In the heart of metropolitan Helsinki, the Aurinkolahti neighborhood is undergoing a dramatic transformation, and the changes are not just about the skyline. A recent study led by Sanna Meriläinen, from the Department of Architecture at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Espoo, has uncovered significant shifts in the typology of urban apartment buildings, with implications that could reshape how we think about urban housing and energy efficiency.
The study, published in ‘Buildings & Cities’ (Rakennukset ja kaupungit), delves into the evolution of 99 apartment buildings constructed between 2000 and 2023. The findings reveal a clear trajectory: as the city grows, apartment sizes shrink, and building layouts become more complex. “We’ve seen a substantial shift towards greater building depths and more units per building,” Meriläinen explains. “This trend is facilitating urban growth but also poses challenges for maintaining high-quality living spaces.”
One of the most striking findings is the increase in single-aspect and narrowly spaced apartments. While this might seem like a straightforward response to the demand for more housing units, it raises critical questions about the quality of these living spaces. “The conditions for quality have become increasingly difficult with the observed typological shift,” Meriläinen notes. This shift could have significant implications for the energy sector, as smaller, more densely packed apartments may require different heating and cooling strategies to maintain comfort and efficiency.
The study highlights the importance of design preconditions at various scales of the built environment. For instance, medium-density block structures with a low number of units per stairwell and moderate building depth are identified as providing the best preconditions for housing design quality. This insight could guide future developments, encouraging architects and planners to rethink their approaches to urban housing.
The commercial impacts for the energy sector are profound. As cities continue to grow and apartment sizes shrink, there will be an increased demand for energy-efficient solutions tailored to smaller, more densely packed living spaces. This could drive innovation in heating, cooling, and insulation technologies, creating new opportunities for energy companies to develop and market specialized products.
Meriläinen’s research underscores the need for a holistic approach to urban planning. “We need to reconsider design preconditions to ensure sustainable, high-quality living spaces in rapidly growing urban areas,” she emphasizes. This means not just building more, but building smarter, with a focus on energy efficiency, natural light, and usability.
The Aurinkolahti case study serves as a wake-up call for the construction industry. It demonstrates how building characteristics such as typology, layout, and depth can significantly influence housing design quality. By understanding these trends, architects, planners, and energy providers can work together to create more sustainable and livable urban environments. As Meriläinen’s work shows, the future of urban housing is not just about quantity but also about quality—and the energy sector has a crucial role to play in making that future a reality.