuvat MIKAELA KATRO
N
teksti katarina cygnel-nuortie, kuva a-lehtien arkisto
S Q
(13 km)
M
Enjoy!
New snow will soon begin to attract
skiers. Follow these instructions
for excellent grip and glide qualities.
Waxing of new skis
Juha Jokela is the director of
Economy of Images 2 – A Mission in Espoo,
a play currently showing at Espoo City T
heatre. Jokela lives in Tampere.
Even new and pre-waxed skis should be
waxed carefully before first use. For base
preparation, repeat steps 1 to 3 a total of
four to six times.
Use the waxing iron in only one direction. Let the wax drip on both sides of the
groove in the bottom surface of the ski. The
wax should melt but not smoke. Plenty of
smoke means that the iron is too hot and will
damage the surface.
2. Move the iron at a steady pace from the
tip of the ski towards its base. You may have
to apply three to four layers to ensure an
even surface. Let the bottom surface of the
skis cool to room temperature.
3. Remove any excess wax from the groove
with a scraper. Scrape the groove before the
surface. Remove any excess wax from the
glide area with a plastic scraper.
4. Brush the surface after scraping it. The
brushing will remove any excess wax, ensuring a smooth and gliding surface.
5. Apply grip wax on an area of approximately 50–60 centimetres from your heel
towards the tip. Do not apply grip wax over
the entire length of the ski! The grip area in
classic cross-country skis is roughened up
with sandpaper.
6. Smooth out the grip wax with a sponge.
After the premiere
1.
E
C
A B
Schools on the move
Indoor air issues have caused trouble and concern at schools during the autumn. In the budget
proposal, it is suggested the City of Espoo’s renovation programme be accelerated to give priority
to schools and day-care centres suffering from
indoor air problems.
Pupils are generally relocated for two reasons:
acute indoor air issues or renovations according to
plan.
“Acute relocations are unfortunate and costly,
which is why the renovation programme needs to
be accelerated,” says Juha Nurmi, Director of Educational Development for Finnish-language education, City of Espoo.
Two schools are presently operating in temporary locations in Espoo: one in the former Omnia
premises in Espoonlahti, and the other in the former Nokia training centre in Nihtisilta.
“The temporary locations must have originally
been planned for educational use. Otherwise, it
is difficult to adjust them to serve as educational
facilities,” says Nurmi.
In addition to accelerating the renovation pro-
gramme, experts from various sectors have been
developing an operating model for addressing and
examining indoor air issues. The indoor air working
group includes municipal experts in education, day
care, facility management, occupational health,
environmental health and occupational safety.
“All employees can monitor the situation in
terms of the condition and maintenance of buildings and report any issues to their supervisors,”
says Harri Kivinen, Facility Manager at the City of
Espoo Premises Department.
The Premises Department is responsible for
ensuring that all of the 100 school buildings in
Espoo are safe for their users. The life-cycle model
is applied to nearly all school renovations. This
means that facility management and maintenance
services are outsourced for a period of 20 to 25
years, allowing for predictable annual budgets for
facility management.
“The life-cycle model is already an established
practice in Finland, but more service providers are
needed,” says Kivinen. n Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie
SchoolWhy relocated?Where?Until when?
