ESPOON KESKUS

ESPOON KESKUS
Relaxed sustainable living
Espoo Centre
Building
a future
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Vanha-Espoo (Old Espoo) is Espoo’s western gateway
to the Helsinki metropolitan area. Espoon keskus bub-
Espoo Centre is a future growth
pole known for its cultural landscape and youthful urban environment. Espoo’s evolving heart has
good train and other transport
connections. It is also the administrative centre of Espoo. At the Administrative Centre, all city services
are within walking distance.
bles with everyday life and boasts a broad spectrum of
cultures. Espoon keskus is part of the multifaceted and
unique greater Vanha-Espoo area which comprises a compact urban centre, historic cultural landscapes, village
communities and numerous green spaces. The centre of
Espoo continues to evolve, offering residents a green living
environment full off culture and events.
Espoon keskus is a historic, spiritual and administrative
centre that continues to grow and is being systematically
developed. Espoon keskus has good commercial services
and public transport connections. The services and transport links will continue to improve in the coming years. The
goal of urban planning is to create a healthy and sustainable community with all the necessary services within easy
reach. Espoon keskus is also a seedbed for education and
service innovation and is globally known for its development programmes. The area is full of new, as of yet unrealised, possibilities.
Close to nature – with a taste of life
The strong history of the area is still present around the
old cathedral. The area’s modern development was set in
motion with an architectural competition in 1968. These
days, Vanha-Espoo provides housing alternatives for all
and a great selection of local services.
In Vanha-Espoo, nature and outdoor recreation areas are
an integral part of the locality. The landscape is rugged and
varied. The Espoonjoki river runs through a valley of great
scenic, cultural and historical interest.
The region has a youthful and relaxed atmosphere with a
taste of life. It is developed in co-operation with residents
and various stakeholders. The district’s original character
is based on the combination of preserving the old and sustainably developing the new.
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Espoo Centre:
All services within
Espoon keskus – an urban neighbourhood
Services nearby
The Administrative Centre and its surroundings near the
In Espoon keskus, administrative and commercial servic-
bus and train station will be made more resident-friendly.
es are within walking distance of Espoo station. Transport
For instance, an activity plaza is planned next to the City
connections to the services are good.
Hall. The plaza can be used as a venue for shows, performances and winter sports. When planning the area, the
The future transit centre will bring together bus and train
focus is on making it a nice place to live. The number of
transport and form a convenient whole that will make the
residents in the area will also increase.
busy Espoo Centre train and bus station easier to use. The
station and the surrounding area are evolving. An environ-
The Administrative Centre is the heart of Espoo’s local
mental art competition has made the Espoonsilta pedestri-
government. It houses various offices of the city and mu-
an skywalk cosy and full of light.
nicipal administration. The aim of public administration is
to be transparent, inspiring and able to take initiative. In
The centre of Espoo also has social and healthcare servic-
the coming years, the Administrative Centre will be given
es. The health centre provides everyday healthcare servic-
a new look and made more functional. The changes will
es. The Jorvi hospital is located on the outskirts of Espoon
make it a lively 24-hour meeting point. In the near future,
keskus. A new emergency health centre and the new Espoo
moving at ground level will increasingly replace the 1970s
hospital will be built in the hospital area. Public transport
concrete bridges in Espoon keskus.
connections to the hospitals will be improved.
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n reach
Better commercial services
the next decade, transport connections in the area will improve. The plans include widening the Turunväylä motor-
The Entresse shopping centre houses over 40 special
way, and improving Nupurintie and Ring III to the west of
shops, a library and the City Archives. During this decade,
Espoo Centre. The main streets, pedestrian walkways and
commercial services will continue to improve. Entresse
bicycle lanes in Espoo Centre will be repaired. In the future,
will double in size, and it will be joined with the Espoontori
the Lohja-Salo railway will pass through the centre Espoo
shopping centre.
and the Hista area. Espoon keskus will become a transport
hub and Espoo residents’ living room.
The Lommila shopping centre and the Nimismiehenpelto
area flanking the Turunväylä motorway junction will be simultaneously developed. In the future, Lommila will become
an area of retail services that require a lot of space, such as
furniture and hardware shops. New grocery shops will also
open in Lommila. The streets Kirkkokatu and Espoonportti will form a part of a parkway that unites Espoo Centre
with the future Lommila shopping and employment area.
