We generate impulses towards a renewed relationship with nature and an understanding of the deep interdependency between human and nature. We investigate how to respond to the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and support wellbeing both for humans and non-humans. In the Laboratory, we boldly look into the future and tackle the questions related to the sustainability change in a concrete and societally impactful way. We also study the past and examine environmental changes and the evolvement of landscape architecture to understand the temporal continuum of our landscape.
As professionals of planning and design, we have skills to operate in the interface between practice and research and produce research-based and applicable solutions for urban and landscape planning. We have a broad and close collaboration with municipalities, governmental authorities, businesses, citizens, and other stakeholders. We also promote the link between research and education.
Associate professor Ranja Hautamäki
Assistant professor Elisa Lähde
Our aim is to raise public awareness of the variety and significance of trees in the campus landscape.
The project examines cooling benefits of urban nature in dense urban environments.
The project examines multispecies well-being and accessibility of urban nature in densifying cities.
This research engages with urban stakeholders and explores various future scenarios in which human-nature interactions in Helsinki urban area have transitioned towards sustainable, participatory, and resilient states.
The aim of the ARVO project is to enhance green infrastructure in densely built cities to promote preparedness and adaptation to climate change.
The multidisciplinary project quantifies the carbon sequestration and storage potential of urban green and creates new carbon-smart planning solutions.
The project investigates the design discourses and changing conceptions of nature in Finnish post-war landscape architecture.
The project investigates and develops opportunities of Finnish coastal and marine areas to transition into regenerative socio-ecological systems.
The project examines the planning discourses and design practices of green structure and urban nature in a densifying city.
The aim of the project is to strengthen the multispecies co-agency of the Saari Manor area, administered by Kone Foundation, and to spark impulses toward a regenerative relationship with the living world.
The project examines the cultural heritage of landscape architecture and the evaluation and preservation of historical landscapes.
The project recognizes ecosystem services and cultural heritage as integral parts of the suburban landscapes and their development.
The Nordic research network examines how welfare and welfare society have been conceptualized and materialized in landscape architecture.
Hiilipuisto project launches scientific monitoring of biochar-based planting soils and develops sustainable practices in the green building sector.
The Nordic network explores the role of women in twentieth-century landscape architecture and its historiography.
The project investigates and mainstreams the Green Factor Tool to support climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as biodiversity.
The project develops practices and processes to support mainstreaming nature-based solutions in municipalities and regions.
In iWater-project new strategies, innovations and tools are developed for stormwater management.
The aim is to develope stormwater flood risk management in pilot project between Finland and China.
Mari Ariluoma. (2025). Green capture - Enhancing carbon sinks within urban residential green spaces. https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/items/60087250-4da5-434d-ae74-2bb846516543
Leena Lahdenvesi-Korhonen. (2025). Kohtaamista odottamassa - Kuntien kulttuuriympäristöohjelmat maisematiedon, osallisuuden ja elinkeinotoiminnan näkökulmasta. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-64-2354-8
Maria Jaakkola. (2021). Understanding Green Urban Landscape — A Phenomenological Approach.
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/110204
Elisa Lähde. (2020). Mission Blue-Green: The Significance of Co-Creation to Promote Multifunctional Green Infrastructure within Sustainable Landscape and Urban Planning and Design in Finland.
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/46393
Outi Tahvonen. (2019). Scalable green infrastructure and the water, vegetation, and soil system - Scaling-up from Finnish domestic gardens.
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/40764
Ranja Hautamäki. (2016). Kartanot kaupungissa: Helsingin kartanoympäristöjen kaupunkimaistuminen, säilyttäminen ja yhteensovittaminen kaupunkirakenteeseen.
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/19504
Minna Komulainen. (2010). Forestscapes – Forest Landscape Typology as an Integrated Planning Process Tool.