A) Espoonlahti Upper Secondary SchoolRenovation
B) Rehtorintie School, Espoonlahti Until the end of 2013
A) Espoonlahti Upper Comprehensive SchoolRenovationC) Maininki SchoolUntil the end of
C) Maininki School, years 7 to 9RenovationD) Saunalahti SchoolUntil summer 2015
C) Maininki School, years 1 to 6*RenovationE) Old Mårtensbro
1/2014–6/2015
F) Tapiola Upper Secondary SchoolAcute need + renovationG) Kutojantie School, KiloUntil summer
F) Tapiola School*Acute need + renovation
H) Miestentie/RehtorintieUntil summer 2016
I) Viherlaakso SchoolAcute need G) Kutojantie School, KiloSummer 2016 or later
I) Viherlaakso School, year 9**Acute need
B) Rehtorintie School, EspoonlahtiUntil the end of 2013
I) Viherlaakso School, year 8**Acute need
J) Viherkallio School and K) Rastaala SchoolUntil the end of
I) Viherlaakso School, year 7**Acute needL) Ruusutorppa SchoolUntil the end of
N) Aurora School, years 4 to 6**Acute need
M) Kalajärvi School
2013–2014
N) Aurora School, years 1 to 3** Acute need + renovation
**Summer 2014 – summer
O) Lintuvaara SchoolAcute need + renovationP) Temporary facilities at LintuvaaraUntil the end of 2015
Q) Karakallio SchoolRenovationR) Kirkkojärvi School and S) Järvenperä SchoolSummer 2014
T) Kirsti SchoolAcute need
Mobile facilities orderedSummer 2016 or later
U) Veräjäpelto School (in part)Acute need
Mobile facilities orderedSummer 2018 or later
* Pending the decision of the Education and Early Education Committee (23 Oct 2013),
** Pending the decision of the Education and Early Education Committee (20 Nov 2013)
acute = sudden, unexpected need to relocate, renovation = renovation in accordance with the investment programme approved by the City Council
1.
2.
3.
Glide and grip waxes
Glide and grip waxes are selected based
on temperature anda snow quality. Glide
wax is applied to the tip and heel sections
of traditional cross-country skis. In skating-style skis, glide wax is applied over the
entire length of the ski, after which the surface is brushed carefully. Grip wax is applied to an area of approximately 50–60 centimetres from your heel towards the tip –
after the area has been roughened up with
sandpaper. You should have waxes for the
three main types of snow conditions. In
addition, you will need paste wax for watery
and icy conditions. Smooth out the wax
with a cork. Remove any old wax that is not
intended for the prevailing snow conditions
with a scraper as well as any particles stuck
on the bottom surface of the ski. n
Other ski service points in Espoo:
Espoo Ski Club offers ski maintenance and
waxing services during the skiing season from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the weekends. Leppävaara
Sports Park. www.espoonhiihtoseura.fi
Mankkaan Suksihuolto offers ski waxing,
maintenance and repair services at
Mankkaantie 25, tel. 050 304 3994.
www.mankkaansuksihuolto.com
4.
5.
6.
The play was well received in Espoo. The audience
seemed very pleased. Several people commented
that they had laughed throughout the performance
– they thought this was because they were from
Espoo. Espoo residents seem to be able to relate
particularly well to a play about creating a brand
for a city that has no actual centre, but others have
enjoyed it as well.
Mayor Jukka Mäkelä saw the premiere. We were
slightly anxious about his reactions, but he appeared
to be in a good mood throughout the performance.
On the following day, someone called the theatre and
suggested that the Espoo Story – the City of Espoo
strategy for 2013–2017 – should be made available in
the foyer. I am still not sure whether this would lend
credibility to the Espoo Story or make it seem satirical, but we would only be happy to distribute copies
at the theatre. Of course we would. It has been rewarding to discover that the play resonates with reality
and continues beyond the theatre.
Fortunately, I never added the story about the
Angry Birds theme park in the play. Länsiväylä,
a local newspaper, ran the story, claiming that
the abandoned city hall would be converted into
a theme park. I was going to include this turn of
events in the final scene – until someone from the
Town Planning Department let me know that the
story was an April Fool’s Joke.
Reality keeps meddling in our play. For example,
the play includes a scene where the main character, a playwright, writes in the desolate city hall.
Through a window, he can see the next building,
Public Office Building 1 in the centre of Espoo,
where “grey concrete walls are contrasted by
strange yellow squares”. Recently on Facebook, I
came across an image of the public office building
having been almost completely demolished. In addition, the play states that, in the main character’s
childhood, the local ice hockey team Ilves in Tampere was successful, unlike today. Of course, Ilves
just happens to be among the top teams in the
national league at the moment. The main character
also mentions that he did not recognise the theme
song of the Espoo team, Blues, because the team did
not score in the match that he saw at the Barona
Arena. Right after the premiere, Ilves beat Blues 1-0.
