1. The document describes the planning and development of a housing block called "Greenest of the green" in Helsinki, Finland that aims to maximize biodiversity and sustainability. 2. Extensive planning involved designers, engineers and researchers to design green roofs, facades and balconies planted with native Finnish species to support pollinators and biodiversity. 3. An unexpected issue during construction was that the building foundations could not support the heavy substrates and plants as originally planned, requiring redesign with lighter designs using more smaller trees and bushes.

1. Greenest
of
the
green
block
in
Jätkäsaari
Helsinki
TA-­‐constructor,
Talli,
LOCI,
Roslings
Manor
Gardens,
UH
Fi=h
Dimension
research
group
Susanna
Lehvävirta

2. The
start
• In
2011:
Markku
Hainari/TA
– Inspired
by
Taina
Suonio
• InspiraMon
from
several
scienMfic
and
naturalist
sources
• Hundertwasser’s
iconic
ideas
about
architecture
• global
pollinator
collapse
• the
threats
brought
by
cllimate
change
• biodiversity
crisis

3. Planning
meeMngs
• First
meeMng
nailed
down
the
aims
– “Greenest
of
the
green”
Vihreistä
vihrein
– Central
idea:
ROOF=
shared
private
space,
the
main
outdoor
space,
“high
yard”
– Biodiversity
• Tens
of
meeMngs
and
workshops
with
structural
engineers,
managers,
building
company
and
many
more…

4. 1. Defining
the
roof
spaces
a. Biodiversity
roof:
dry
meadow
for
BD,
sunbathing
b. Berry
&
fruit
forest
for
cooling
breaks
from
sauna,
a
hideaway
c. Kitchen
garden:
allotments,
glasshouse
2. Inner
yard
– With
“Bu]erfly
Super
Service
StaMon”
– Miniforest
in
the
shady
part
3. The
facades
– Hanging
plants
&
climbers
– Green
balconies:
evergreens
&
climbers

5. Overall
principle:
All
plants
Finnish,
natural
OR
tradiMonal
with
long-­‐term
experience
and
cerMfied.
No
aggressive
invasive
species!

6. The
final
version:
121
apartments,
rental
and
right
of
residence
Picture:
Talli

7. Experimental
designs
across
the
block
• E.g.
balconies
with
randomized
treatments
– Biochar,
direcMon,
height,
plant
survival
western
facade
southern
facade
eastern
facade
8.floor
1
2
4
2
4
3
14
7.floor
3
2
3
1
4
1
2
4
3
2
4
6.
2
3
4
3
1
3
2
4
2
3
3
1
3
2
2
1
4
4
2
5.
4
3
1
2
3
1
4
2
3
3
4
4
1
1
1
4
3
2
3
4.
2
4
1
3
2
4
2
4
2
1
2
1
4
4
1
2
1
2
3
3.
4
3
2
4
1
2
3
1
1
2
1
4
2
7
6
5
5
7
6
2.
2
1
1
2
1
3
3
4
3
2
4
2
4
6
5
7
5
6
7
4
1
3
3
4
3
10
4
6
2
9
7
8
1
10
1
1
9
10
5
6
8
4
5
1
10
10
4
3
4
6
1
7
6
10
2
6
7
5
7
5
2
4
9
5
5
10
8
1
2
2
1
9
4
1
5
7
8
2
9
7
10
7
7
9
1
6
2
2
6
8
2
10
1
8
1
10
8
8
7
1
5
10
4
9
8
5
10
7
9
2
3
3
10
10
7
7
8
9
1
5
1
9
6
5
7
1
6
8
6
7
10
8
8
4
2
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10
6
5
1
9
2
9
8
5
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10
4
5
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10
1
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10
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8
6
10
9
1
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10
8
6
8
1
7
10
2
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8
5
1
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9
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9
1
3
6
7
1
2
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7
6
3
5
1
1
10
4
9
10
5
2

8. ConstrucMon
started
in
Nov
2015
Kuva
Mikael
Lönnroth

9. A
surprise
-­‐!!!!
• The
issue
of
load
capacity
– The
founda'ons
of
the
building
will
not
support
the
planned
substrates
and
plants
– Now
70
cm
for
small
trees
,
40
cm
for
bushes
• A
gap
in
the
flow
of
informaMon
–>
the
experimental
site
becomes
harsher
than
planned
– Diversity
as
a
rescue
• A
variety
of
small
tree
species,
bushes,
wild
dry
meadow
plants
• Planted
in
different
sizes
and
in
different
ways

10. Current
stage
• Green
construcMon
starts
in
October
and
conMnues
depending
on
the
weather
• Ready
for
residents
in
2017
Photo
Marja
Mesimäki

11. What
was/will
be
gained?
• A
lot
of
knowledge
and
respect
on
each
side
• Process
control
is
important
• Follow-­‐up
studies
will
– show
whether
and
how
the
residents
adopt
and
use
the
spaces
– explore
the
survival
of
plants
&
pollinators
Special
thanks
to
TA-­‐constructor
h]ps://www.luomus.fi/en/fi=h-­‐dimension-­‐green-­‐roofs-­‐urban-­‐areas
h]p://www.kerrostalo.hel.fi/hankkeet/vihreista-­‐vihrein