Tampere: Compress, Connect, Combine

Architects : Janne Repo (SF) - Saara Repo (SF)

The Tampere site – one of the oldest cities in Finland as well as one of the most heavily industrialized – corresponds to the typical suburban habitat built in the ‘fifties and ‘sixties: low density, and few shops. The project is on an urban scale, on existing blocks and new housing solutions. It is based on the changes that have occured in our society, which enable the city to be compressed without affecting its qualities: the density is increased. Several typologies are superimposed, instead of being placed side by side, as is often the case in suburban areas. The whole site is divided into three independent blocks, each consisting of a belt incorporating shops and jobs, six-storey buildings and linear housing units. The project creates a multitude of plans of apartments that can be split or joined together.