Public urban space - an unprotected area?
Vilhelm Helander, Professor, Helsinki University of Technology
During 150 years, Helsinki had slowly been remodeled from a small mainly wooden town to a homogenuous /-
continental/- stone city. The years of rapid economical change between the late 1950´s and the mid 70´s, however
meant a heavy change in the urban structure and townscape of central Helsinki. Until these years, Finland had still
been a country dominated by agriculture. But suddenly the movement of people and concentration of economical
power meant a heavy pressure both on the expanding surroundings and the old center of Helsinki the capital. Only
during the 60´s, almost half of all late 19th century stone buildings in the city center were torn down. Even a
substantial number of Art Nouveau houses were replaced by new buildings. Without doubt, new architectural values
were achieved. Let us only mention the series of buildings Alvar Aalto created in central Helsinki, always in his own
way paying attention to the existing urban context. In numerous cases, however, there was no ! consideration of the
traditional townscape. Most new buildings were pulled back from the street alignment, causing wounds in the urban
spaces, difficult to repair. How to deal with this paradoxical heritage, is one of the main themes of our discussions in
this meeting. But not only the houses were changed.
The public urban spaces themselves underwent a tremendous
change. Motor traffic and especially the private car park grew, late but with a sudden effect. The traditional,
homogenuous streetscape was split up. The straight and clear lines of the typical streets were often replaced by a
geometry, derivated from motorfreeways - even in the very core of the city. The traditional urban parks , so typical
of Helsinki, were sliced up by the increasing motor lanes. Even small Helsinki experienced the erosion of traffic,
once so dramatically analysed in the big American cities by Jane Jacobs. A counter reaction was necessary and
evident. Since the early 70´s, we in Helsinki experienced a series of victories of the building preservationists, with
support from the energy crisis. With the new economic boom in the late 80´ s and early 90´s, the years of Finnish
Casino economy, few facades were pulled down any more. Instead, the changes behind the facades were striking
enough. The old backyards, areas of special cultural value in this lately urbanised country, began to disappear in the
centre, replaced by commercial galleries. Life was pushed from the public urban spaces to the private spheres inside
the blocks. Even in Helsinki, the living urban structure has in many places been replaced by facadism. Parallelly
with these phenomenons, there has been a strong movement of urban revitalisation: Conscious attempts have been
made to reconquer the lost public urban spaces for its users, the citizens. This movement started already in the late
70´s. In many parts of central Helsinki, a better balance between car traffic and pedestrian areas has been achieved.
For instance, the main public artery, the Northern Esplanade has got back its broad sidewalks. During the summer,
outdoor cafés flourish as never before. Some side effects have, however to be noticed. In fact, the public urban
spaces are today the parts of the city which are undergoing the most visible and even striking alterations. Instead of
giving back the harmonious streetscapes, the clear and somewhat austere image of the typical Helsinki streets,
completely new elements have crowded the reconquered spaces: new colourful concrete plates, new lighting
equipment, flagpoles, advertisement stands, banners... Much of this is intended to be positive, to create a cosy
atmosphere. The result often means a kind of townscape litter. As if the citizen would fear to meet the naked beauty
of the houses and the street itself? These phenomenons - which reached an unparallelled crescendo during last year´s
activities to taylor Helsinki to be one of the European cultural capitals - mean a new challenge to urban
conservation. It is strange to notice that while private buildings today are protected by even most detailed rules, the
public urban scene, common everyday property of all citizens, can almost overnight and drastically be changed by
practically any municipal administration or works. A certain stability and continuity, a kind of proper but
anonymous common standard, are trademarks of urban culture. A city or a part of it may have its own characteristic
elements of street furniture, mostly as a part of the municipal technical equipment. These give identity to the
townscape. Helsinki has its own typical traditional elements: the granite and square dressed pavements, the asphalt
sidewalks, the typical hanging street lamps. All of these elements are, naturally, not very old. But they have got an
almost self-evident role in the townscape. This is also the problem of today: the city officials want to give testimony
that they really are able to carry through most visible changes. (Almost) every small square gets its own special
furniture, every street corner gets its own, specially designed lighting system. At the same time, the tradition gets
lost. Look at the lampposts of Senate Square, the Esplanade, the Mannerheimintie... Vilhelm Helander is Professor
of History of Architecture at the Department of Architecture, Helsinki University of Technology. He graduated in
HUT in 1967. Besides his professorship, he has worked as a private architect, mainly involved in restoration projects
and questions of urban renewal. Since 1078, he has a joint office in Helsinki together with Juha Leiviskä, architect
and member of the Academy of Finland.
