Urban densification in Finland: infill development and building extensions with timber based solutions

Abstract

Urban densification is one of the pan-European environmental aims along with the 2020 targets for tackling climate change. In Finland, the striving is supported by both temporary regulations and concrete actions, including plans for infill development of town centers. The paper presents and discusses identified barriers and opportunities for the use of timber based solutions for building extensions and infill development in Finland. It is based on the analysis of 13 architectural and engineering master theses published during the past 5 years. The focus is on selected architectural and structural solutions. Environmental, social and economic impacts of the designs are also discussed. The geographical boundary is the Finnish context which is mirrored against European experiences.

Wooden Additional Floor in Finland

“…It is worth mentioning here a local Finnish challenge stems from the ownership of buildings [25]. Single people have their flats and a piece of land below.…”

“…This is mainly because refurbishment projects in Finland often use operational models created for new construction [24]. It is worth mentioning here a local Finnish challenge stems from the ownership of buildings [25]. Single people have their flats and a piece of land below.…”

“…The intensification of Finnish urban environments is an adopted Eurocentric goal in tackling climate change, driven by the needs of continued urbanization and the environmental impact of low-density urban structures. In this sense, European building retrofit and urban renewal applications have shown that the expansion of building volumes, such as the construction of additional floors, has significant potential [25].…”

“…Encyclopedia 2022, 2, FOR PEER REVIEW 3 and urban renewal applications have shown that the expansion of building volumes, such as the construction of additional floors, has significant potential [25].…”

“…Moreover, the positive attitude of residents is a critical aspect in the effective execution of extensive refurbishment [60]. In this sense, the survey by Karjalainen et al [25] showed that participants generally assessed the construction of wooden additional floors positively and thought that it would contribute to the attractiveness of the residential area. The combustibility of timber may limit its use as a construction material in Finland, as in many countries, due to constraints on building regulations [61][62][63].…”