Keilaniemi – high tech and business hub

The metro service has made Keilaniemi easy to reach.  The metro started operating in Espoo in 2017. One of the metro stations is located in Keilaniemi, which has contributed to the area’s rapid development.

The transport connections in Keilaniemi improved even further in October 2023 when the light rail line 15 started operating. The last light rail stop in Espoo is located in Keilaniemi, right next to the metro station. The other final stop of line 15 is in Itäkeskus, Helsinki.

The light rail line connects Keilaniemi, Otaniemi and Leppävaara – the most significant high-tech employment areas in Espoo.  The light rail line 15 also connects the metro line and the train tracks at Leppävaara, which is Espoo’s main railway station, forming a unified transport system.

Keilaniemi and Otaniemi growing towards each other, and they are only one metro stop or a few minutes’ walk apart. The area forms a unique innovation cluster and a world-class collaboration hub.

The Aalto University’s main campus is situated in Otaniemi as well as A Grid Centre, which houses the Aalto Startup Center, and some 140 companies and communities – such as the business incubator of the European Space Agency ESA and the UN Global Pulse Finland, which addresses sustainable development challenges.

• Kone
• Neste
• Valmet
• Rovio
• Microsoft
• Tieto
• Fortum
• Fiskars 

The metro and the light rail line have brought about major changes in Keilaniemi. There are plans for a central parking facility near the metro station and the final tram stop, which would significantly improve the efficiency of land use. In the first phase, the parking facility would be built in the metro block. Residential buildings could be built on top of the four-level parking facility in stages. The parking facility to be built in the metro block would not prevent the construction of the underground Keilaniemi District Parking Facility when the need for parking spaces so requires.

Keilaniemi is known for its office complexes and the headquarters of major companies, but the area will also have residential houses. The construction of the first apartment building by the sea is already under way, and the building will be completed by the end of 2026.  YIT will build two apartment buildings in Keilaniemenranta.

There are also plans for residential construction in the metro station block.

The new developments in Keilaniemi and the tunnel at Ring Road I link Keilaniemi with Otaniemi and Tapiola. A pleasant park area has been built over the tunnel. The Tapiola–Keilaniemi–Otaniemi area is significant to the whole of Finland, and it has excellent potential for attracting both investment and new businesses to Espoo.

The Keilaniemi business district will be expanded with new office, hotel and residential buildings. Two residential towers are being planned in Keilaniemenranta.

Keilaniemi square has two glass pavilions with comprehensive services.

Furthermore, Norwegian AB Invest AS is planning an extensive hotel and congress centre project and office facilities on the shore near the Keilaniemi metro station and the final stop of the light rail line. The project will be almost entirely built on filled land over the sea.

Skanska CDF also has an office project in progress in Keilaniemi (Keilaranta 3).

eQ Asset Management Ltd is planning two residential buildings and an office building in the area (Keilaranta 5–7).

A large office tower is being planned as a new landmark for the Keilaniemenranta coastline. The lower floors of the tower would serve as congress, restaurant and cafeteria premises, offering a view over the Waterfront Walkway.

SRV is planning the Gemini office project in Keilaniemi. It will be located on a waterfront plot on Keilalahdentie.

The construction of the wooden office building, Keilaniemen Portti, along Keilalahdentie highlights solutions that support sustainable development. It is the flagship project of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company. The building is under construction and it will be completed in 2026.

Traffic arrangements will improve after the ramps leading directly from Keilaniemi to Länsiväylä are built. Currently, you cannot drive from the southern part of Keilaniemi to Ring Road I and then directly to Länsiväylä. Instead, drivers must drive north on Keilaniementie and join Ring Road I via the Otasolmu roundabout.

Although Keilaniemi has formed a public transport hub thanks to the metro and light rail line, ramps are needed. The construction of Keilaniemi also means more vehicle traffic.

The Keilaniemenranta waterfront will be developed to make it more suitable for recreational use.

The Laguuni water sports centre is already operating in Keilaniemi. A wellness centre, similar to Allas Pool in Katajanokka, Helsinki, is also being planned in Keilaniemenranta. The centre will include pools, meeting rooms, a café and a restaurant.