A district with ideal public transport
In Espoon keskus, life is based on public transport. Over
Environmentally friendly waste
management
Espoon keskus is Espoo’s test bed for sustainable solutions. Reducing and recycling waste enhances the living
environment. A new waste water treatment plant will be
built in Blominmäki by the end of the decade. The Ämmässuo waste treatment plant is the largest in the Nordic
countries, and its 190-hectare area also includes a biowaste composting facility and a recycling station.
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Enjoying the outdoors
be opened in 2013 in Nuuksio, near the Solvalla sports institute. Haltia is Finland’s first public building built entirely
Vanha-Espoo is ideal for those enjoying the outdoors. The
of wood. The nature centre uses solar and geothermal en-
Espoonjoki river valley will be developed as a city park that
ergy, and its design was inspired by the Kalevala world of
offers visitors historic landscapes, lovely trails and com-
stories and myth. In the design, man meets nature peace-
fortable rest areas. A continuous chain of greenways fol-
fully and harmoniously.
lows the river. The city park also includes the Keski-Espoo
sports centre. It has football fields and an indoor football
The Solvalla sports centre in Nuuksio offers a wide range
centre with maintenance facilities and changing rooms.
of sports, hiking and recreational activities. The wilderness
A skateboard park, basketball court, running tracks and
and lakes in Nuuksio are an attractive environment for hik-
other smaller sports facilities are also planned.
ing and camping. The forests are good for picking fresh
berries and mushrooms.
The vast forests of Nuuksio will remain available to campers, tourists and Espoo residents. At the Nuuksio national
The Oittaa manor has ski tracks and hiking trails. There is
park, the services provided at the gates will be improved
also a beach and a campsite nearby. The Karhusuo area
and the network of roads and trails repaired. Haltia, an
near Oittaa has varied terrain for horse riding.
event and exhibition centre showcasing Finnish nature, will
Inno-Omnia is a multi-sectoral learning centre for
handicraft artists, service sector companies, students and coaches.
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The Lake Bodomjärvi area has an excellent network of ski
ers and entrepreneurs of the area. The campus restaurant
tracks and hiking trails. In the lovely environment of the
Henricus uses organic and local produce.
Lake and next door to the Kaisankoti manor spa, the Espoo
Automobile Museum is an interesting place to visit. Golf
Omnia also serves the residents. At the Iso Omena shop-
enthusiasts will also find good golf courses in the area.
ping centre, people from the Helsinki metropolitan area
can enjoy the cosmetology services of Oppivat Kädet
The new swimming centre at Kuninkaantie school has as
(“Learning hands”), and at the Espoo Centre campus they
many visitors each year as Espoo has residents.
can use the services of the Omnia Hyvinvointikeidas (“Oasis of wellness"), Tietopalvelukeskus ("Information service
Learning new skills
centre") and Omnia Shop.
Espoon keskus is an education hub. Educational institu-
Culture and crafts
tions and students are an active part of the townscape.
In addition to Finnish and Swedish comprehensive schools
The Entresse library serves its customers in several lan-
and a general upper secondary school, the centre of Espoo
guages. In Vanha-Espoo, culture stems from the residents
has educational institutions focusing on the service indus-
and their own activities. The underground Kannusilta mul-
try, healthcare and social services, and the business sec-
tipurpose centre is home to various cultural and sports ac-
tor. The new Kirkkojärvi school and the Kuninkaantie upper
tivities. The centre hosts movie screenings, theatre perfor-
secondary school provide modern study environments for
mances, concerts and sports activities. Vanha-Espoo has a
daily school work.
strong local identity and traditions. Located opposite the
church, the Lagstad homestead museum allows visitors to
The Swedish-speaking Lagstad comprehensive school re-
see what school was like in the olden days.
ceived a new annex in 2006. The comprehensive school
network of Vanha-Espoo serves the area’s families with chil-
Further down the river valley, old building complexes paint-
dren. Day nurseries with a special emphasis on nature and
ed with red ochre have been preserved. The 18th century
the environment teach children to value nature early on.
Bemböle Coffeehouse is part of an old farmstead in the
age-old historic village. The building, which once was an
Omnia provides multi-sectoral vocational training and has
inn, is now a popular rest stop where visitors can enjoy a
an extensive network of contacts in Finland and abroad.
cup of coffee and the atmosphere of times past.