At the Barona Arena. Perhaps I should include all
this in the script as well? n
16 « ON THE ROAD the seven most common causes of death are related to lifestyle
choices? A positive attitude can add ten
years to a man’s life, whereas smoking and
drinking can reduce his life expectancy by
12 years. In other words, not everything is
determined by genes. We can improve our
well-being every day. Even small changes
matter.
Espoo now offers electronic health
checks and health education programmes for all residents. To receive a personal
health report, enter your information in
the online service. The report also features
information on your risk of illness, healthy
years of life and nutrition.
The idea of the service is based on the
Life at Stake television programme from
Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company.
Yle has broadcast three series of the programme. The content of the online service was produced by the Finnish Medical
Society Duodecim.
After your online health check, you can
choose a health education programme that
best suits your needs. Do you need help
with improving interaction in your relationship, for example? Once a week, you will
receive an email with tips on how to improve your life situation.
Did you know that
We asked three residents about their
experiences of the online service. »
ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013
oN THE ROAD » 17
ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013 Personal
trainer
Have you always wanted
to improve your health
and lifestyle but never
actually taken the time
to see an expert?
Text: Helen Moster, Photos: photo albums of the people interviewed
:
heck, visit
c
h
t
l
a
e
h
ctronic
For an ele
almennus
v
s
y
e
v
r
e
t
.fi/
www.espoo
Instant help
with life
management
Confusing
and
inconsistent
was difficult: Kari Kosonen lost his user ID and password. Fortunately, he found them, and things began
to run smoothly.
“Signing up for the service was easy,”
Kosonen says.
The results of his personal health report
included no surprises. Kosonen, who runs
a group for men at the Matinkylä community house, has paid special attention to
his health and well-being for years.
“I used to watch the Life at Stake television programme, on which this programme is based.”
Kosonen first joined the stress management programme. Later, he also joined the
weight management programme. He has
already received two emails in the stress
management programme.
“In the first message, we were asked to
think about which things we can control
and which are beyond our control. In the
second one, we were asked to make a list
of ten things that help us recharge. I prepared a list. Achieving something makes
me feel good. It can be something I have
done with my own hands, such as woodwork or renovation.”
Kosonen feels that the messages provided instant help with life management.
“They made me think about why I do
things the way I do. You can improve the
quality of your life by learning to say no,
for example. My motto is that things could
always be much worse.”
in good overall health. Last spring,
she lost 12 kilos with the help of a
weight management application on a
tablet. Compared to the application,
Rysti finds the City of Espoo health
education programme complicated
to use.
“To begin with, you have to register
by email, which makes the programme
seem outdated,” says Rysti.
She was expecting the programme
to provide her with a comprehensive evaluation of her health. She was
disappointed.
“The questions were superficial. Is
it really possible to make an evaluation
on how long I will live based on ten
answers?”
To improve her well-being, Rysti
chose the exercise programme and has
already received instructions by email.
“The instructions were not personal
at all.”
She wonders why users can report
their exercise sessions only once a
week and not gradually.
“In addition, the programme only
records the time you have spent exercising. It is not interested in the type of
exercise. This needs improvement.”
Rysti would also like to receive progress reports on her health on a tablet
or a mobile device.
Kari Kosonen from Matinkylä has a life
expectancy of 74 years. He can add six
years by making better lifestyle choices.
Anne Rysti from Olari has a life expectancy
of 82 years. According to her personal health
report, these include two years of ill health.
The beginning
Anne Rysti is a 31-year-old student
Optimal
number of
questions
“I had to get my latest cholesterol and
blood pressure measurements from my
doctor, because I no longer remembered the results,” says project manager
Kari Hautala, 51. He signed up for the
health education programme in September, even though he leads a healthy
and balanced life.
According to Hautala, joining the service was easy. The number of questions
seemed optimal, and the questions were
easy to answer. He was not expecting
anything out of the ordinary.
