Hiedanranta

The renovation project will employ a mixed-use development approach providing residential units, commercial spaces and offices. The new Hiedanranta Center and the Lake City redevelopment will be composed of residential units, commercial and office spaces, and public facilities. The new Lielahti area will instead host residential and commercial buildings only. The project will also provide the neighborhood with a vast green area and the Sellupuisto district central park. To improve mobility in the area, the neighborhood will be provided with a new tramline connecting the district with the city center, as well as different cycling routes, pedestrian-friendly areas and pathways and new bus stops. Lastly, part of the area will be allocated to host public infrastructures and facilities such as the new preliminary school, daycare centers and the health center.

The renovation of the neighborhood focuses primarily on regenerating the former industrial area and creating a vibrant residential and commercial district. The renovated area and improved attractiveness will significantly foster investments and relocation of new businesses in the area. The renovation of the district will allocate an important area to commercial activities and office spaces, which will combinedly create around 8,100 jobs within the neighborhoods. The district will provide employment opportunities in a diverse range of activities spanning services, cultural activities, tourism, manufacturing and small businesses, generating economic growth for the entire community. The renovated Hiedanranta neighborhood will be constructed to act also as an innovation district. Indeed, the district will work as a pilot area for projects focused on developing new technologies and innovations related to smart technology, sustainability and circular economy solutions. The district cooperates with residents, companies, research facilities and other organizations to promote and invest in sustainable transportation, logistics, smart energy systems, and green and blue infrastructures such as green corridors and the new stormwater system. The district constructed the Tyyppaamo Demo Lab, which is a free experiment environment for organizations to develop sustainable urban life innovations and solutions. Examples of the experiments conducted in the area are the development of the biggest dry toilet system in Finland, a plant factory based on aquaculture, and a microalgal pilot and paper mill sludge mass stabilization experiment.

The Hiedanranta aims to convert the former industrial area into a smart, sustainable, self-sufficient and resource-efficient city district based on a circular economy approach. The district will be constructed to be a net positive district, thus producing more energy than its demand. To achieve this target, a low-temperature district heating network to serve the entire neighborhood is being developed by Tampereen Energia, an energy provided owned by the Municipality of Tampere. The newly envisioned district heating system will operate with lower temperature of the circulating water, allowing different heat sources to be connected to the network. The heating energy will be produced from waste heat, geothermal heat and air-to-water heat pumps, with the surplus heat produced directed to the district heating network serving Tampere residents. To reach carbon neutrality, the area is being tested with several different circular economy solutions, such as the installation of a biocarbon plant to develop the carbon-negative district heating, indoor vertical cultivation, the testing of composting dry toilets and the development of innovative energy solutions. In addition to innovative energy solutions, the Hiedanranta will focus on the implementation of both green and blue infrastructures to further reduce its carbon footprint and improve climate adaptation and urban resilience. A vast area of the neighborhood will be allocated to green spaces, mainly with the creation of the 94,000 sqm Sellupuisto district park located at the center of the neighborhood. The green areas comprising smaller parks of surrounding neighborhoods will be connected through a green structure. Regarding blue infrastructure, a new stormwater management system will be created to collect, direct and clean rainwater and stormwater. Besides their water treatment functions, these blue surfaces provide a recreational area within squares and streets, as well as biotopes within green areas. The green and blue infrastructures implemented will significantly improve the neighborhood's adaptation to climate change events and to extreme weather conditions. In addition, the green areas will provide an adequate microclimate for native species and animals, increasing the biodiversity of the area.

The main goal of the redevelopment project is to create a new inclusive residential and working community which focuses on promoting residents' wellbeing and social interactions, with the provision of green areas and recreational spaces to improve physical health and mental wellbeing of the residents. Besides green areas and open spaces, the district will see the construction of a new comprehensive school (from years 0 to 9) hosting 1,000 students coming from Hiedanranta and the surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, the project will provide the area with several daycare centers, a new health center to serve the area and the central Sellupuisto district park. To address the housing issues, the redevelopment will construct several residential buildings block to host around 25,000 new residents in the area. The area is currently being utilized as an attractive venue to host cultural and social events, aiming to create a sense of community among residents and the citizens. During the temporary use of the former industrial areas, 47 events have been hosted in 2016 engaging a total of 12,700 visitors. In addition to new buildings and facilities, the project will focus on conserving and restoring several historical buildings located in the neighborhood, such as the Lielahti Manor, park grounds and former paper mill building. As part of the carbon neutral-strategy, the redevelopment of the area focuses on promoting sustainable mobility options for residents and workers. The new tramline that will cross the entire district and connect the neighborhood to the city center will significantly improve the use of public transportation in the neighborhood. The area will feature efficient public transportation methods and high-quality pedestrian and bicycle networks, with direct connections to the city center of Tampere. The street network will prioritize slow traffic and centralize car parking, reducing car use from 55% to 37% by 2040. The pedestrian priority and seamless travel chain nodes with attractive public spaces will ensure that services and buildings are always within a 5-minute walk from a tram stop.

The project received the interim BREEAM Communities (BREEAM C) Certificate.

The redevelopment project has been entirely funded by the Municipality of Tampere.

The regeneration of Hiedanranta has been financed from direct government grants provided by the Municipality of Tampere. In addition, the project maintenance and management developed by the public company Hiedanrannan Kehitys Oy are financed through the revenues generated with the sales of land plots and profits from real estate business operations. The total cost of the redevelopment project amounts to around USD 318 million.

Hiedanranta Tampere. BREEAM C to support ambitious district planning. Accessed on 10/07/2024. Available here.

Image from Hiedanranta Tampere, retrieved here.