Otaniemi: Finland's Hi-Tech Core

ESPOO AND HELSINKI
 

Helsinki is the commercial, political and cultural capital of Finland.

Otaniemi, located in the City of Espoo (second largest city in Finland and adjacent to Helsinki), is the Hi-Tech and Innovation Heart of Finland.

Otaniemi and the Espoo - Helsinki Metropolitan area are within a two hour flight from St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia as well as the rest of  Scandinavia, the Baltics and Central Europe. Major European cities such as London, Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich can be reached within a 3 hour flight.

Over a third of the Espoo - Helsinki Metropolitan area inhabitants have a higher-level education, meanwhile, Finnish students are consistently ranked amongst the top in the world according to global surveys. Furthermore, Finns have the work ethics and trans-sectoral skills needed to succeed in knowledge-intensive businesses in a global economy. Supported by an unmatched, modern infrastructure, it's no wonder Finns are constantly ranked as one of the world's most productive workforces.

According to most global quality of life indicators, Finland is amongst the best places in the world to live. Finland can be considered a green country - both in terms of its natural public spaces as well as our attitude toward the environment. Finnish society is also very stable, allowing people and businesses the opportunity to flourish and bloom.

HELSINKI WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL 2012

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) designated Helsinki as the World Design Capital for the year 2012 on November 25th, 2009.
 
The first World Design Capital was Turin (Torino) of Italy in 2008. World Design Capital 2010 is the South Korean capital Seoul.
 
Design is a factor deep-rooted in the urban lifestyle of Helsinki. Design is manifest in the everyday lives of Helsinki citizens in many ways, ranging from home furniture and items that represent old Finnish design traditions to modern urban solutions in the city and contemporary interior design.
 
The creative sector is re-shaping Helsinki’s economy and enhancing the citizens’ quality of life. Design seen from a broad perspective – in city planning, architecture, industrial design and service design – plays an integral role in the development of Helsinki, city services and consumer products.
 
Helsinki’s World Design Capital year 2012 will comprise a wide range of events and projects related to design and its manifestations. In 2012 Helsinki will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of becoming the capital of Finland, when the country was a grand duchy of the Russian Empire.

More Info (www.wdc2012helsinki.fi/) >>