Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

REGIONAL LAND USE PLANDrawn up & approved by Regional CouncilConfirmed by Ministry of the EnvironmentLOCAL MASTER PLANPrepared & approved by local authorityNATIONAL LAND USE GUIDELINESApproved byCouncil of StateJOINT MASTER PLANApproved by joint localauthority bodyConfirmed by Ministryof the EnvironmentLOCAL DETAILED PLANPrepared & approved by local authorityLand Use Planning SystemSenior planners and architects are given substantial latitude to shapeboth the development priorities and character of areas under their purview.Often, under this highly centralised control system master planned areasare built-out rapidly,. The result is evident in some recently constructedareas of Finland's cities that appear quite homogenous.D2.8 Mixed-UseCurrently, mixed-use development (as is commonly understood inNorth America and much of Europe) is illegal under Finland's land-useregulations. There are a few notable exceptions such as Helsinki's Kamppishopping and multi-modal transit centre. However, exceptions are grantedonly after a lengthy appeal process that is a legal exemption for the landin question. These exempted plots are then adopted into the city's detailedmaster plan.The biggest obstacle to mixed-use development is the coexistence of differentowners on multiple floors in one building. In other words, two-dimensionalmixed-use development is possible while three-dimensional is not.234