The Keilaniemi shoreline vision

Keilaniemi is the eastern port of Espoo and a rapidly developing urban district. Keilaniemi is located on the shores of Keilalahti bay, and as the area develops, the demand for the shore’s recreational opportunities will increase. 

In the Keilaniemi resilient coastal vision work, a forward-looking idea plan for the Keilaniemi coastal zone was drawn up. The work envisioned the alignment of the shoreline, its character, its relationship to water and the built environment, and the experiential nature of the shore. The aim is to develop the shores of Keilaniemi as climate-friendly as possible and to make the area more attractive and green from the point of view of recreation. The plan also examined the utilization of the excavated rocks arising from the nearby constructions in environmental construction, with the aim of diversifying the area’s shore types. Excavated rocks were envisioned for the construction of small islands and islets, which would serve in particular as habitats for birds and other species and replace habitats lost through construction. The seabed in the area is already severely disturbed.

The work presents the design principles, vision plan and more detailed principal solutions for different types of built shoreline. The vision took into consideration also the changes brought about by climate change, such as rising sea levels and precipitation, as well as changes in the ecosystems of the Baltic Sea, and presented how these challenges can be addressed through sustainable landscape construction. The waterfront was also examined as part of the Espoo waterfront route in terms of services, visibility and usability. The plan was coordinated with existing construction and new developments taking place in the area on a principle level.