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Kartanonkoski
One of the most significant new residential construction projects in the Helsinki metropolitan region is the residential neighborhood of Kartanonkoski. Located in the fast-growing nucleus of Vantaa Airport City, between the Vantaa River basin and nearby recreation areas, Kartanonkoski is a quickly growing urban area.
A classic concept
The Kartanonkoski project began in 1998, when the City of Vantaa held a contest for the planning of a “garden village”. This concept is taken from British city planners of the 1890 s, who suggested that buildings should not be square or rectangular, but shaped instead like half-moons, or curves. They also maintained that residential areas should be lined with green areas, and plenty of trees.
The winner of the contest was the Swedish firm, Djurgårdstadens Arkitekter. The urban structure they proposed for Kartanonkoski closely follows this concept. The neighborhoods consist of blocks of flats, townhouses and detached houses, with colorful facades, arranged along curving streets. And throughout this “green neighborhood” are protected gardens and parks, day care centers, schools and playgrounds. Another unique aspect that gives the area a distinctly new appearance is the location of parking spaces, in the immediate vicinity of buildings.
The finishing touches
Construction started in 2000 and the first inhabitants moved to their new homes in the autumn of 2001. Today four houses containing 215 apartments have been completed, while six are still under construction. And by 2010, Skanska will have completed a total of more than 45,000 floor square meters of living space.
But residential construction is not all Skanska is providing for the Vantaa community. In 2002, Skanska completed the construction of the Vantaa Point International School—a building that also houses a library and a day care center. |
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| Project name:
Kartanonkoski |  | Type of project:
Apartments, townhouses and detached houses | | Location:
Vantaa, Finland | | Number of homes:
3,000 | | Construction period:
2001 - 2010 | |
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