“I was surprised by the report. It suggested that I had an increased risk of
coronary artery disease and stroke. I was
not able to figure out which of my answers had contributed to this result.”
He believes that dietary changes
would add healthy years to his life.
Hautala’s hobbies include marathon running and competitive squash. Apart from
dietary choices, he cannot think of any
improvements he could make.
“I joined the dietary training programme and have already received
emails. The programme works extremely
well.”
According to Hautala, the report confirmed his idea of which areas in his life
were in balance.
“In my opinion, the report reflected
my answers well. Overall, this has been a
positive and interesting experience.”
Kari Hautala from Tontunmäki learned
that his life expectancy was 86 years.
He is expected to remain in good health
until the age of 80.
18 « ON THE MOVE Every Day challenge and pick up your
exercise scorecard from a swimming
hall or senior citizens’ service centre.
You can also print the card online at
espoo.fi/senioriliikunta.
The challenge will run until the end
of 2013. By returning your scorecard to
a swimming hall or senior citizens’ service centre or by mail to City of Espoo
Sports Services by 15 January 2014,
you can win a prize that will inspire
you to keep up your exercise habit.
The prizes will be drawn at the Seniors
on the Move event at the Ratiopharm
Arena on 10 February 2014. The winners will also be notified personally.
Those with the most impressive exercise records will be granted honorary
mentions.
Exercise for free the 68+ sports
clubs. The exercise focuses on
maintaining mobility and muscular
strength through gym training. You
can find 68+ sports clubs around
Espoo. More info: Mon–Fri from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m., tel. (09) 8166 0800. n
EXERCISE EVERY DAY
DANCE PRACTICE AT
SENTTERI
SKATING
IN LEPPÄVAARA
Instructed formation dances for
senior citizens at Sentteri (Kirstintie 11) on Mondays from 10.30 a.m.
to 12 noon. Admission: EUR 1. More
info: instructor Asta Honkaranta,
tel. 050 3288 650. Organised by
the National Association of Seniors,
Espoo branch.
Skating for senior citizens at the
CCM rink at the Reebok Arena
(Maantienpelto 1) on Tuesdays from
11 a.m. to 12 noon.
Free admission, no advance booking required.
DANCING
TO LIVE MUSIC
Photo: Jonna’s photo album
Come and dance to live music in
the main foyer of the Espoo Cultural Centre (Kulttuuriaukio 2) on Wednesday, 20 November 2013 from 2
p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: EUR 3. You
can also join us dancing to live music
by the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory dance orchestra in the Sello
Hall foyer (Soittoniekanaukio 1 A) on
Tuesday, 3 December 2013 from 1.30
Classic
bodybuilder
Exercising becomes more and
more pleasant as your muscle fitness improves, says Jonna Alaspää, 35, from Viherlaakso.
“In my work as a physiotherapist, I
keep reminding people that their fitness level will not improve without
physical exertion. Exercising may
make you feel uncomfortable at first,
but learning to like it is important for
your well-being.”
Growing muscle is hard work.
“I’m only as big as this, even
though I’ve trained hard for 16 years,”
says Jonna, who has successfully
competed in classic bodybuilding
events and the Finland’s Strongest
Woman competition.
“I’m not competing against anyone
else. I’m competing for my own enjoyment and motivation. What matters
the most is doing the best you can
with the resources you have.” n
CHAIR EXERCISE
FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
Chair exercise will be offered at the
Kauklahti centre for senior citizens
(Hansakallio 4) on Thursdays from
10.15 a.m. to 11 a.m. The sessions
are intended for special groups and
senior citizens with limited functional capacity. Free admission for
Espoo residents born in 1945 or
earlier with a 68+ sports card. EUR
18 per season for participants born
after 1945. Registration: Mon–Fri
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., tel. (09) 8166
0800.
