Designing for wellbeing

7
Social wellbeing
through participation in
Kannelmäki suburb
Kirsi Niinimäki & Malin Bäckman
Kannelmäki is a suburb of Helsinki with about 13 000
inhabitants. The oldest part dates from the 1950s
and the newest parts mainly from the 1970s. The
area is a mix of detached and flats, both rented and
owner-occupied. The centre of the area is Sitratori
Square, surrounded by pubs, a railway station
and a cultural centre called Kanneltalo, where the
city of Helsinki offers a range of cultural events.
According to a recent survey 1 , the inhabitants of
Kannelmäki are not especially satisfied with their
neighbourhood. They feel disconnected, most do not
find the area cosy or nice, and less than half of the
residents think that the area is a safe place to live.
1 Helka ry 2009, Helsingin kaupunginosayhdistykset Caddies asukaskyselyn tulokset. Caddies,
Creating Attractive, Developed and Dynamic Societies together with Inhabitants – EU
project.
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