© Séverin Malaud

Pasila Tripla

Finland is the happiest country on earth. Its capital, Helsinki, is rated one of the most livable cities in the world. Is there a causal relationship between such ratings and the unrelenting efforts to improve urban spaces? The recent fate of Pasila seems to suggest there is. Once considered among Helsinki’s least attractive neighborhoods, the area underwent a radical transformation after the city decided to expand its center to the north and declare Pasila ‘the gate of the city’. Currently, Pasila counts as one of Helsinki’s most popular places to visit.