Miia Heikkilä: Restorative Experiences in Forests and Japanese Gardens. Holistic Approach for Healing Environmental Design (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki, funding: Koneen säätiö, Metsän puolella)
| Articles: |
Heikkilä, M. & Hautamäki, R. (2024): Restorative environmental experiences: uncovering the invisible and visible attributes in Finnish forests and Japanese gardens - a literature review. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2024.2418343 Heikkilä, M., Verma, I., & Nenonen, S. (2024). Toward Restorative Hospital Environment: Nature and Art in Finnish Hospitals. HERD, 19375867241239320–19375867241239320. https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867241239320 . https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/19375867241239320 |
Jukka Jormola: Replacing the lost - planning of reproduction channels and rapid landscapes. Menetetyn korvaaminen – lisääntymisuomien ja koskimaiseman suunnittelu (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki)
| Articles: | Jormola, J., Haapala, A., Leinonen, K., Tapaninen, M., Vähänäkki, P. & Koljonen, S. (2022). Performance of constructed fish spawning and rearing channels : development of the Imatra City Brook in Finland. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24705357.2022.2090456 |
Sofia Kangas: Improving the applicability and relevance of systemic approaches in the field of urban and landscape planning (responsible professor Elisa Lähde)
Jenni Karhapää: Monihyötyinen viherrakenne ja sen tuottama monilajinen hyvinvointi tiivistyvässä kaupungissa. (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki, funding: CoolGreen and JustTrees -projects)
Eveliina Kunnaton: Biocultural landscapes – understanding the deep entanglements between human and natural systems (responsible professor Elisa Lähde, funding: Kone Foundation)
Paula-Kaisa Leppänen: Residential vegetation and its climate impacts - from plant-scale to properties and urban neighborhoods (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki)
| Articles: |
Leppänen, P.-K., Kinnunen, A., Hautamäki, R., Järvi, L., Havu, M., Junnila, S., & Tahvonen, O. (2024). Impact of changing urban typologies on residential vegetation and its climate-effects – A case study from Helsinki, Finland. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128343 . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1618866724001419?via%3Dihub Ariluoma, M, Leppänen, P-K, Tahvonen, O, Hautamäki, R & Ryymin, A. (2023). A framework for a carbon-based urban vegetation typology - A thematic review. Environmental Development, vol. 47, 100899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2023.100899 |
Olivia Mahlio: Enhancing Urban Biodiversity through Landscape Architecture: Strategies for Mitigating Biodiversity Loss in Urban Areas (responsible professor Elisa Lähde, funding: ARVO-project)
Caroline Moinel: A life cycle approach to urban green spaces (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki, funding: Co-Carbon-project)
| Articles: |
Moinel, C., Kuittinen, M. & Hautamäki, R. (2024). Estimating CO2 flows in urban parks: knowns and unknowns. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2024.1452403 Malabi Eberhardt, L. C., Kuittinen, M., Häkkinen, T., Moinel, C., Nibel, S. & Birgisdottir, H. (2023). Carbon handprint – a review of potential climate benefits of buildings. BUILDING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION. https://research.aalto.fi/fi/publications/carbon-handprinta-review-of-potential-climate-benefits-of-buildin |
Saara Pyykkö: Colour design of new neighbourhoods based on the chromatic experience of environment (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki, funding: multiple sources of funding)
Nicolette Slagle: Citizen Engagement in Contaminated Land Restoration (responsible professor Elisa Lähde, funding: Nesslingin säätiö)
Maija Tiitu: Green space accessibility and walkability across urban fabrics – residents’ perspective (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki)
| Articles: |
Viinikka, A., Tiitu, M., Heikinheimo V., Halonen, J. I., Nyberg, E. & Vierikko, K. (2023). Associations of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status, accessibility, and quality of green spaces in Finnish urban regions. Applied Geography 157, 102973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.102973 |
Kati Wolff Susi: Katri Luostarinen ja luontoperustaisen maisemasuunnittelun tulo Suomeen toisen maailmansodan jälkeen (responsible professor Ranja Hautamäki)
In the "Landscape Blog", our doctoral researchers present their research topics. The themes explored in their work include issues related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and the well-being of humans and other species in relation to landscapes and green infrastructure, as well as methods of urban and landscape planning, and both historical and current developments.
Galleria esittelee maisema-arkkitehtuurin kursseilla syntyneitä kurssitöitä sekä valmistuneita ja palkittuja diplomitöitä. Sivustolla näytetään millaisia aihepiirejä opinnoissa käsitellään harjoitustehtävien kautta, ja miten opiskelijoiden taidot karttuvat vuosikurssilta toiselle siirryttäessä.
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Our research offers solutions to the planetary crises through analytical and creative mindsets.
