Helsinki, Finland
Activating a neighborhood plaza with an artful game
The Project
At the heart of the Vuosaari neighborhood in Helsinki stands the prominent Vuosaari House, multi-purpose public building housing a cultural center and library that has an essential role in meeting the needs of a fast-growing, multilingual district. A placemaking study in 2020 identified that while the House is along a well-used walkway to the nearby train station, the architectural design makes it hard to navigate to the main entrance.
Designers at Helsinki Urban Art led community workshops to plan a transformation of the large plaza in front of the Vuosaari House into an interactive world map where people could act as game pieces traveling from continent to continent. Based on the outcome of the workshops the mural and the game rules were designed by Jaakko Blomberg and Helsinki Urban Art.
After the mural was installed with the help of about 100 volunteers, the game rules were posted offering three options: a longer game traversing the entire globe, a 5-minute version of the game for those with limited time, and an option to make your own rules for free play. Giant dice for the game can be borrowed from the cultural center next to the plaza. The vibrant global mural marks the entrance to this critical neighborhood amenity and invites people to spend time and interact together, and at the same time learn more about the world. The reimagined plaza’s opening day attracted over 1,000 residents and the site has become the cultural heart of the community.
- The percentage of residents with a positive opinion of the plaza increased from 27% to 78%
Use the slider to see the transformation
“The placemaking-intervention created together with the local community has turned a dull and grey square into an enjoyable and sociable place. It has brought positive energy to the community and strengthened the feeling of togetherness.”
Paiju Tyrväinen, Head of the Division of Cultural Services, City of Helsinki
Press
A gigantic painting appeared in Vuosaari: this is how it looks from the air (Helsingen Uutiset, August 29, 2023)
For inspiration and tips for the creation of art on roadways and public places, download the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide which features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps for developing such projects.
