Valtteri Heinonen

Architect Valtteri Heinonen is FCINY’s artist-in-residence in November and December 2016. Working at Helsinki City Planning Department, Heinonen is interested in urban environments and the regulations that determine and guide building. In addition to his work at the bureau Heinonen teaches urban planning at Aalto University in Helsinki and is a co-founder of HELT Architects. In his practice Heinonen aims at creating vivid urban structures that form a functional part of the whole.

Among Heinonen’s latest projects is an awarded proposal for a new residential area in Kuopio, Finland. Cherishing ecological, social and economic sustainability, the design aspires to generate versatile urban life and culture. The core of the plan is formed by a new main street, a multifunctional park and a network of comfortable pedestrian streets. In order to provide best possible views towards the lakeside the height of the buildings is varied, which also emphasizes the topography of the area.

Heinonen's current work at Helsinki City Planning Department involves zoning of Kalasatama, a new residential and business waterfront district. One of the biggest construction projects in the capital of Finland, the area is being developed through piloting in co-operation with residents, companies, city officials and other stakeholders. Kalasatama functions as a model district for intelligent city development, introducing new solutions for smart urban living and services.

As a professional of urban planning, Heinonen is fascinated by the ever-changing structures of cities. During his residency Heinonen is going to acquaint himself with the planning policies and land use conventions of New York, studying a variety of architectural solutions these regulations produce. He is also interested in the ways building preservation and the continuous evolution can be combined without losing the originality of the evolving districts.