Density as an indicator of sustainable urban development: insights from Helsinki?
Page, Mathew; Joutsiniemi, Anssi; Vaattovaara, Mari; Jama, Teemu; Rönnberg, Oskar (2024-07-15)
Avaa tiedosto
Sisältö avataan julkiseksi: 15.01.2026
Taylor & Francis
15.07.2024
Page, M., Joutsiniemi, A., Vaattovaara, M., Jama, T., & Rönnberg, O. (2024). Density as an indicator of sustainable urban development: insights from Helsinki? European Planning Studies, 32(10), 2182–2202. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2024.2370314
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in European planning studies. Page, M., Joutsiniemi, A., Vaattovaara, M., Jama, T., & Rönnberg, O. (2024). Density as an indicator of sustainable urban development: insights from Helsinki? European Planning Studies, 32(10), 2182–2202. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2024.2370314. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in European planning studies. Page, M., Joutsiniemi, A., Vaattovaara, M., Jama, T., & Rönnberg, O. (2024). Density as an indicator of sustainable urban development: insights from Helsinki? European Planning Studies, 32(10), 2182–2202. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2024.2370314. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202506234892
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202506234892
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
Densification has become a dominant strategy for sustainable urban development in recent decades, viewed as a main antidote to urban sprawl and essential for achieving a range of urban qualities from economic to ecological. Despite its prominence as an indicator and driver of sustainable development, measuring density in a meaningful way poses significant challenges. Arbitrary metrics often overlook the complexity of density and its associations, leading to potential unintended outcomes in density-driven planning. Using the Helsinki region as a case study, this article demonstrates the sensitivity of density measurements to minor changes in reference areas and calculation units, highlighting how different types of density can loosely relate to each other. Our findings underscore the importance of precise methodological choices in avoiding misguided planning decisions and policy advice that could compromise sustainability goals, revealing the complex dynamics of infill and edge growth often obscured in regional density measures.
Densification has become a dominant strategy for sustainable urban development in recent decades, viewed as a main antidote to urban sprawl and essential for achieving a range of urban qualities from economic to ecological. Despite its prominence as an indicator and driver of sustainable development, measuring density in a meaningful way poses significant challenges. Arbitrary metrics often overlook the complexity of density and its associations, leading to potential unintended outcomes in density-driven planning. Using the Helsinki region as a case study, this article demonstrates the sensitivity of density measurements to minor changes in reference areas and calculation units, highlighting how different types of density can loosely relate to each other. Our findings underscore the importance of precise methodological choices in avoiding misguided planning decisions and policy advice that could compromise sustainability goals, revealing the complex dynamics of infill and edge growth often obscured in regional density measures.
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