Kruunuvuorenranta will be built opposite the downtown area of Helsinki on a former oil terminal. This new area will be one of the most visible marine frontages and can be seen from the city centre, the sea and the islands nearby.

The Kruunuvuorenranta western quarters and facades will be built into a work of light art that will be seen from a distance. At the same time lighting will create a comfortable neighbourhood and support aesthetic experiences in different spaces. There will be place for both permanent and temporary light arrangements. Some of the light display events may become annual traditions.

“Kruunuvuorenranta will continue to be surrounded by almost completely unlit areas. This is a unique opportunity to make the front of the area a work of light art,” says Riitta Jalkanen, Head of Project at Helsinki City Planning Department.

The aim of the competition is to select the general lighting plan that best focuses on the design of the western shore of Kruunuvuorenranta. This general lighting plan will create the basis for the detailed lighting plans needed for the future lighting of the area.

New innovative and ecological lighting and lighting control methods will be favoured in designing the lighting for Kruunuvuorenranta.

The competition will be announced in December 2011 based on to the notification procedure for public procurements. Based on the references introduced in the notification procedure, four design teams will be selected to participate in the competition. The competition period will run  from March to August 2012.

The results of the competition will be announced at the same time as the first completed work of art at Kruunuvuorenranta – the Silo – is unveiled in the autumn of 2012. Among the panel judges will be representatives of City administrations and professional experts. More information is available on the competition website at ksv.hel.fi/en/kruunuvuorenranta/lights.

The ‘Lights over Kruunuvuorenranta’ competition is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme. The year offers experiences of and encounters with design both at home and internationally. The aim is to generate ideas for ways of developing the living environment through design, as well as to create opportunities for new business and innovations.

The construction of Kruunuvuorenranta district will begin in 2012 and the whole area for 11,000 inhabitants is expected to be completed around 2025.

Additional information:
Riitta Jalkanen, Head of Project, Helsinki City Planning Department
tel. +358 9 310 37294, riitta.jalkanen@hel.fi

ksv.hel.fi/en/kruunuvuorenranta/lights