The Niemi district on the shores of Lake Vesijärvi in Lahti, as a traditional industrial and port area, is undergoing a strong phase of change.
Respecting the industrial heritage, that theme was the core of the identity of the urban design of our proposal for the Niemi waterfront.
Bränneri is a new neighborhood that plays with contrasts with an industrial heritage that is the core of the identity. It is a bridge between a natural and wooded coastal landscape and a built-up harbor. It is a dense center detached from the city, and yet urban and green.
The functional centers of the area are located along the routes, particularly at intersections. At intersections, there are social pocket spaces, and neighborhood squares, which act as meeting places within the area.
The urban building blocks of the area reflect its past while creating a completely new living environment for the area. The height of the buildings increases gradually from the waterfront to the intersection of Niemenkatu and Aniankatu. A few individual buildings, such as a residential building and a bird tower, stand out in the landscape as taller exceptions.
The social, ecological, and economic sustainability of the area is based on the principles that could make the neighborhood the more self-sufficient as it was possible. One of the strategies was using the parking lot roofs for urban growing areas.