Kangasala Market comes to life
The new plan for Kangasala Market area started to brew at the New Kangasala city sprint.
At Kangasala Market, we specified the area brand of the city centre, the service models at the market and the role of public art in the urban environment, updated commercial functions to meet the requirements of today, and brought new life to the city centre as a whole by adding stimulating recreational spaces for children, youth and adults.
The plan combines cutting-edge expertise in urban planning and design, area branding and construction planning.
What happened in the workshop?
The workshop was a three-day-long Design Sprint. The workshop was all about getting to know Kangasala and its people and character while collecting local’s ideas about how the market area and its functions should be developed. The attendance was large and the spectrum of ideas was wide.
Residents hoped for more greenery and functionality in the market area and in particular, activities for families with children. They also mentioned the presence of art and round-the-year market spaces. During the workshop, we made preliminary plans for the market area based on the residents’ hopes.
How did the project continue after the workshop?
After the Sprint, we continued work as an independent task, which was again all about locals’ participation. During the process, we arranged two more workshops and invited experts from the fields of urban planning, service design and art to participate.
We created an area brand for the market area that centres around art and local food. All the aesthetic choices concerning the built environment were made based on this brand. Thought-out land use and architecture plans produced a functional model in which the market area becomes an inviting place for everyone in Kangasala – from market sellers to regular city dwellers.
What value did Design Sprint produce for the client?
The customer gained a great deal from Design Sprint. By bringing city planning close to the user, we were able to gather a large idea bank and to survey the residents’ hopes regarding their own living environment. The Sprint generated many interesting ideas, which the client wanted to develop further.
From the designer’s perspective, the Sprint provided an invaluable insight into the character of Kangasala. It helped us create top-level architecture and a functional market area that looks and feels like Kangasala.
Who can tell me more about the project?
You can ask for more information about Kangasala Market from MUUAN design office:
Aleksi Rastas
aleksi.rastas@muuan.fi
Tel. +35845 675 8700
and Markku Lahtinen, Kangasala’s city planning architect:
Markku Lahtinen
markku.lahtinen@kangasala.fi
Tel. +35850 596 9124