Rethinking smart density?
17.5.2021
Tiina Merikoski, Tutkijatohtori, Aalto-yliopisto
Rosa Rantanen, Tutkimuskoordinaattori, Helsingin yliopisto
Webinar sparks interdisciplinary discussion on Nordic approaches to carbon-smart urban landscapes
Why do we densify sustainable cities? How can national level politics support carbon smart landscapes? If wild nature is so important to us, why we have so little of it in our cities? These were among the key questions raised and discussed in the Carbon-smart Urban Landscape online seminar on May 6th. The event was organised by a joint effort of two strategic research council (SRC) funded research projects, SmartLand and CO-CARBON, and the Aalto Networking Platform (Living+).
In the event, three speakers from three different countries – Denmark, Finland and Sweden – were brought together to discuss what is meant by carbon-smart urban green, what does it look like, and how can we plan for better carbon-smartness in urban landscapes.
By attracting an audience of more than 160 people, the webinar showed that there is a keen interest among professionals to discuss carbon-smartness in the context of urban environment.
The event started off with a presentation by landscape architect Ulrika Åkerlund from Boverket (Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning). Her insights on livable and carbon-smart cities with ecosystem services in Sweden was followed by prof. Seppo Junnila’s talk on smart density in sustainable cities. Junnila is a Professor of Real Estate Business at Aalto university, Finland, and has also worked in numerous positions in consulting industry before joining the academy. Finally, Bjørn Ginman presented design projects in which nature-based solutions were implemented in the middle of Copenhagen. Ginman works as a landscape architect and project director at SLA in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is specialised in landscape planning that combines climate adaptation, infrastructure, public life and a healthy and social green environment.
New European Bauhaus aims to combine beauty and sustainability
The webinar was organised in order to contribute to the European Commission’s New European Bauhaus initiative. This event was part of a series of Nordic co-design events contributing to the New European Bauhaus initiative.
NEB initiative aims to connect the EU Green Deal to our living environment and emphasises the meaning of imagining and building a sustainable, inclusive and beautiful future. The purpose of New European Bauhaus is to encourage, design, deliver and disseminate new ideas and innovations for a more sustainable future that brings together different professional and social realities. To support these goals, proceedings of the Carbon-smart Urban Landscape webinar will be reported to the European Commission.
