The tower buildings in Kalasatama have become a new landmark in the eastern part of Helsinki’s city centre; however, right next to them is Sompasaari, a new residential area in the making.

The first residents have already lived for some time now in the buildings that now stand where a container port used to be, and the last of the area’s residential buildings will be completed in 2023.

Sompasaari’s first new Lumo Homes at Fregatti Dygdenin kuja 5 will be ready for new residents in May 2021, and the second Lumo building at Vinsentinaukio 4 in July 2021.

“Sompasaari is a great residential area by the sea, where all apartments are within a short walk of the seashore,” summarises Hannu Asikainen, Project Director for the City of Helsinki.

“In addition to the marine environment, Sompasaari’s strengths include extensive local services and excellent transport connections. They attract many kinds of residents, from young people to families with children and pensioners,” says Asikainen. He adds that, according to developers, the demand for apartments in Sompasaari has been lively.

The Finnish word saari means island in English. As the name suggests, Sompasaari is an island with the sea opening up on its southern, eastern and western sides. In the north, the area is separated from Sörnäistenniemi by a channel.

A waterfront street tracks the almost rectangular area’s perimeter, and residential buildings have been grouped along its length. Some restaurants and cafés have already opened in business premises located on the ground floor of the buildings.

Ship plots zoned along the waterfront street emphasise the marine atmosphere.

“They will feature activities open for all Helsinki residents, such as restaurant and atelier boats,” says Asikainen.

The Loviseholminpuisto park in the heart of Sompasaari will become a shared living room for all residents.

The shared courtyards of the residential buildings add a sense of communality to Sompasaari. In addition, the Loviseholminpuisto park is under construction in the heart of the area. When planning the park, special attention has been paid to making it a shared living room for all Sompasaari residents.

“Sompasaari is a densely built urban area, but the aim has been to include a feeling of space. This is achieved with a sea view in all directions and the park at the heart of the blocks.”

In the future, the area will likely be enlivened by a hotel and a spa, too. A reservation for this has been made in the master plan at the southern tip of Sompasaari.

Walk to Korkeasaari!

Sompasaari is a safe and quiet residential area as there is no traffic running through it. Parking spaces for residents are located underneath the yard decks. However, thanks to excellent public transport connections, you won’t need a car to get around when you live here.

The Kalasatama metro station is close by, but the area will be made even more accessible with tram connections that will be completed in the future. The tram tracks from Sompasaari to Pasila will be completed around 2024. A few years from then, you will also be able to take the tram towards Hakaniemi and Laajasalo when the Kruunusillat bridges are completed.

You can reach Sompasaari by metro, tram or on foot along the bridges.

The new bridge connections also make cycling and walking faster. In addition to tram tracks, the bridges will feature pedestrian and cycle paths along which you can head from Sompasaari directly to the nearby Korkeasaari and the zoo.

You can already reach Mustikkamaa and Korkeasaari from there easily on foot along the new Isoisänsilta. In addition to jogging paths, this outdoor exercise area has tennis courts, a climbing park and a beach.

Kalasatama’s services are only a stone’s throw away

As for public services, Sompasaari will get its own daycare centre. A little over half a kilometre away, Kalasatama already has three daycare centres in operation along with an elementary school and the Kalasatama Health and Well-being Centre.

The Abattoir and the Suvilahti event area are only a stone’s throw away.

The adjacent shopping centre Redi has a wide variety of shops and other useful services, including a cinema and a gym.

The area is made even more attractive by the Abattoir and the Suvilahti event area, which are brimming with new urban and food culture. Suvilahti is known especially for Flow Festival.

You will also be able to enjoy art in Sompasaari: the area will feature permanent and temporary works of art funded with charges collected from the developers.

“Some of the money will be spent on different cultural events, such as music and dance performances,” says Asikainen.

“In total, Sompasaari will have approximately 1,500 apartments for 3,000 residents.”