Puotilanranta island competition

The City of Helsinki is looking for a partner for the development and implementation of an island for Puotilanranta. A new distinctive and green seaside neighbourhood for approximately 2,700 residents is being planned in the area of the current Puotila marina, close to the services of Itäkeskus. One of the districts of the area will take the form of an island, the design and implementation of which will be chosen in this competition.

The time for submitting the competition proposals has finished on February 16th 2024 at 12.00.
Ilmakuvassa metsää, merenlahti ja Puotilanrannan venesatama.

The Urban Environment Committee has approved the launch of the Puotilanranta island competition on June 13th 2023. A video record of the competition brief and the updated competition materials have been published on the project page in Finnish on June 21st 2023. Competitors must submit their proposals no later than 15 February 2024.

A seaside location in Vartiokylänlahti

The competition aims to find an island solution that is high-quality in terms of urban space, architecture and landscape, as well as an organiser for the solution. The goal is to create an innovative, high-quality and attractive island that is mainly residential and suits the surrounding landscape. Approximately 35,000 m² of residential building rights and at least 700 m² of commercial space is planned for the block.  

We hope that the competition will encourage developers to present proposals of exceptionally high quality to increase the attractiveness of East Helsinki. The starting points for the competition are unique: a residential project surrounded by the sea on all sides. The island has a central location in the cityscape of Vartiokylänlahti, and it will be visible both from the Vuosaari bridge and from the direction of the new Puotilanranta waterfront park.

The island will be connected to Puotilanranta by bridges

Currently, there is mainly water and marina docks in the planning area of the competition. The city will preconstruct the mainland side of Puotilanranta with fillings. The competitor, on the other hand, is responsible for the implementation of the island, starting from its preconstruction. The competitor can freely choose the manner of the island's preconstruction.  

The island can be implemented either partly or fully as a landfill, or as a structure built over the sea, or directly as a raft floating in the water. The island will be connected to the mainland of Puotilanranta by two bridges, the design of which is part of the competition task.

Careful consideration of how the new built environment fits into Puotilanranta's future cityscape and the green seaside landscape of Vartiokylänlahti is important for the competition.

Conceptual drawing of Puotilanranta residental area. The area for the new island is marked with a red line.
Conceptual drawing of Puotilanranta residental area. The area for the new island is marked with a red line.

Progress of the competition

The island competition is related to the Puotilanranta city plan that is under preparation. The city will continue planning the island quarter with the winner of the competition in the form of collaborative planning. The winner of the competition undertakes to finance and build the island. The planning area will be reserved for the winner of the island competition for approximately two years.

The time for submitting the competition proposals has finished on February 16th 2024 at 12.00

  • A video record of the opening seminar will be published on this page on June 21st 2023. There will not be any virtual or physical seminar.
  • Competition proposals must be submitted for evaluation no later than at 12.00 on 15 February 2024 (the time for submitting the competition proposals was extended). Proposals will be made available to the public.
  • One or two competition proposals that best meet the evaluation criteria will be selected for further negotiations. The negotiations are expected to take place in February–March 2024, and their purpose is to specify the framework conditions for the implementation of the competition proposal, among other things.
  • The Urban Environment Committee decides on the reservation of the competition area. Reserving the competition area for the party that drafted the best competition proposal will be proposed to the Committee approximately in spring 2024. After the reservation decision, an implementation agreement and a preliminary agreement on the handover of the area will be signed with the winner of the competition.

Contact information

Name
Olga Airaksinen

Title
architect, city planning

Name
Mia Kajan

Title
specialist, Land Property Development and Plots