The temporary use of vacant spaces is still a pretty new phenomenon in Helsinki, but it seems to be making its way fast on the public agenda. In the recent few years, major infrastructural changes, such as the relocation … Read More

Ever been to children’s architectural opera? Yesterday we did. The performance “Rakennetaan kaupunki!” (Building the city!), by 4th graders of Helsinki’s Kaisaniemi Primary school at the Museum of Finnish Architecture, was a heart-warming experience. This mini-opera, premiered in March as … Read More

The end of November is approaching in Helsinki and our urban garden is still green – at least partly. It looks like the poor fava beans are mistaken there’ll be another summer ahead, as they have just started blossoming again. Last … Read More

This week the Helsinki Time Bank celebrates its 2nd birthday. What first began as a circle of neighbours and friends in Kumpula, Helsinki, has quickly grown into an Internet-based network of at least a thousand people.

For the past year or so, we have been busy with our forthcoming book. Titled Helsinki Beyond Dreams, the book is about emerging local cultures and how they make a difference. We’ve invited a culturally varied group of urban activists, … Read More

A wonderfully disgusting odour of fried fat is floating in the air. People are standing in a serpentine line on Eerikinkatu street, downtown Helsinki. A basket filled with greasy delicacies has just come down from the first floor window, tied … Read More

Photography: Johannes Romppanen Last weekend, we drove our bicycles to Kalasatama to test the Solar Kitchen – an exceptional travelling restaurant concept by Catalan designer Martí Guixe and Finnish chef Antto Melasniemi. The two visionaries both have a history of … Read More

Bicycle brunches, free concerts, independent art exhibitions, hammocks, swimming and night movies. This summer Kalasatama has proved to be the perfect location to spend warm days and nights in the city. Last wednesday, the We Love Helsinki community celebrated a … Read More

Ihana Cafe is now open in the Kalasatama harbour in uptown Helsinki, and well worth a visit. The new container cafe celebrated its opening party last week, blessed with a warm evening sun, hot air balloons and crowds of relaxed … Read More

Last Saturday 21 May was a historical day in Helsinki. For one day, anyone could start their own pop-up restaurant, anywhere, and regardless of what the rules say. The first ever Ravintolapäivä (Restaudant Day) was a carneval-like celebration in favour … Read More

Recently, I have been collecting information about low-resource innovations in developing countries. During my stay in New York, I ran across a very insightful exhibition at the AIA center for architecture: “Jugaad Urbanism”. The show presents creative strategies of making do … Read More

During the early 2011, Urban Dream Management has been busy exploring and writing less. In February, I had the chance to spend a month flâneuring the streets of New York, where spring was making its first attempts to beat the … Read More

“What if we, ordinary people, could decide what kinds of messages we see on a bus stop, for a change”. This was the idea of Elissa Eriksson, art education student who became tired of the overload of commercial messages in … Read More

People on their way to work by train or metro during the early morning hours in Helsinki, may have noticed these poetic statements at the sides of roads and rail tracks. The works are made of yellow autumn leaves woven … Read More