Omnia has some 10,000 students, and the majority of
them study in Espoo Centre. The Omnia Joint Authority
also includes Omnia workshops, Omnia apprenticeship
training and Inno-Omnia.
The Glims farmstead museum, an old Espoo farm in the
Karvasmäki village in Bemböle, comprises 11 buildings. The
oldest ones date back to the 18th century. Glims has also
served as an inn and as the residence of the village police
Omnia has units in the centre Espoo at Kirkkokatu, Leh-
chief. Nowadays, the farmstead houses a museum and exhi-
timäki, Kirkkojärvi and Lakela, and also in Leppävaara, Fin-
bition rooms, regularly hosting various performances, such
noo and Kirkkonummi.
as demonstrations of skills and crafts.
The Omnia campus is full of life, and its doors are open to
Environmental art and crafts will become an increasingly
Omnia students and staff as well as the residents, custom-
visible part of Vanha-Espoo.
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New forms of housing
The apartment blocks planned in Kiltakallio are cosy and
designed to form a harmonious whole with the shapes of
New and modern residential buildings, similar to those in
the terrain. They blend in well with the mainly low apart-
city centres, are being built on both sides of the railway
ment blocks built in the 1990s. Near the centre lies the
track. Compact city blocks enable inner-city living in a
Kirkkojärvi area, with apartment blocks generally dating
green environment.
from the 1980s. In 2010, Kirkkojärvi received a new school
building that is renowned for its architecture and layout.
Only a few hundred metres from Espoo railway station,
the construction of the Suviniitty city blocks is already
Renovations and active life in Suvela
underway. Suviniitty is an urban environment with excellent transport connections. The twin tower Tango is an
eye-catching, high-rise residential building constructed
near the railway track. In Suviniitty, the perimeter blocks
have exceptional secluded courtyards. Parking arrangements contribute to the high quality of city life.
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The green district of Suvela was built in the 1970s, in the
middle of a pine forest with a varied terrain. Suvela comprises three apartment block areas – Kirstinharju, Sokinvuori and Jouppi – and an area of single-family houses bordering Espoo’s Central Park. The windows of the high tower
blocks afford panoramic views. The apartment blocks are
in the coming years. Particular focus areas will include
surrounded by verdant nature and ample space for relax-
townscape, pleasantness, safety and mobility. A spacious
ing. Ski tracks and walking trails are just around the corner.
and green environment offers a good setting for daily life.
Suvela offers its residents good local services and bus and
train connections. Both the young and the old enjoy spend-
The Suvela district will undergo major renovations and get
ing time at the residents’ park near the school. Kirstink-
a new look in upcoming years. Suvela is an international
enttä is a good place for practicing football or mastering
and multicultural residential area. Its residents enjoy living
parkour.
there, and the first to arrive have already put down roots.
A new chapel and indoor facilities for the residents' park
will be built in central Suvela near the playground. The services in and around the shopping centre will be improved
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Next door to
a medieval cathe
The cathedral area in the centre Espoo is a gem,
creating a peaceful atmosphere and conveying
a sense of times past.
In the historic cultural landscape, nature is ubiquitous. The
Espoonjoki river valley affords a peaceful view. In the future, rest areas, walkways and bicycle routes will be built
along the river. The surroundings of the Kirkkojärvi lake
will be enhanced.
The medieval grey-stone church by the Espoonjoki river
was completed at the end of the 15th century, which makes
it the oldest building in Espoo. The old village around the
church also includes an idyllic parsonage and an old smoke
sauna by the river. The wooden houses on the Pappilantie
street nowadays full of life with the activities of different
associations. The remnants of the old mailing route, the
King’s Road (or Suuri Rantatie), lie near the church.
On the Kirkkokatu street, the modern central office of Espoo parishes resembles a sturdy church.
The valuable landscape around the old cathedral will be
preserved. All plans of new buildings in and near the river
valley will take account of the special characteristics of the
surrounding area.
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hedral
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Village
living
Green areas of single-family houses surround the centre
Espoo. These areas are developed as their own small villages with schools and basic public services nearby.
In Kaupunginkallio, a new residential area will be built along
the railway tracks, next to a community of single-family houses. The new area will be dominated by apartment
blocks. The aim is to create a high-profile area that is close
to the services in the town centre.
