Jyväskylä Human Technology City

IN BRIEF: New technology centre planned for the shore of Lake Jyväsjärvi

 Technopolis Plc is to build a new technology centre on the shore of Lake Jyväsjärvi close to the centre of Jyväskylä. The architecture competition was won by the Helsinki firm of architects SARC Oy with an entry entitled Noses. In the design the ends of the buildings have sloping walls fanning out in different directions – a feature which, in the opinion of the jury, brings a fascinating contrast in terms of mass to the cityscape encircling Lake Jyväsjärvi.

Technopolis Plc will build the centre in the Korkeakoskenlahti area in several stages over a period of 5–10 years. The timetable will depend ultimately on the demand for premises. The first phase of construction is projected to begin in 2009. Initially some 12 000–14 000 square metres of premises will be built. These will be occupied for the first time according to present estimates in the spring of 2010. The buildings will be 6–8 storeys in height.

The aim is to establish a technology business complex which will provide a unique environment for cooperation between the university, university of applied sciences and different enterprises. The new technology centre will be situated right next to the University of Jyväskylä’s Ylistönrinne campus.

Noses. The competition jury lauded the winning entry as dynamic and aggressive in a positive way. In the jury’s view the compact complex of buildings presented in the design imbues the area and the scheme as a whole with a strong identity.