GUIDED EXERCISE
IN TAPIOLA
Guided exercise is offered for senior
citizens in the Tapiola sports park at
the Esport Ratiopharm Arena (Koivumankkaantie 5) on Fridays from 10
a.m. to 11 a.m. The group has access
to an indoor football pitch and an
indoor jogging track. Free admission,
no advance registration required.
CULTURAL WALK
AT WEEGEE
Spend a Saturday enjoying top art
and museums at the WeeGee Exhibition Centre. Bring a friend as well!
Guided tours are also offered on
Saturdays. Open from 11 a.m. to 5
p.m. Admission: EUR 10 for pensioners. No admission fee for participants aged 70 or over. www.weegee.fi
AUTUMN TRIP
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
A trip for the whole family to the
Villa Elfvik forest will be organised
on Sunday, 24 November from 11
a.m. to 12.30 p.m. The trip starts
from the yard of Nature House Villa
Elfvik (Elfvikintie 4). A hot drink
will be served during the trip. Bring
your own mug! Free of charge. More
info: Nature House Villa Elfvik, tel.
(09) 8165 4400.
kuva ESITYKSESTÄ OTTAA SYDÄMESTÄ, SEELA SELLA, espoon teatteri, kuva johnny korkman, Thibblinin kuva robert seger
Senior citizens, take the Exercise
ON THE STAGE » 19
ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013 Text: Lilli Ollikainen, Photos: A-Lehdet Image Archive
Current info
ESPOO-Magazine 4/2013
Events
3 tips from
Thibblin
n Economy of Images
2 – A Mission in Espoo
(pictured). Until 26 April
2014 – tickets for the spring
season on sale now. Tickets
EUR 35/30/18.
www.espoonteatteri.fi
n Penèlope, a performance
by the Spanish clowness
Pepa Plana of Cirque du
Soleil fame in February
2014. Tickets EUR 30/25/15
www.espoonteatteri.fi
n The 100th anniversary
of Tove Jansson’s birth
is being celebrated
in March 2014. The
programme includes the
play Sommarboken and
the performance Den
avslöjande tröstaren by
Birgitta Ulfsson. Tickets
EUR 15–30.
www.espoonteatteri.fi
A city of performances
A very European, modern and
competent theatre that offers
both Finnish and international performances,” says Joachim
Thibblin about the Espoo City
Theatre.
“It beautifully complements
the field of theatre in Finland.”
Thibblin will start to work as
the new artistic director of the
Espoo City Theatre at the beginning of 2014. According to him,
the theatre offers a diverse range
of opportunities: it lives in the
moment and is able to respond
rapidly because of its light organisational structure.
The new artistic director
is confident about the future
and considers his job to be an
honour. In addition to strengthening international cooperation, Thibblin wants to focus on
local elements. Economy of Images 2 – A Mission in Espoo by
Juha Jokela is a prime example
of telling stories about Espoo to
local residents.
the secret of a good play is simple: the
performance must make an
impact on the audience and provoke discussion.
“The audience determines
what is good and what is not
According to Thibblin,
good. When watching a play, I
want to feel something. A performance must be thought-provoking.”
Thibblin says that a theatre
has a duty to offer relevant and
meaningful performances. He is
not worried about ticket sales:
theatre is one of the few forms of
art that is able to offer profound
insights into topical issues. It is
a powerful art of moments that
attracts interest.
“I definitely encourage people
to come to our theatre. It’s like a
sweet shop, offering something
to please everyone.” n mikaela katro
From 30/10. A Thousand Stories about Espoo. New permanent exhibition at Espoo City
Museum. Stories from the history of Espoo – about a prehistoric village of seal hunters
in Bosmalm, smuggling routes
in Kauklahti and much more.
Espoo City Museum, WeeGee.
FRI 15/11 at 9.15 a.m. (in Swedish) and 10.30 a.m. (in Finnish) and SAT 16/11. Children’s
Saturday at 1 p.m. (in Swedish)
and 3 p.m. (in Finnish). Music
from Moomin Valley! Ages 3 to
7. 40 min. Tickets: EUR 6 (Friday). Bookings: sellosali@
espoo.fi or tel. (09) 8165 7912,
Tue–Fri from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets to Children’s Saturday:
from EUR 14, Lippupiste.
