Green Pop-Ups
Green pop-ups or green oases were the first urban space pilot in the Helsinki Innovation Districts project. They were installed in the Ylä-Malmi square and Malminkartanon aukio square for the summer of 2021. Built from modular elements, the green oases included benches and urban nature, such as edible plants and flowers for pollinators. The temporary green oases provided hangout spots for meeting in the squares.
The green modules and activities around them received a lot of positive feedback from citizens. For the project team, the green oases provided a good way of getting out into the area and helped to build cooperation with local actors. From the City of Helsinki’s perspective, rapid and visible positive action in the public realm was seen as a welcome addition to the larger, time-consuming park and square renovations. The modular green street furniture also serves as a good way of communicating future changes coming to the public space.
The experience gained through the green pop-ups provided a good basis for pilots in future years. In 2022, the City of Helsinki continued the use of green pop-ups by conducting a larger urban space pilot in the Ylä-Malmi square to make use of the elements that the renovation of the square would bring. The green pop-up in Malminkartanonaukio square, on the other hand, received such positive feedback that the city decided to bring it back both 2022 and 2023.