Kupittaa Core Partnership Project
Kupittaa Core connects Kupittaa and Itäharju into a unified whole, which expands and strengthens the position of Turku Science Park as one of Finland’s most significant centres for jobs, housing, and services.
Kupittaa Core is a significant part of the development of Turku Science Park area
The Kupittaa Core partnership project is the most important urban development project in the Turku region in the coming years. It will revolutionise the area’s infrastructure and transport solutions and create a new centre for vocational education.
The Kupittaa Core planning area is mainly located in the Itäharju industrial area, where the city centre is expanding. The reforms will remove the barrier effect of Helsinginkatu and the railway, making Itäharju a natural part of the Science Park area.
The core of the area will consist of the Taito Campus located close to the deck structure, high-rise buildings, hybrid spaces, and parking solutions.
The partners in the partnership project are the City of Turku, YIT, Lundén Architecture Company, and Renell Käppi Architects. The project is led by Turku Technology and Science Park Ltd.
Zoning plan in close cooperation
The pending Kupittaa core local detailed plan amendment (Kupittaan kärki 76-2023) has been drawn up for the Itäharju and Kupittaa districts. The total area of the zoning plan is 17.2 hectares. The total floor area, excluding underground spaces, is approximately 315,650 square metres, which is an increase of approximately 125,500 floor square metres from the current zoning plan.
The reference plan for the zoning plan covering the entire area was drawn up in close cooperation with the City of Turku, the Kupittaa Core Partnership Project, and landowners.
The development of the Kupittaa Core will have a significant impact on the realisation of the Science Park’s vision. The Kupittaa Core area combines several prerequisites for growth: a good location and accessibility, efficient transport solutions, and high-intensity businesses.
Key figures for Kupittaa Core
8
500
8 500
jobs
3
000+
3 000+
new residents
3
000
3 000
students at Taito Campus
315
650
315 650
k-m² total floor area
The Kupittaa Core area will be developed into a city center-like urban structure connecting Itäharju and Kupittaa. Various functions, housing types, and commercial spaces, from hotels and offices to diverse retail spaces, will blend into a lively whole. The area is an extension of the grid plan area in central Turku designed by German architect Carl Ludvig Engel.
The project will focus particularly on high-quality streets and squares as well as walking and cycling environments. The transport systems to be implemented at Kupittaa Core will operate safely and efficiently without disrupting the closed block structure. Public transport corridors and light traffic connections will pass through the area, forming a service-oriented backbone for the area.
The stops along the public transport corridor and new services supporting Kupittaa station are located in the heart of the area.
The Kupittaa Core plan will create high-quality, diverse urban space in the Science Park. The old industrial buildings and wasteland in Itäharju will be replaced by housing, services, and offices. Space has also been reserved for parks and other pleasant areas that enable informal encounters.
The Kupittaa Core area relies heavily on public transport. A pedestrian-oriented area with limited car traffic has been designed in the middle of the block structure. The heart of the area is formed by the central square and the public transport stops located in its immediate vicinity, the Taito Campus, and blocks of high-rise buildings.
The urban structure is mainly based on closed blocks, which delimit public spaces and create a pleasant scale for the streets and a sheltered and more private courtyard for the users of the blocks. The block structure allows sunlight to reach the green inner courtyards, which also have space for large trees. In addition to the parking spaces located under the inner courtyards of the blocks, parking spaces are also allocated to a parking facility.
Companies and educational institutions in the Kupittaa area serve as platforms for cooperation and innovation. Alongside these are the public spaces of Kupittaa Core, which serve as venues for new kinds of information exchange and brainstorming. The pleasant atmosphere and diverse service structure create a buzz and positive momentum in the area, which attracts more companies to the location.
The planning area provides a development platform for new urban solutions. Some of the spaces can be designated as flexible in terms of their permanent use, allowing them to serve as either commercial spaces or apartments. The area can be developed with flexible spaces that are suitable for collaborative work, children’s birthday parties, or student idea days, for example.
The area will be developed in accordance with the Carbon Neutral Turku 2029 goals. By strengthening biodiversity, the area will help mitigate nature loss and the sixth mass extinction. Resource-wise solutions will be used in construction. Decentralized and carbon-neutral energy solutions and energy-efficient modes of transport are part of the resilient Kupittaa Core.
The smart mobility hub is formed by the area between the bridge crossing Helsinginkatu, the public transport stop, the hybrid block’s car and bicycle parking facility, and the Kupittaa station. At the hub, transfers from one mode of transport to another are as smooth and barrier-free as possible. It also serves as the commercial center of Kupittaa Core. The diverse service structure and functionality of the hub support the area and its users, while efficient logistics ensure smooth flow and a good user experience.
In accordance with the objectives of the overall plan, the urban environment and overall economic efficiency have been taken into account in the local detailed plan process. A high-quality urban environment is a key objective. The development and construction of the area will be phased and planned so that it can be completed as quickly as possible. Once completed, the Kupittaa Core will be commercially attractive.
Taito Campus paves the way for the development of Science Park
The new Taito Campus of Turku Vocational Institute is one of the first buildings to be completed in the Kupittaa Core area, supporting the high-quality and rapid development of the area. At the same time, it promotes the development of the entire district as an active urban space and a pioneer in sustainable development.
The Taito Campus will be built next to the deck structure connecting Kupittaa and Itäharju, in the middle of the Kupittaa Core area. The location of the Taito Campus was chosen to ensure that the educational institution is as easily accessible as possible by public transport.
The new campus will strengthen the development of the Science Park area as a vibrant urban centre.
Infrastructure project changes the landscape
As part of the Kupittaa Core infrastructure project, a deck crossing Helsinginkatu and the railway line and a hybrid parking facility will be built in the area.
The bridge will connect Itäharju and Kupittaa and strengthen the area’s role as a transport hub. The realignment of Helsinginkatu and its conversion into a boulevard will enable the construction of office blocks along the street, partly on top of the railway line.
New parking and light traffic solutions to be built in the Kupittaa Core area will facilitate mobility and reduce private car use. The urban structure is mainly based on closed blocks, in the middle of which pedestrian-oriented areas with reduced car traffic are planned.
Parts of the Kupittaa Core Partnership Project
The overall plan is a comprehensive solution for the area, on the basis of which the local detailed plan will be drawn up. The reference plan guides the construction of the area and the implementation of the overall plan.
The infrastructure project is a whole, consisting of a deck crossing Helsinginkatu and the railway and hybrid parking.
The Taito Campus of the Turku Vocational Institute, which will benefit from synergies with Turku University of Applied Sciences and other campus operators in the area.
The alliance’s options are separately ordered entities for the planning and implementation of the alliance. These include work to be carried out as additional purchases and deck structures that exceed the basic scope, i.e., additional decks.
The obligations and building rights that oblige the project implementer to build and utilise the parking facility in the area and entitle them to acquire the specified residential building rights.
Project progress
The construction of the Kupittaa Core will begin with the construction of the Taito Campus and the area’s infrastructure. According to the current schedule, the goal is to begin construction of the Taito Campus and infrastructure project in early 2026 and to hand over the Taito Campus for use in the summer of 2028.
The Kupittaa Core Partnership Project is progressing through the city’s decision-making process. Follow the progress of the project in the city council and city board.
Kupittaa Core visualisations
Visualisations: City of Turku, Lunden Architecture Company, Renell Käppi Architects & Cobe
Video of the procurement phase
Video of the plan by the group that participated in the procurement competition (Terävin kärki): Lundén Architecture Company, Cobe & Renell Käppi Arkkitehdit Oy.
