YIT-led Kupittaan kärki partnership project’s alliance moves into development phase

The City of Turku has confirmed the alliance contract of the Kupittaan kärki partnership project and the order of the project planning phase with the YIT-led Terävin kärki consortium. In December, the City of Turku selected the Terävin kärki consortium as the winner of the alliance competition. The project will include the implementation of a deck structure across the railway and Helsinginkatu, a parking hall and the Taito campus of the Turku Vocational Institute in the area, bringing together the districts of Kupittaa and Itäharju.

The alliance contract for the Kupittaan kärki partnership project was signed on Monday, 27 March 2023, confirming the transition to the project’s development phase.

“From the point of view of urban development, the Kupittaan kärki partnership project implementing the development of the Turku Science Park is one of the key major projects in Turku. Turku Science Park will become a significant hub of work and education, providing a platform for the encounters of both current and future top talents. With the Kupittaan kärki overall plan and the new traffic arrangements, the area’s central role as a link between the routes of different modes of transport will increase even further,” says Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku.

The Terävin kärki alliance consortium consists of YIT Finland Ltd, Lundén Architecture Oy and Arkkitehdit von Boehm – Renell Oy, as well as COBE A/S, AFRY Finland Oy and WSP Finland Oy as designated subcontractors. The consortium was selected to implement the Kupittaan kärki partnership project through a public procurement procedure, the decision of which was confirmed by the Turku City Board in December 2022.

“The parties of the alliance form an entity consisting of very different strengths, which enables a balanced and diverse development of the area. This is an exceptional project, as a vision for an entirely new district is being created at the one time, and the parties of the alliance have an ambitious attitude towards this task,” says Ari Mäkinen, Managing Director of Turun teknologia- ja tiedepuisto Oy.

During the development phase now underway, project plans will be drawn up for the deck structure crossing Helsinginkatu and the railway, the related obligatory parking hall and the Taito campus. During the development phase, a local detailed plan will also be drawn up for the planning area.

The overall plan for Kupittaan kärki and the local detailed plan following the overall plan will develop the area both functionally and in terms of traffic. The preparation of the overall plan is guided by the principles of sustainable urban development and responsibility, as well as the comprehensive consideration of the needs of the future actors in the area. The transport solution to be drafted must be flexibly linked to the rest of the city’s transport services. It is also important to create an area that is vital and functional 24/7, all year round.

“The project will have major impacts on many other projects in the development of the Kupittaa area and the entire city of Turku. It is a great pleasure to be able to implement such a significant and extensive project together with experienced and competent partners,” says Eero Lundén, Director of Lundén Architecture Oy.

"We are delighted that the alliance agreement has now been signed and we can start the development phase of the project. I believe that in the development phase, we will succeed in working with the parties to clarify and improve the plan in many ways. Kupittaan kärki is one of YIT's largest and most important strategic urban development projects, and we will utilise the lessons learnt in it in all of our operating countries,” says Juha Kostiainen, EVP, Urban Development and ESG at YIT.

Kupittaa is a familiar operating environment for YIT, as it has implemented several projects in the area in recent years. Examples of these include the office and commercial property Intelligate, EduCity in the Kupittaa campus and the recently completed ParkCity, the city's largest parking hall.
The aim is to bring the project plans of the Kupittaan kärki infrastructure project and Taito campus for decision-making at the beginning of 2024. The project plans will be approved by the Turku City Council.

Read more:
www.turuntiedepuisto.fi/en
Illustrations and photographs from Turku Science Park | City of Turku | Epressi

Further information:
Juha Kostiainen, Executive Vice President, Urban Development and ESG, YIT. Media inquiries through Group Communications, tel. +358 44 743 7536, press@yit.fi
Ari Mäkinen, Managing Director, Turun teknologia- ja tiedepuisto Oy, City of Turku, tel. +358 40 560 5660, ari.1.makinen@turku.fi
Eero Lundén, Architect SAFA, FRSA, Lundén Architecture Oy, tel. +358 40 521 3078, eero@lunden.co
Eero Renell, Architect SAFA, Arkkitehdit von Boehm - Renell Oy, tel. +358 50 448 1053, eero.renell@arkboehm.fi
Anna Leino, Communications Manager, YIT, tel. +358 50 384 5797, anna.leino@yit.fi

YIT is the largest Finnish and a significant North European development and construction company. We develop and build sustainable living environments: functional homes, future-proof public and commercial buildings, infrastructure for smooth mobility, and renewable energy solutions to benefit the climate. We employ approximately 5,000 professionals in nine countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. In 2022, our revenue amounted to EUR 2.4 billion. YIT Corporation's share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Read more: www.yitgroup.com