The market square of the city of Kaarina will be transformed into a green meeting place for people of all ages

Market areas are much more than just places to sell. The City of Kaarina, together with Sweco, set out to develop its market area into an accessible, comfortable, and green gathering place with plenty of activities in all seasons. In addition to land use and landscape designers, a large number of experts participated in the creation of the project.

The City of Kaarina is renewing its market area as part of the development of the city center. Until now, the market has primarily been a parking and sales area, but the goal is to make the area a green and sheltered outdoor living room that attracts visitors with its events and activities all year round.

“We have lacked a clearly identifiable recreation center, which is why we want to create a market area where city residents can meet each other, similar to the adjacent Kaarina House,” says Jyrki Haapasaari, Technical Director of the City of Kaarina. Kaarina House includes the city library, exhibition, hobby, and event facilities.

An idea competition was held in 2023 for the development vision of the city center, in which Sweco participated with the proposal “Poet’s Journey of Discovery.” Sweco was selected to implement the implementation plan for the sales market in the northern part of the market square and the vision plan for the entire market, focusing on the recreation area in the southern part with its market parks.

Sweco’s competition proposal “The Poet’s Discovery”.

The planning of the sales and recreation market was phased. According to Haapasaari, the large consulting company had many advantages, such as a comprehensive range of services and experts specializing in different areas. Sweco participated in the design of the market square, including landscape, land use, street, road, geological, traffic, and infrastructure designers, as well as water supply professionals, structural, electrical, and lighting designers.

“We were able to progress quickly with Sweco, but the most important thing was that the consultant really listened to us and committed to our project according to its boundary conditions and goals.”

In terms of schedule, the most important wish was that the sales market in the northern part would be ready for use by the summer of 2025. There were about six months left for the implementation planning. It was decided to divide the project into two parts, and the implementation planning of the sales market was carried out simultaneously with the vision design of the recreation market.

“The vision plan includes many elements of our idea competition work, so we have been able to move forward very consistently,” says Jani Päivänen, Sweco’s Land Use Team Manager. The southern part of the market square will include a stage with stands, as well as a wide range of green motifs and places to relax, sit, and play.

One of the finest aspects of the market square that will be renovated, according to Haapasaari, is its organic design language, which provides a counterbalance to the streamlined nature of the buildings. “The market square is made up of curved and round shapes that imitate nature, while the buildings are more drawn with a ruler.”

Atmospheric images were also utilized in the workshops.

Artificial intelligence helped in the idea of an accessible recreational market

From the very beginning, Kaarina residents of different ages were involved in the preparation of the vision plan. In addition to the open market meetings, separate workshops were organized for children and young people, the elderly, and groups with disabilities. According to Haapasaari, working together is characteristic of Kaarina.

“We have grown as a city a bit by stealth, and perhaps that is why we have retained the culture of doing things together and participating that is typical of a small town.”

Urbanist AI was used to visualize the plans, which were created to support the discussion with idea and mood images. “Joint, AI-assisted brainstorming boosted the imagination of both residents and our designers,” Päivänen says.

According to Päivänen, social sustainability and the idea of placemaking guided all design choices. Together, the aim was to create a place open to everyone and accessible, bringing people together. “It would be great if the market could increase the number of encounters between the elderly and families with children, for example, and the stage could serve as an arena for low-threshold concerts and poetry events.”

A sheltered microclimate with diverse vegetation. For a long time, there has only been a parking area in the southern part of the market square, and the residents wished for greenery and shelter to counterbalance the open, windy, and sunny market space. Comfortable places to spend time are created with vegetation, intelligently controlled lighting, and playful spatial and environmental art.

AI was used to create dozens of different idea images to illustrate the wishes and ideas of those involved.

“For example, we are designing art lighting and a sound beacon for the market square, for which the city’s art working group can come up with ideas for different implementations,” says Jenny Asanti, Sweco’s Landscape Design Team Manager and Landscape Architect.

According to Asanti, dynamic, multi-species, and layered vegetation creates a sheltered microclimate and offers people different views, smells, and colors. “While waiting for the trees to grow, you can linger in the shade of a pergola, for example, and on hot summer days, the children’s water playground will certainly be popular.”

Biodiversity is emphasized in the selection of plant species. To preserve the greenery all year round, there are evergreen conifers, and the place is also reserved for the permanent holder of the area. In addition, the vegetation and materials have been selected to withstand the lively market life.

“We have also taken into account the maintenance aspects, and most of the vegetation does not require intensive care,” Asanti says. In the spirit of the circular economy, stones freed from a nearby depot are utilized in the curbs of the square’s planting areas.

Planting areas delineate different spaces and views of the market. 

The market itself is also adaptable. According to Asanti, the open sales area has been deliberately left relatively small, because more space can be obtained from the side of the market square if necessary. Both can also be used for various events. “That’s why the market square is not boring, even when it’s empty.”

In the picture, a space reservation and a grandstand for the stage located in the middle of the square. The architectural design of the stage will proceed in the spring of 2025. 

The planners presented the vision plan to the residents at the second market meeting. “Our greatest success was the thanks we received from the residents when they realized they had actually been listened to,” Asanti says. The vision plan was approved by the city’s technical committee at the end of 2024, and the construction of the Youth Market will begin in the summer of 2025. By then, the market will already be in use.

According to Haapasaari, a uniform market area will facilitate the overall review and development of the zoning of city center blocks in the future. “Our city will have a genuine city center and a new stage for both commercial pop-up solutions and citizens’ own events.”