Games and places in Mellunkylä now attract children and young people outdoors
More places and activities for children and young people are needed in Mellunkylä. In summer 2023, these will be sought through pilots.
Mellunkylä is a diverse, growing district of 40,000 inhabitants, which the City of Helsinki will invest in developing in the coming years. Before any significant reforms, temporary agile pilots will be carried out in the area.
In summer 2023, the focus will be on children and young people, who have taken part in designing games and outdoor pop-up spaces for themselves in Kontula and Mellunmäki. The temporary games and pop-up space pilots aim for all generations to feel at home in the district.
“Mellunkylä is a diverse and fascinating area. I would like the pilots to give the area more positive visibility” says Ritva Tanner, project director working on the development of Mellunkylä.
The pilots precede and inspire the actual renovation and development work. They are implemented as part of the Helsinki Innovation Districts project,. The project has previously brought innovation activities to Pasila and other Helsinki’s suburban regeneration areas such as Malmi.
Hangouts and games available until autumn
The pilots start on Helsinki Day and continue until autumn.
An augmented reality (AR) game Ballz by flyAR, can be experienced in Kontula via Snapchat Lens. The game integrates the virtual world into the urban space and encourages play. The pilot will explore how AR can inspire young people to get active and spend time in their neighbourhood. Learning design company Creaamo Oy is designing two mobile games set in an urban environment in Mellunkylä. The quests inspire children to use their local environment safely and learn about the available services . The quests of the games are designed together with local children aged 9–12.
There will also be two pop-up pavilions in Mellunkylä, with plants and seating and activities such as skateboarding ramps. The pop-ups will be realised by RaivioBumann, with whom Parkly green oases have been piloted previously in the urban environment in places such as Malmi and Kalasatama.
During Helsinki Design week, 16 September, ice cream and games in Kontula!
As a part of HDW Children’s Design Week, we organise an event where you can test the games near Kontula Metro Station in a green pop-up space in front of the Kontula Library. Welcome to hang out, play games and have ice cream in Kontula on Saturday, 16.9. at 12–15!
