Lahti is participating as a transfer partner in the SOFTacademy project coordinated by the City of Tallinn.
In this project, renovation measures based on the principles of circular economy and carbon neutrality are accelerated in the Mustamäe pilot district in Tallinn. The pilot area includes four apartment buildings, whose residents are involved in the comprehensive development of both the buildings and the courtyards, as well as the entire residential environment.
The project develops a cooperative innovation model to accelerate private renovation measures in the residential area. The renovation of courtyards increases biodiversity and creates a more homely and human-centric living environment. The developed solutions can also be utilized in other residential areas that require development beyond mere renovation, as well as changes that bring a sense of place and identity.
As a transfer partner, Lahti participates in the development of the innovation model and share best practices with project partners, especially regarding resident involvement, renovations promoting a circular economy, and greening residential areas. Participation in a joint project strengthens good cooperation between the two European Green Capitals, Lahti and Tallinn.
During the project, a greening pilot will be implemented in the city centre of Lahti, in which residents in the vicinity of the pilot site and other local actors will be strongly involved.
Project partners
- Tallinn University of Technology
- Think Softer Planning AB
- MTÜ Living Street
- Yoko Oma OÜ
- LAB Verte OÜ
- Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations
- Two other transfer partners are Warsaw (Poland) and Krsko (Slovenia).
The project’s name comes from David Sim’s book “Soft City – Building Density for Everyday Life.” In his book, Sim presents solutions for building a city for people, where construction is sustainable and the city is pleasant and connected to its environment. The SOFTacademy project is based on the themes presented in this book.