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Part 2.
Otaniemi and
2.1 The Otaniemi Campus
setting: Urban
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Aalto University
Otaniemi is part of the T3 area, which stands for tiede, taide, talous, meaning
science, arts and economics. These terms respectively refer to the Otaniemi, Tapiola
and Keilaniemi districts in Espoo. The city of Espoo is developing these areas as
one, and aims to create an “innovation city”. It is destined to become the second
city center of the HMA. At present, an extension of the current metro line is being
constructed, which will place the T3 area within ten minutes travel from the center
of Helsinki. Aalto University will play an important role in the development, as it is
marketed to be the world’s first innovation university (Tyry-Salo 2012).
The Aalto University campus in Otaniemi is the largest campus of the University,
offering over 14,000 study places, and about 4,000 jobs and professorships
(Lohi, Lind 2013, Aalto-www 2013b). They are divided over the four schools
of technology, being the School of Engineering (ENG), the School of Chemical
Technology (CHEM), the School of Electrical Engineering (ELEC), and the School
of Science (SCI). In addition, the Department of Architecture, part of the School of
Arts, Design and Architecture is located in Otaniemi. These are currently situated in
the numerous campus buildings, with a total amount of 288,000 sqm (Kankaala,
Viinamäki 2013, interview March 7th), including the 11,000 sqm of vacant space
as stated by Leinonen (2013b). With the development of a new campus building,
consisting of approximately 50.000 sqm for accommodating the School of Arts,
Design and Architecture (Campus2015 Competition Programme 2012), together
the total number of students is expected to increase to about 17,000 (Aalto-www
2013b).
Img 9-10: T3 Area in Espoo, consisting of Otaniemi,
Keilaniemi and Tapiola
The urban environment and setting in which
the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University
is situated has a large impact on the
atmosphere. The park-like surroundings
make the campus feel remote from
the busy city life of close by Helsinki.
Looking at the T3 area, and Otaniemi in
particular, it presently is a rather quiet
place. The campus is no exception to this.
There is not much action going on, only
an occasional student walking from one
building to another. With an enabling
culture in place the area has the potential of
being a thriving and exciting place to be. In
only a few years’ time the metro will improve
the connection with Helsinki, and with the
addition of the art and design students,
the area will change its appearance and
atmosphere. The current technology monoculture
in Otaniemi, the purely housing
oriented Tapiola, and the business area
of Keilaniemi will be diversified, and
the already ongoing mixing of fields will
continue. The campus, office park and
surrounding dwelling area have the potential
to become an attractive place to organize
events, roam around and meet people.
What possibilities there are for activating the
surroundings more, how the accessibility is at
present and how it can be improved through
different methods of wayfinding has been
elaborated in the following subchapters.
2.1.1 Activating the
urban environment in
Otaniemi
Looking into what is needed at the
beginning of such a process, Pulkkinen
(2013b, interview February 4th) explains
that it is essential that there are people
in need of space. This to ensure there is
already some action going on. Secondly
the kind of spaces that are available come
into the picture. There is an overload
of space available, though the special
character of the space is what distinguishes
one from the other: what makes one
area transform into a bubbling creative
district, and another to become derelict.
Furthermore, there needs to be a culture
of ‘making possible’, or allowing, making
people feel free to use the space. Then
the information about the possibilities and
activities taking place there needs to be
communicated. Another essential ingredient
is a café. It is a place where people meet
and come together. These types of spaces
are so called ‘third-spaces’. They are spaces
other than home or your usual workplace.
Florida (2002) describes them as (semi-)
public spaces for informal meetings. They
form a welcome change in our everyday
life. Whyte (1988) explicitly states the
need for food in activating an urban
environment, which can be accommodated
in these cafés. At present there are
mainly student restaurants, of which the
majority serves food only during lunchtime.
Lastly, events can be organized to activate
the space (Pulkkinen 2013b, interview
February 4th). And for such activities there
is plenty of space on the Otaniemi campus.
When all these elements are in place,
there is a good base to develop the area
from the grassroots, and make the place
attractive to the wider Aalto community.
Something that is not lacking in Otaniemi,
and which could be used as an asset
much more than is currently done, is the
green space. The park-like environment in
which the campus buildings are situated
is supplying plenty of natural elements.
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