The competition was run by the Finnish innovation fund Sitra who commissioned 5 international teams from 74 applications. Their aim was to encourage decision-makers, developers, designers and contractors to seriously consider the effects of climate change. Sitra’s intention is that innovative strategies of the scheme will be replicated throughout the whole development. Further, it is anticipated that Sitra will relocate their own headquarters to the Low2No site.
Sauerbruch Hutton’s winning proposal ‘c_life – City as Living Factory of Ecology’ comprised specific recommendations for the Low2No block, as well as further initiatives for the immediate surroundings and for Helsinki as a whole. A crucial part of the team’s holistic and interdisciplinary approach is an architecture that reduces the buildings’ environmental impact together with the inhabitants’ foot-prints by passive and active strategies. The use of renewable, low-carbon building materials, a high flexibility of the structure to allow for future changes, a maximised use of daylight and natural ventilation, the provision of life-and-work typologies as well as that of pocket greenhouses and attractive communal gardens have all been integrated into an urban setting of short distances and mix of uses.
The Low2No site, together with some further lots that form the first phase of the overall development, is due to be completed by 2012. The entire district of Jätkäsaari, some 100 hectares, will be constructed by 2023, whilst already by 2021 the area is expected to be carbon negative on a yearly basis.