EUR 15 on the door.
FRI 15/11 “Isola d’Elba”, 10 a.m.
to 11.30 a.m. A lecture in Italian,
free admission. Veronica Nurra,
M.A., Tapiola, Itätuulenkuja 8 A,
4th floor. Espoo Adult Education Centre.
FRI 15/11 at 7 p.m. Season’s
Best 2013, Finnish National Ballet, classical ballet and modern
dance. For the entire family.
1 h 30 min, intermission. Tickets
from EUR 21.50/17.50/11.50, Lippupiste, and EUR 19/15/10, Finnish National Opera, box office.
www.ooppera.fi. Louhi Hall.
SAT 16/11. at 7 p.m. 10th anniversary concert of Chamber
Choir Murtosointu. A rich repertoire of music from Palestrina to modern Finnish music.
Tickets: EUR 15/10, from members of the choir and on the
door for an hour before the
event. Cloakroom fee: EUR 2.
Sello Hall.
MON 18/11, TUE 19/11, FRI
22/11, MON 25/11, TUE 26/11
and WED 27/11 at 7 p.m.
Nothing But A Heartache. A
cabaret about health care in
Finland. Tickets EUR 30/25/15,
Espoo City Theatre, box office,
tel. (09) 4393 388, or from EUR
32.50/27.50/17.50, Lippupiste.
Louhi Hall.
TUE 19/11 at 10 a.m. Theatre
Taimine: True Love Sucks.
A play for young people in Finnish and Swedish that does not
evade difficult issues, such as
alcohol and stupid parents. For
upper comprehensive school
students. 40 min. Free admission. Bookings: sellosali@
espoo.fi or tel. (09) 8165 7912,
Tue–Fri from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sello Hall.
» espoo.fi
A city at your service
Energy for everyday life!
Energy for Everyday Life groups are intended for those
suffering from chronic illnesses, such as asthma, depression or rheumatism. The groups offer support in dealing with symptoms, pain
and emotions. They also help with diet, exercise and everyday life
management, among other issues. The groups meet at public healthcare centres once a week, for a total of six times. Participation is free
of charge. Registration:
ritva.mahnala@ejy.fi or tel. 050 410 2555.
Seasonal flu shots
At public health-care centres from 18 to 29 November and from
16 to 20 December. No appointment required.
• Kalajärvi, Kilo and Matinkylä: Mon–Fri from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Espoonlahti, Kivenlahti, Leppävaara, Puolarmetsä,
Samaria, Tapiola and Viherlaakso: Mon, Wed, Thu and Fri from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tue from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Customers of the Your Doctor at Espoontori health-care centre will
be vaccinated at Samaria at the times announced above.
Maternity and child-care clinic customers will be vaccinated
in conjunction with their regular checks between November 2013 and
January 2014. Vaccinations will also be given at open maternity and
child-care clinics. Students will be vaccinated by school health-care
staff. Customers of home help services will be vaccinated in conjunction with home calls. Nursing home residents will be vaccinated at
their nursing homes.
Free flu shots are available for pregnant women, infants aged
between 6 and 35 months, people aged 65 or over, people in medical
risk groups due to their medical condition, immediate family members of those susceptible to severe influenza and those starting their
military or voluntary military service as well as social and healthcare professionals. Others may request a vaccination prescription at
a health-care centre and buy the vaccination at a pharmacy. More
information: espoo.fi > In English > Seasonal influenza vaccinations
2013–2014
Skating from mid-November
After mid-November, three artificial ice rinks will be opened in
Espoo. The Central Espoo rink will be opened around mid-November.
The artificial ice rink in the Tapiola Central Basin will be completed
by 15 November. Its opening will be celebrated on 3 December. A
café will be opened in conjunction with the rink, and skates will be
available for hire. In addition, a mobile artificial ice rink has been
acquired for the Leppävaara sports park and will be opened in late
November.