Helsinki wants Hanasaari to become a new district of international interest – idea and implementation competition to enter decision-making

The Hanasaari power plant area in the inner city of Helsinki is set to be transformed into a new and distinctive district from the 2030s onwards. The City of Helsinki will start an international idea and implementation competition to develop and build the area. The competition is set to begin in late 2026.

The aim of the competition is to yield a high-quality overall plan that will serve as the basis for the development, detailed planning and implementation of the area. At the same time, the City is seeking a concept for the power plant buildings. High-quality planning of the urban structure and cityscape will be given particular weight in the competition. The cultural and historical values and history of the area must also be taken into account in the competition entries.

“The Hanasaari area has tremendous potential to be developed into a new district that generates international interest and provides its residents with rich experiences in the inner city of Helsinki. My hope is that the idea and implementation competition beginning this autumn will yield innovative and even surprising solutions not only for the implementation of the entire Hanasaari area, but also for the iconic old power plant that symbolises the area,” comments Mayor Daniel Sazonov.

The future use of the power plant has not been decided yet, and one of the aims of the competition is to find a solution for it. Developing the power plant area may involve a combination of preserving old buildings and demolishing buildings to make room for new construction. The power plant, which is exceptionally large in scale, is suitable for a wide range of uses. The volume of the power plant is 380,000 m³, 3.5 times that of the Parliament House.

A new district for thousands of residents

The plans for the new Hanasaari district include homes for at least 3,000 residents, potentially hundreds of new jobs, attractive new urban spaces, parks, waterfront routes and a new school. Construction of the new district could begin in the 2030s.

“Our aim is to create a new urban district that connects with the neighbouring Suvilahti area. Hanasaari’s location and old power plant environment provide opportunities to create a new area that draws on history and is attractive in terms of the urban environment. Our aim is also for Hanasaari to offer new opportunities for families interested in urban living,” says Land Use Director Rikhard Manninen from the City of Helsinki.

The aim of the competition is to find an operator that, together with its design team and partners, will play a key role in the implementation of the new Hanasaari district. The plan is for the winner of the competition to undertake the redevelopment of the power plant area for a new purpose, as well as a significant part of the construction of the new district.

The competition is set to begin in late 2026

The Urban Environment Committee will discuss the international idea and implementation competition for the Hanasaari area at its meeting on 15 September. After the Committee’s processing, the competition programme will be submitted to the City Board for decision-making.

The competition is scheduled to begin on 16 November 2026, provided that the City Board approves the proposal. The actual competition will be held in two stages. At both stages, the competition entries will be published for Helsinki residents to comment on. The winner of the competition will be decided in spring 2029.

Hanasaari in a nutshell:

• The Hanasaari area covers approximately 17 hectares (ha).
• Distance from the city centre: 2 km.
• The Hanasaari B power plant was completed in 1974–1976, and energy production at the plant came to an end in 2023. The plant includes several separate buildings.  

• According to estimates, the Kalasatama area will have 34,000 residents by 2037.