What makes a city remarkable? An Urban Planner’s Guide to Hki

Mikko Aho, director of City Planning for Helsinki, and also a member of the jury for the Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition, writes about 7 things that make Helsinki remarkable here.

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[Helsinki, seen from the sea. Photo: courtesy City of Helsinki Media Bank. Photographer: Mika Lappalainen]

Great that people from City Planning are actively engaging and reaching out to the (international) public. Aho’s text celebrates Helsinki’s link with the sea, and the multi-layered character of this city (that is much more rooted in a long and complex history than is often acknowledged). But could more be made of the complex cultural meanings of the waterfront? And would it be possible to engage more actively with such cultural narratives in ongoing planning projects?

See, also, in this respect, my contribution in the Finnish Kritiikin uutiset of 3/2012 concerning plans for the South Harbour development.

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