After the opening forewords by the Head of the Degree Programme in History Tanja Vahtikari and the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Juho Saari, the participants of the seminar were given an insight of the journey undertaken by urban sustainability in the last decades – from marginal to mainstream, as pointed out by professor Liisa Häikiö (Tampere University). Häikiö’s presentation emphasized how sustainable urban development has, starting from the Brundtland commission in 1987, experienced its ups and downs but has always managed to stay on the surface at the center of urban planning – showcasing Tampere as an example of a city’s negotiation with sustainable urban development issues.
The presentation by Senior Researcher Helen Sooväli-Sepping (Tallinn University of Technology) focused on the rethinking of green spaces. Sooväli-Sepping reminded the audience of the importance of Green Landscapes in the European City, 1750–2010, edited by Peter Clark, Marjaana Niemi and Catharina Nolin, for our understanding green urban spaces in a historical perspective. A key point in Sooväli-Sepping’s presentation was how mental health is also linked to environmental spatial planning, but also the role of aesthetics in sustainable urban development. Solutions to prevent loneliness and isolation of the youth and the population in general, especially after the measures taken during COVID-19 pandemic, were called for by Sooväli-Sepping.
Senior Researcher Mikkel Thelle from the National Museum of Denmark gave an interesting historical overview of the allotment garden culture in Denmark. The allotments, spread all over the country, have been a distinctive feature of the Danish society and culture for decades. Thelle showed how an allotment, even though as a concept old and traditional, has reshaped itself during the country’s and its inhabitants’ economic development and prosperity. As a space for multiple activities, from leisure to labor, and a gathering place which unites different generations and family members, Thelle proposed that allotments should be perceived as a way to discuss sustainability in urban environments.
Head of the Unit Anna Lyyra-Seppänen (Pirkanmaa Regional Museum) discussed cultural sustainability in heritage planning. Lyyra-Seppänen emphasized how museums can be active actors in the local community, and develop social, ecological, economic and cultural sustainability. This shows that museums have the ability to reach audiences far and wide, beyond the limitations of the physical museum space. This way museums can also make an impact in urban sustainability issues.
Professor Peter Clark (University of Helsinki) examined the potentials of using urban vacant land as a resource for urban sustainability. In his presentation, which explored European vacant and waste land from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, Clark showed the many types of urban voids which have been forming during the last centuries – whether manmade or caused by natural disasters. He emphasized how urban spaces have always experienced changes over time, even if there has been little interest in the subject by historians of pre-modern times. In the nineteenth century, the American City Beautiful movement saw wasteland as an obstructing development and damaging to the community’s image. Even though critical, the movement raised awareness about wasteland use. In the decades to come, wasteland was seen as a challenge but increasingly also as resource, as demonstrated by Clark through multiple examples from European cities.
Researcher Henrik Mattjus (Tampere University) discussed sustainability as a historical sociomaterial concept. Drawing from his PhD thesis, which focused on rural homes in 1920s and 1930s, Mattjus argued that sustainability was already well integrated into the minds of Finnish architects when designing buildings in that period. It was considered important to build low-cost and lowmaintenance homes which could be easily modified, if necessary. Mattjus also suggested, in reference to observations made by the American architect John Graham Jr in the 1930s, that socially sustainable development could be achieved with material improvements in living and production conditions combined with investment in education.
With his presentation on urban planning and politics in the Finnish city of Vantaa, Matti O. Hannikainen (University of Helsinki) explored the history and the transition of the once-rural municipality to a rapidly growing urban center, right next to the capital of Helsinki. From a townplanning point of view, urban sustainability has been marked by multiple actors within the city administration. Hannikainen brought up that a city may indicate its flexibility by laying plans and revising them if necessary. Thus, a city plan is always under examination and reflects the policies made by the city administration. Therefore, urban sustainability has always the potential to change
ideas on how the parts of a city are planned.
Sharing her deep knowledge of the Roman port city of Ostia, Katariina Mustakallio (Tampere University) explored how sustainability and resilience can be studied in the ancient world. Cultural diversity and social dynamics of the city resulted in different cultures, languages and traditions, due to Rome being a melting pot for the various communities in the Mediterranean. Mustakallio emphasized how the social aspect of people arriving and interacting in Ostia was critical to creating new solutions and strengthening the urban system and the community.
This event was sponsored by the research community STUE Action Grant. Many thanks to all those who participated in organizing this thought-provoking event of urban sustainability! And also again: Congratulations to Marjaana Niemi!
Text: Jesse Mäkitalo