This document discusses the new Nordic model for an open city. It notes that rapid urbanization is occurring, with the number of mega-cities over 10 million people expected to increase from 23 currently to 36 by 2025. Scandinavian countries like Finland, Denmark, and Sweden currently have among the most advanced digital economies and highest levels of social progress in Europe. The document proposes moving from single solutions to collaborative approaches that address "wicked problems." It envisions the city as an open civic platform and explores scenarios like the smart service city, creative knowledge city, civic sharing city, and resilient welfare city. The new Nordic model emphasizes localized and decentralized systems based on trust, as well as creative freedom, shared responsibility, and viewing the

1. NEW NORDIC MODEL
FOR THE OPEN CITY
Dr Anne Stenros, Chief Design Officer
CDO, City of Helsinki
Nordic Workshop 29 March 2017

2. Kjell Nordström: after 50 years, instead of
the 218 countries will be 600 cities
We are at the beginning of the most rapid urbanization
of mankind. The key is the concept of "in the beginning".
We think that everything has already happened and spun, and
in fact this is just the start.

3. Rapid urbanisation
PwC Megatrends 2017
There are currently 23 mega cities
with populations over 10 million…
by 2025 there will be 36

4. PwC Megatrends 2017
Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands have
the most advanced digital economies in the EU followed
by Luxembourg, Belgium, the UK and Ireland.

5. The Social Progress Index - Created by the Social Progress
Imperative. It measures social progress on three broad dimensions:
basic human needs, foundations of well-being and opportunity.
Finland tops this year’s ranking with a
score of 90.09 out of 100. Canada follows
in second, while Denmark takes third. All
five Scandinavian countries were among
top ten countries for social progress.

6. CLAIM THE FUTURE
From single solutions to wicked problems
PROBLEMS FORCED THINKING
Taipei, WDC Cities 2016
#1

7. CITIZEN EXPERIENCE
From user-centric to citizen-driven
approach
THINKING THE NEXT GEN
Helsinki Allas Pool 2016
#2

8. CITY AS A
CIVIC PLATFORM
From closed to open organization
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Helsinki Design Week 2016
#3

9. From Service providing to Commons-based
Economy
Commons
Platform
Partnering
Providing Services
ROLE OF
CITIZENS
IN VALUE
CRATION
ROLE OF
THE CITY
IN VALUE
CREATION
© Anne Stenros 2017
Co-creation
Participation
Collaborat
ion
Nul

10. Innovation is about creating a future that does
not exist in the present; it is about taking what is
now intangible and rendering it tangible, taking
the unseen and making it seen. Innovation is not
here; it is there, in the future.

11. IMAGINING THE FUTURES:
SCENARIO MAP
CIVIC
COMPASS

12. Functional City
Collaborative & low involvement
SMART SERVICE CITY

13. Dynamic City
Individual & active involvement
CREATIVE KNOWLEDGE CITY

14. Carbonfree City
Collaborative & active involvement
CIVIC SHARING CITY

15. Caring City
Individual & low involvement
RESLIENT WELFARE CITY

16. THE CITY AS A COMMONS
From a City-user to a City-maker
MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE FORMS OF
‘CITY-MAKING’
NORDIC OPEN CITY 2017

17. Localized and de-centralized
Everything is based on
trust – even leadership!
Creative
freedom and
Freedom of
choice
Shared responsibility
Different generations, together
NORDIC OPEN CITY 2017

18. Past:
VILLAGE
Present:
CITYFuture:
METROPOLIS
Shared values and culture
Free flow of information and
feedback
Localized and de-centralized

19. From political geography to the power of cities
THE NETWORK SOCIETY
THE NEW GLOBAL ORDER
CITIES ON ACT!
#4

20. CHANGE BY MOVEMENT
From empathy to emancipation
“SERVICE DESIGN IS A POLITICAL ACT”
Womes’s march Feb 2017
Think Small
over Think Big
From change by mandate to
change by movement

21. NEW NORDIC MODEL FOR THE
OPEN CITY
PROBLEMS FORCED THINKING
THINKING THE NEXT GEN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
THE NETWORK SOCIETY
CIVIC
COMPASS
Localized and de-centralized
Everything is based on trust

22. anne.stenros@hel.fi
@CasaAnna