In Muurala, the wide range of housing types is a result of
construction projects from different periods. An area of
single-family houses built after the 1940´s is sprinkled
with newer houses and small terraced houses. Their green
yards create a very pleasant living environment.
Near Espoo's Central Park, the Kuurinniitty area of single-family houses has slowly become more densely built,
and the number of residents in the area is increasing. A direct bus line will be created from Kuurinniitty to Suurpelto.
The development of the Mikkelä area is about to begin.
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Stylish
Tuomarila
The lovely Tuomarila area has undergone major improvements over the past few years. Tuomarila's trump cards
are its great train connections and sports facilities. The
sports park is only a short walk away from home.
Completed in the 2000s, Tuomarila’s charming residential
area Kulovalkea is especially popular among families with
children. The densely built, high-quality housing is located
around the station. The brick walls and plastered facades
have earthy colours. The beautiful surroundings, streets
and parks are well built.
The urban stone buildings of Kuloniitty have lovely verdant surroundings. The densely built semi-detached and
detached single-family houses blend well with the hillside
landscape.
The south side of the railway line is an area characterised
by various types of housing built over the decades. The
apartment blocks built in the 1980s are surrounded by
peaceful communities of detached single-family houses,
terraced houses and older housing.
Tuomarila’s multiform and colourful day care centre has
striking architectural features. The centre won an award
for being a good learning environment in 2010.
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Nuuksio
Noux
Vanha-Espoo nomenclature reflects history
Bodom
Nupuri
Nupurböle
Oittaa
Oitans
Did you know?
Espoonkartano
Esbogård
Kauklahti
Köklax
A large part of the Espoo Centre area belonged to the old
Södrik village. The village centre was by the river where
Espoo cathedral stands. The church is younger than the village: the first people settled in Södrik around the year 1300.
Vanttila
Fantsby
Map ©2012 Antti Honka
Kurttila
Kurtby
Espoo centre
Esbo centrum
Leppävaara
Alberga
Tapiola
Hagalund
Matinkylä
Mattby
Espoonlahti
Esboviken
Today, Södrik is the Swedish name of the Suvela residential
area. Dating back to the period from the 14th century to
the 18th century, the names of houses in the old Södrik
village are still present in modern Espoo.
• The house name Jofs is a source of Jouppi-related names
used in the western part of Suvela, such as Jouppi (Jofs in
Swedish), Joupinlaakso and Joupinmäki.
• In the 18th century, a homestead called Kirsti was moved
to the present-day Kirstinharju, which also has a street
called Kirstintie and an area called Kirstinmäki.
• Tuomarila, or Domsby in Swedish, received its name from
the Doms homestead.
• One of the houses in the village was called Suna, which
is the name used for the residential area built on the outskirts of the old homestead land.
• The name Lagstad is the basis for names with the words
Lakela and Lagstad, such as the street Lakelankatu or the
school Lagstads skola.
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Historic
Hista
The idyllic old Hista manor house is located in western Espoo near the Turunväylä motorway. Comprising rocky forests, valleys, ponds and lakes, the manor grounds are close
to nature.
Planning is underway for developing the Hista area into a
unique district and residential area. Hista’s nature and excellent location near the Helsinki metropolitan area create
good conditions for further planning.
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Facts about Vanha-Espoo
Espoon keskus
Relaxed sustainable living
Population: 37,693 (1 January 2012)
The City of Espoo, City Planning Department
Estimated population in 2020: 42,519
Kirkkojärventie 6 B, PO Box 43
In Espoo, greater Vanha-Espoo has the
02070 City of Espoo
largest immigrant population:
10% of its population are immigrants
(3,773 people at the beginning of 2012).
Nearly a fifth of Espoo’s Swedish-speaking
population lives in Vanha-Espoo.
Tel. 09 81 621
www.espoo.fi
© 2012
Graphic design: Antti Honka
Copywriting: Helena Raulos
Printed at: Wellprint Oy
Vanha-Espoo has the largest share of people speaking
foreign languages: 14.4% in 2012. In Vanha-Espoo, the most
common foreign languages spoken as a mother tongue
are Russian, Estonian, English, Somali and Arabic.
Photographs: Marko Oikarinen
Cover photograph: Marko Oikarinen