According to several quality of life indicators, Finland and the Greater Helsinki region are among the best places in the world to live. A green region, both in terms of its natural public spaces and its political and cultural attitude towards the environment, Finland's society is also very stable, allowing people and businesses to flourish and bloom.
The most dynamic economic growth of Greater Helsinki can be seen in the Aviapolis development, which is a central part of the City of Vantaa. It currently provides jobs for over 30,000 employees and generates some 70% of all new jobs created in the city.
The investments in the area reached €2 billion last year and plans for projects involving 500,000sqm of office space are also being planned. This area and the city have space for up to 100,000 more jobs.
As one of the major landowners at and around the airport, the City of Vantaa has an active role in working with Finavia and other stakeholders to make what is Finland's largest public-private partnership a success.
The development team works together on common ground and on the same major land use and zoning plan to deliver an area that caters to the needs of people working, living or visiting the area.
Several non-aeronautical developments have recently opened inside and outside the terminal, including the Via spa and lounge that opened in the long-haul terminal and the Hilton Hotel expansion, which will be finished by spring 2011. The proposed World Trade Centre, a 24,000sqm development in two phases, is a project being carried out by Finavia's subsidiary, LAK Airport Real Estates PLC.
The Aviapolis already boasts a major concentration of hotels and congress facilities. A brand new Rantasipi Congress Centre was opened in March 2010 to accommodate events for up to 1,400 visitors. The 87,000sqm Flamingo Entertainment Centre, located next to the Jumbo Shopping Mall, has a hotel, wellness centre, spa, nightclub and even a bowling alley - all under one roof.
Car manufacturers Audi and Volkswagen are the latest retail arrivals with the building of their new head offices and 24,000sqm retail concept, which is unique in the Nordic countries. The area also features the headquarters of several Finnish electronics high-tech brands, including Suunto and Polar.
Office facilities will provide the cornerstone of the Aviapolis development with several large construction projects started in 2010. The third expansion of the Airport Plaza Business Park (31,000sqm) and the Avia Forum (21,500sqm) will gain a new building with the arrival of electronics giant Philips.
The 23,000sqm Econia development is the first office building in Finland to be powered by solar energy, while a new landmark development is the Avia Tower, a 21-storey, 20,000sqm high rise building that will anchor a number
of knowledge-based companies in the area.
Both an innovative tool to attract new business and the basis for the business services, the City of Vantaa has established the Vantaa Innovation Institute. It focuses on developing new international business programmes and helping international business to locate in the Aviapolis area with easy access to services.
The Innovation Institute's specific developments covers several business fields, such as RFID, sensor and environmental technology.
The area also serves as the centre of Finland's environmental and Cleantech cluster development with its partner GreenNet Finland. The Innovation Institute's latest development platform is the appropriately named Airport Cluster Finland which promotes the know-how of Finnish companies in the fields of airport technology solutions.
Vantaa Innovation Institute's main activity is to build business labs together with companies and universities and create real-life testing environments for new technological solutions in Aviapolis.
A truly unique development is occurring with regards to housing at the airport. Due to careful noise control, the area is home to almost 20,000 inhabitants. With the arrival of the Ring Rail Line at Marja-Vantaa, a new housing development for up to 30,000 people will be built.
