Koti kaupungissa - Hem i Stan

HOME IN THE CITY: An Urban living concept as a social and ecological life-style

European cities have traditionally been both workplace and residence. The urban city centre of the 2000s needs alternative multi-storey housing blocks, where urban lifestyles for both families and senior citizens can find a sustainable quality of life. Members of the housing society plan and operate their own environment, an extended family of active, urbanites, fulfilling their own destiny. The “Home in the city” concept empowers members to arrange their own type and quality of lifestyle.

The Finnish shareholding housing company is the most common method of ownership in multi-storey flats, and in the Home in the City concept, the members are part of the planning process already in the conceptual stage. Different families have different needs and lifestyles shown in their individual flats, but the common spaces offer a wide range of amenities for members such as dining, social and cultural events, as well as exercise, gardening and child and senior care.

Idea to Strategy

In Finland, typically young persons first move to a rental flat with friends, later possibly to a larger flat when families grow, and middle-aged Finns often buy their own flat or detached dwelling when they have more income. Later in life, they often move back to smaller flats, or senior homes. Why not combine some of these developmental stages by joining with ideological friends into a housing society, which allows your lifestyle and family requirements to flow during different stages of your life?

Living in a multi-storey block of flats can offer more than just a flat and a common stairway. Why not revive the common sauna and relaxing room, the common laundry room with energy saving equipment, and establish a library/meeting area with lots of newspapers, magazines and on-line services that no single person can afford? A large, comfortable dining room and a well-equipped kitchen offer a forum for social and cultural events. In Helsinki, over 40% of flats are occupied by persons living alone. In a housing society, Families of two or even three generations, senior citizens and single working persons can enjoy each others’ company in the common areas, or enjoy quiet time alone in your own flat.

Common Values

Persons joining the housing society are interested in working together to form a reliable living environment for both the present and the future. The housing company is a legal identity, where members can buy and sell their shares in the housing company. The bylaws of the housing company allow for the operation and maintenance of the common spaces, as well as responsibilities to participate in the management of the building.

Common Objectives

Some of the common objectives of the housing company are:

• close to public transportation and services
• close to urban life and city culture
• accessible urban environment
• privacy in your flat, friends and relatives nearby in the common spaces
• seniors are not left idle or alone
• children have several trusted adults around them
• regardless of age or status, no one is left alone, if they don’t want to be
• economically, ecologically and socially sustainable environment
• flats are adjustable, according to the family requirements, and designed to meet the needs of the owner
• an attractive and well-designed building, with space for hobbies and common activities
• a block of flats that fits well into urban society

Project Organisation

A housing society must have a strong organisation to keep the activities going, and the development of the project in the right direction. It is possible to renovate an old building, if the size and location is right, and may contain fewer risks than a new building. However, to get the spaces required in the brief, a new building gives the most flexibility, although the risks are higher. In Finland, the registered organisation or club is a good way to start the new members thinking about their new home. As the project becomes more detailed, a site is found and a schedule is prepared.

At this time, the members of the club must make a commitment to establish the new housing company on the chosen site, establish the company, buy its’ shares, and choose the contract method for the production of the new housing block. Other members of the club may remain only as club members, not as shareholders and dwellers in the new building.

The Brief

The advantage of organizing a housing society in advance by the owner-members themselves is evident. The brief is developed through dialogue and over time among the residents to be, and can be in itself a really fun experience. By using a talented architect and an active housing society board, the changes often common to new blocks of flats with neighbour residents that are unknown can be avoided.

The housing association members can agree on several amenities of higher quality than standard projects, with the goal of increasing their own security and friendly living environment. The brief example given below is a registered organisation or club, emphasizing common spaces, accessibility and sustainable solutions like zero energy solutions, and a smoke-free environment

Common Facilities:

- Spacious entry area, with storage for baby carriages and outdoor wheelchairs, direct lift access

- Service kitchen and dining hall, with library, music, reading and video room, IT-carrels

- comfortable dwelling floor lobbies, smoke-free

- Penthouse saunas, large and small, for both family use, and men/women for larger occasions, rooftop terrace and

fireplace room with kitchenette

- exercise room with physical therapy adaptabiity

- parking in cellar as required by city plan, seperate shareholding price, car-share space.

- cellar storage spaces, including cool storage

- laundry rooms on each floor

- greenhouse

Outdoor Spaces:

- Indoor bycicle storage and repair room

- south-facing terrace and garden, with composting centre

- complete recycling bins, municipal refuse bins not necessary

- small ball game courts

- public handicapped parking space

The Social/Cultural Requirements

The housing society will be a typical Finnish housing company, allowing the open purchase of shares for flat ownership. However, the rules of the operation of the building include some social responsibilities agreed to in the general housing society official meetings.

The goal is to have many alternatives for broad social contact, including dining, music, culture, gardening, sauna-bathing and other events according the wishes of the occupants.

The Technical/Ecological Requirements:

The brief for designing the building and the maintenance plan for its operation underline the strict ecological requirements of zero energy engineering. Firstly, Kioto-standard heat insulation combined with quality air ventilation systems for low energy loss. Secondly, energy use will be controlled through low energy appliances, temperature controls and passive thermal mass. Thirdly, passive design solutions allow for spring and fall solar radiation use.

The distric heating load will be studied, and implemented only if necessary. Geothermal heating will be evaluated, as well as heat pumps and solar hot water use.