Maanlumo Wins The International Ideas Competition for Lentoasemanpuisto in Malmi

Landscape architecture office Maanlumo Ltd. has won the 1. prize in the international ideas competition for the design of Lentoasemanpuisto park on the site of the former Malmi Airport in Helsinki with the proposal ´Crossing Horizons´. The proposal was done in collaboration with Architecture Studio Collaboratorio Ltd. The competition was organized by the city of Helsinki and the submission was in November 2020. A total of 34 entries were submitted from 13 different countries, presenting alternative ideas and approaches to planning Lentoasemanpuisto.

In the proposal of Maanlumo the new park is seen as a process where residents and multiple animal and plant species live side by side, while preserving fractures of rich cultural history. Different biotopes are created on versatile green areas to support the surrounding ecological networks. The existing forests are preserved as much as possible and the new different grass land biotopes of the park support the spatial idea of preserving the long views and open space of the former airport. The park activities and structures are focused on the historical skeleton of the existing four runways and the old terminal and hangar create a new active cultural hub. The park consists of four different kinds of parts: ‘the Area of Pastures’ next to Fallkulla estate, ‘the Archeologic Crossing Point’ where the runways cross in the central part of the Lentoasemanpuisto, the ‘Area of Open Urban Fields’ with the storm water stream ´Pekki´ in front of the airport buildings and ‘the Forest Corridor’ which connects the park to eastern green structure of Helsinki.

The jury praised the winning entry for being successfully linked to its more extensive environment. The proposal shares interesting commentary on its surroundings while leaning on various natural elements. The proposal includes conclusive plans for both protecting the existing natural values and adding new ones. It links to the area’s special cultural history characteristics by maintaining the runway lines as visible surfaces in the park and keeping the openness of the field in front of the terminal and hangar. The winning entry proposes the building of a statuesque gate and pedestrian bridge at the runaway intersection, from where people will be able to view the open meadow landscape.

Link to the proposal

https://www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kaupunkiymparisto/asuminen-ja-ymparisto/kaavoitus/suunnittelukilpailut/lentoasemanpuisto/crossing-horizons/crossing-horizons_presentation-boards.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0rLwU5Fl4NAioIK3kprv44jzV6YJR_42AV-qOvsI_25DzmQ_QJD_DXRww

Authors:

Landscape Architecture office Maanlumo Ltd:

Elsi Lehto, Landscape architect MARK

Teresa Rönkä, Landscape architect MARK

Krista Muurinen, Landscape architect MARK

Reeta Pellinen, Landscape architect MARK

Annalinda Paakkolanvaara, Landscape architect MARK

Anniina Norpila, Landscape architecture student

Rolf Autio, Landscape architecture student

Liisa Dahlqvist, Horticulturist, technical assistant