A new city district in Oulu is to be running smoothly by 2035 it was revealed this week as officials from the city, which is the capital of Northern Scandinavia, announced plans at MIPIM. The €1.8bn ‘Hiukkavaara’ scheme will be ‘a model for environmental design’ with smart grids, renewable energy sources, an ecological water system and centralised waste management. Plans are for 20,000 people to live in 10,000 homes, with 1,800 workplaces and smart services for 40,000 consumers.

Matti Matinheikki, Director of Urban and Environmental Services for the City of Oulu, said of the development: “Hiukkavaara’s apartments, buildings, blocks, yards, streets and parks are all designed with residents’ convenience in mind. Energy and materials are conserved, nature is valued, and human life blends with the environment. Winter has been the starting point for community design in Hiukkavaara and the city district will be planned taking the weather into account.”