Housing planning takes into account families with children
A-Kruunu carried out a development project where the wishes and needs of urban families with children were taken into account even better in the design of affordable apartments.
Increasing numbers of families with children live in city centres. A-Kruunu carried out a development project where the wishes and needs of urban families with children were taken into account even better in the design of affordable apartments.
In cooperation with Serum Architects, A-Kruunu investigated the housing practices, wishes and needs of small families. The study was carried out by researcher Johanna Lilius from Aalto University. For the survey, 11 families were interviewed at five different ARA rental housing locations in Kalasatama and Jätkäsaari. According to the study, families consider it important to have a good location and flexible housing solutions that facilitate everyday life. In addition to the interviews, two workshops were carried out to invite residents to comment on preliminary plans.
- Each location is unique, of course. What this concept offers most of all is the opportunity to find suitable solutions for urban families with children, so that they can get the maximum possible benefit from their living space. Residents can make individual decisions on how to use the floor space in different ways to match their personal needs. There is not just one way to correctly furnish and use a living space, says Eero Lehtomäki, Construction Manager at A-Kruunu.
The first apartment block of the development project was completed in the Sompasaari area of Kalasatama, as part of a City of Helsinki programme focused on developing apartment blocks. The block has been designed with a wide range of layouts for families of different sizes and types, with a total of 40 apartments. They take into account the changing life situations of families with children, such as everyday life, secondary parents, working at home and outdoor activities. At the A-Kruunu residential location, people’s wishes and needs have been realised through well-functioning hallways, open and adaptable living spaces and sheltered gardens for children’s games.
About one year after the block was finished, a follow-up survey and interviews were done to investigate the residents’ experiences of living at the apartment block. The feedback was positive and the residents were satisfied with their homes. The design solutions that were selected to meet the needs identified in the original survey – multi-purpose alcoves, good-sized balconies, apartments with porches, mudroom in the stairway and storage for movables in connection with apartments – were well received by the surveyed and interviewed residents.
Read more about our Urban Families with Children project:
A-Kruunu involved in an international housing video project (A-Kruunu news 15.07.2021)