Semaphore

Team Point of View

A new travel centre is placed one block South-East of the old building to shift the city gravity centre Southwards, establishing better connections to the locomotive stables and the Aalto centre. The new travel centre is a central node directing flows and becoming a metaphorical “semaphore”, an old railway signal system.
A cycling bridge connects the Pohja district to the travel centre. A new park South of the station extends the axis to the Lakeuden risti church. A pedestrian bridge connects the travel centre to the locomotive stables. All this is connected with train and bus travellers, a hotel, offices, commercial functions and dwellings.
The Northern part of sub-area A consists in 3 different hybrid block typologies, all of which create a strong wall-like border against the railway and a weaker more open border against the street. Courtyards are located between both borders.
Sub-area B is developed as a place for events, recreation, small businesses, pop-up activities and culture serving both visitors and local residents. Proposed functions include a microbrewery, a summer theatre, urban farming and different rental spaces.
Sub-area C consists in a long, meandering ribbon of apartment blocks protecting the rest of the area from the railway. A public park is formed between the buildings and the railway. The area behind the ribbon is a dense small-scale setting with a network of diverse spaces.

Jury Point of View

The proposal recognises and is successfully connected to the most important elements in the urban structure of Seinäjoki: the commercial centre and the Aalto Centre. A skilful totality has been weaved together around the axes, connections and landmarks. The new urban structure is influenced by its surroundings, and it changes in accordance with the surrounding existing structure. The orientation, functions and disturbances shape the character of the parts, ranging from a wall-like and enclosed structure all the way to a small-scale and breathing structure.