Both urban and rural - the story of Tapiola garden city

 After the second world war there was massive construction boom going on in Helsinki region. Tall buildings were constructed one after another. Those buildings were often based on a perimeter block structure. Heikki Von Herzen was not satisfied with the principles of current city planning. He published a pamphalet in which he criticized the quality of the prevalent architectural style in Helsinki at the time. He find the perimeter blocks too enclosed. He had a greater vision for a good city. Herzen wanted to create a whole new kind of suburb that would represent a modern Finnish garden city. In his pamphalet he praised the similar garden cities already created in England.

Herzens publication caused a lot of conversation about in what kind of city is good for living. Herzen found garden city healthy, safe and more comfortable place to live for families with children. One core idea was, like Otto-Iivari Meurman declared, to make buildings part of the surrounding nature. That's why buildings were located loosely between groves and parks. When constructing Tapiola suburb the original nature was preserved as much as possible.

Tapiola garden city was created in a open-minded way and even in 60s it was accounted for a precious and unique. In 1974 Tapiola was chosen as one of the national landscapes of Finland. 

I personally like the way how one can feel both being in a city and in a rural place/nature at the same time when being in Tapiola. Unfortunately I'd also say, like many architects already have before, that the inner Tapiola has stolen some of the authenticity and the original identity of the place as a result of the radical infill development. But luckily there is still some athmospere left there in the area outside the inner city center. The Leimuniitty park is one of my favourite garden city elements in Tapiola. The park is originally designed in 1959 by garden architect Jussi Jännes. The Leimuniitty park represents the modernist garden design. Jussi Jännes’ landscape design plans were playing a significant role in creating the Tapiola garden city. His handprint can still be seen in Tapiola. Two most famous parks that Jännes designed are called Leimuniitty and Silkkiniitty.

Leimuniitty. Image source: Wikimedia commons, File:Ainoa Tapiola Espoo 130917 b.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Jännes was passioned about creating large parks that he found more sustainable solution for the increasing amounts of use. He created geometric shapes and colorful vegetation as a contrast to the spaciousness. Jännes also drew attention to the composition of the vegetation. The large, spacious park is also an interesting contrast to the city center.

As our cities grow denser as a result of the infill development, we should still remember the significance of these kind of green areas that are large enough to create the feeling of nature.

I'd say that creating better environments is still today one of the most important missions of landscape-architecture and urban planning designers.

 Leimuniitty. Image source: Teuvo Kanerva, Espoon kaupunginmuseo

Tapiola, Leimuniitty | KAMU Espoon kaupunginmuseo | Finna.fi

Here was a short glimpse of the Finnish garden city in Tapiola, Espoo. 

The main sources:
Tapiola – Helsingin vihreä satelliittikaupunki | Design Stories (finnishdesignshop.fi)
Tapiola, a Garden City built on a holistic state (emmamuseum.fi)
Tapiolan Silkkiniitty - kartanoniitystä kaupunkipuistoksi (puutarha.net)