Lahden Poukama

Competition proposal Lahden Poukama placed third in the Lahti Niemi lakefront area development competition in 2022. The objective of the competition was to transform an industrial area into a new, attractive urban residential area and green zone on the Lake Vesijärvi lakefront. The competition area is located approximately 2.5 km from the Lahti city centre, within reach of good public transportation connections and a walking-cycling network as well as the city’s higher education hub.

In the proposal, the Lake Vesijärvi lakefront area will be made into a public park, which will form an uninterrupted ecological corridor. The residential buildings will be stepped down from Niemenkatu toward the lake. Residential buildings dovetail subtly with common spaces and lakefront saunas, blending into the public park.

The area is part of a new built-up belt that starts from the Sibelius Building. This urban space is a synthesis of Ruoriniemi’s continuous wall of buildings and the more patchwork arrangement of tower blocks in Ankkuri. The closed courtyard areas in large quarters shelters the living areas from Niemenkatu. At the same time, the area affords sunset views of Lake Vesijärvi between the tower blocks With variations on a few basic models, the residence design offers affordable and versatile housing solutions.

“Silo Plaza” (Siiloaukio), a transportation and commercial hub, will occupy the site of a demolished concrete silo. The plaza is bookended by two 12-storey tower blocks, which carry on the silo’s task as landmarks. The height of other buildings in the area range from 2 to 8 storeys. The existing building stock in the area has been condemned, but the small structural elements that will be preserved and the façade materials to be used on the tower blocks will hearken the area’s past.

Large quarters and centralised parking facilities allow for extensive, lush yard areas. Area runoff will be managed with rainwater drains and channels. The different types of green zones in the area will promote biodiversity and the special value of the area. In addition, sustainable development is evident in the building materials used, the area’s own energy production, and an environment that promotes circular economy and communality.