Länsisatamanpuisto Park

Situation
The Länsisatamanpuisto Park is situated in the new town neighbourhood Jätkäsaari, links the centre of Helsinki to the southern coastline. As part of the neighbourhood the park is a green connection from the city centre to the waterfront and the future passenger quays of Helsinki.
Länsisatamanpuisto is also a green axis of the neighbourhood of Jätkäsaari. Adjacent are residential and commercial areas as well as social centres and indoor leisure facilities. The park will offer a large “outdoor livng room” for the residents and employers of the neighbourhood.

The main idea of the design is to create a floating space all along the park down to the waterfront. The main component is the pine tree that forms an elegant and continous planting motive in the whole park. While the trees stay in a tight grove in the northern area there will be a gentle loosing up to the southern area and to the waterfront.

The Pine Halls
The park design shows too controverse themes. There are on the one hand the wide plain, the water surface and the bright sunlight, on the other hand there are the Pine Halls with their vertical structure and the diffuse shadows. Various trails and paths will lead you under the green crowns through the Pine Halls to small lightnings or mystic waterpools.

The open plain with the Moony Mountain
South of the park the forest turns to a wide meadow – the open plain. Here the pine trees are planted as single tree and in small groups that form graceful umbrellas. Between the groups the plain offers space for a big variety of outdoor activities. Near the Länsistamankatu the flat meadow culminates to a hilly topography - the Moony Mountain. It raises the visitor above the street and the rest of the park and offers a great view to the forest in the north and to the meadow landscape in the south. It also gives the opportunity to cross the street comfortably by a bridge.

The Blimp Skerries
How many skerries one can count on the finish coastline ... Compareable to a playful melody the Blimp Skerries are spread allover the park and lead you through all the forest and the clearings in the north down to the open plain and the beach. By taking a closer look at them, you discover rocks to climb on and to hide into, slide blobs, sleeping giants and inbetween cool and sparkling pools. At night some of them keep gleaming warm, beautiful and friendly and keep you commpany through the park.

The Bill Ball Plaza
In the very south the Länsistamanpuisto ends in the Bill Ball Plaza that links the park to the Waterfront and the former Quay area. This connection is kept consequently open and light. A big pitch offers different sport facilities. From the terrace you can watch the scenery and people. Here tourists may take a first impression of the Helsinki lifestyle, having a grandiose view into the southern park landscape. A promenade crosses the Plaza and connects the park to the main streets of the Neighbourhood and the near passengers quay.

The Speedy Bow
The main cycle connection is the Speedy Bow. It leads from Välimerenkatu without cross junctions to the Bill Ball Plaza and further to the passengers quay and the main route. It has an asphalt surface for comfortable cycling in every season. Also there is a range of trails both for pedestrians and cyclists.

Playgrounds and Childcare centres
The park offers too public playgrounds. In the nouthern park area there will be a forest playground to hide, to climb and to play with sparkling water applications of the small pools. On the Moony Mountain is a flock of skerries with applications to climb and slide, to build and to watch pirates... The child day care areas are set into the overall park design. They are situated near the future indoor facilities and screened by groups of plantings and small level changes.