Organised by the City of Espoo, the international two-phase competition aims to find an overall plan for the area north of the railway tracks – one that is of high quality in terms of architecture, urban structure and functionality. The aim is to develop the environment dominated by the railway tracks and streets into a pleasant urban area. Based on the competition, an overall plan will be created for the Leppävaara centre. This plan will steer detailed planning and construction in the area for the next 10 to 20 years. The competition is organised in cooperation with the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA).

“We received a delightful number of entries in the first phase, 56 in total. The number is high, considering that this is a demanding project that is looking for the most suitable idea for the Leppävaara centre,” says Olli Isotalo, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment.

The first-phase entries are available on the competition website (in Finnish), where you can comment on them until 5 April.

The entries will also be presented at a public event on Wednesday 29 March from 17:00 to 20:00. The event will be held in Leppävaara, in the large auditorium of the Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Vanha maantie 9). You can also participate in the event through Teams. The Teams link will be available on the Espoo.fi website. The event will also be recorded, and the recording will be available for two weeks.

The jury selects 3–5 entries for the second phase

Comments submitted by the general public will be delivered to the jury. The jury will then select 3–5 entries that it deems the best for the second phase. These entries will be refined during the second phase of the competition into feasible plans. The second-phase entries will also be published online and can be commented on.

The results will be published in early 2024.

The city will start a detailed planning process in the area based on the winning entry or entries and grant one or more planning reservations for the area. It is estimated that construction work could start in 2026 or 2027.