Mayor Juhana Vartiainen expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative and stated: “We must boldly develop our city center and its prospects for success. A cozy and flourishing city center will continue to be Helsinki’s strength and central attraction. I am proud of this competition, which combines the culture of experimenting with creativity and encourages students to envision the future without limitations. The city plays a facilitating role .”
The focus area of the competition covers the core of the center of Helsinki, with particular emphasis on the area located within a kilometer radius from the main train station. However, the boundaries are not rigid, so participants can propose ideas that extend beyond this demarcation. The competition area includes the central blocks of the city center between the train station and Esplanadi park, Senatintori and its surroundings, Kaisaniemi, Kamppi and the Töölönlahti area.
The student competition officially started on September 13, 2023, and proposals must be received by January 16, 2024 at the latest. Participants are encouraged to approach the core of the city center with an open mind and present creative solutions to its central challenges. The bold approach and willingness to promote dialogue is very encouraging.
Eligible to participate are university students in either bachelor’s or master’s programs, as well as students at universities of applied sciences. The sending team can consist of one student or a group of several students with no predefined group size restrictions. Participants are encouraged to form diverse groups that cross academic disciplines and institutional boundaries.
The primary goal of the competition is to analyze the vitality and attractiveness of the center of Helsinki and propose measures to increase the number of visitors and time spent in the area.
In the competition, the most promising ideas will be awarded a total of 25,000 euros. The prize for first place is 15,000 euros, for second place 6,000 euros and for third place 4,000 euros.
Juhana Vartiainen, mayor of Helsinki, is the chairman of the competition jury. This diverse group of experts evaluates the proposals and selects the winning proposals that best promote the renewal of the heart of Helsinki.
HT
Source: The Nordic Page