New residential area to bring blocks of flats, parks and brick-and-mortar businesses to Otaniemi
A new residential area for about 1,100 residents is being planned in Southern Otaniemi. The plan proposal for Betonimies covers an area where people work and study by the metro line, turning it into a diverse urban area with housing, parks and business premises.
The tallest buildings in the plan proposal are 16 storeys high and located closest to Keilaniemi. Towards Otaniemi, the height of the new buildings will be reduced to nine storeys. On the ground floor, there will also be premises for brick-and-mortar businesses. The total permitted building volume is approximately 56,000 floor square metres.
The city aims to connect Otaniemi and Keilaniemi more closely. With its new high-rise buildings, Keilaniemi is becoming an increasingly significant area of high-rise construction.
“The cityscape of the Betonimies area has been designed in such a way that the southern parts look more like Keilaniemi and the northern parts more like Otaniemi. In the previous plans, the buildings differed more from the Otaniemi building style, but we have now made changes based on feedback from the residents,” Toni Saastamoinen, the designer of the area.
At the moment, there are university facilities in the planning area, but the activities have already moved elsewhere. Most of the land is owned by Aalto University.
More parks and smooth traffic
There will be a forested public park in the middle of the new residential area. In addition, there is the elongated Kivikaira park in the northern part of the planning area. A pedestrian and cycling network will run through the park, spanning the entire area. The seaside is also close by, increasing the comfort of the area.
The plan is also intended to safeguard the valuable nature of the area. The forests characteristic of Otaniemi will be preserved, and so will the route of flying squirrels in the planning area.
The new residential area has excellent public transport links. A stop on the recently started light rail line 15 is located right next to the area. The Aalto University metro station is also a short distance away. In terms of car traffic, the area is well located, with Ring I right next to it.
There will be changes in the area’s car traffic at the Kuusisaarentie junction: In the future, Miestentie will no longer be connected to Otaniementie, but directly to Kuusisaarentie. Parking spaces in the area will be located in the Keilaniemi central parking facility to make the environment more comfortable.
A set of three plans to proceed one piece at a time
The City Planning Committee will discuss the proposed detailed plan for Betonimies at its meeting on 22 November 2023. If the plan is made available for public review, residents will be informed about it and have the opportunity to discuss it. Additional information will be updated on the plan’s website and the City of Espoo Facebook page.
Two other plans have been worked on in close connection with Betonimies: the protection-oriented Kivimies plan and the plan for Kivikaira, where new residential buildings are also being planned. The Kivimies plan is currently at the approval stage. The plan proposal for Kivikaira will be made available for public review later. Together, Betonimies and Kivikaira will bring homes to about 1800 residents in Southern Otaniemi.
City Planning Committee agenda for 22 November / Case no. 5(external link, opens in a new window)
Betonimies detailed plan website
Detailed planning process in stages
City of Espoo Facebook page(external link, opens in a new window)