Dear colleagues,

The UBC Commission on Urban Planning will have its next seminar in Tampere, Finland, between April 14th and 17th. The seminar theme "Edges of the City Centre and Reuse of Traffic Areas" concentrates on an acute question in many cities, namely increasing the density of city centres and avoiding urban sprawl. Also climate change and sustainability in urban planning are taken into account in the seminar programme. Enclosed is the invitation to the seminar, the seminar programme, information of travelling to Tampere and registration form for the seminar.  

Tampere is the 3rd largest city in Finland with approx. 210 000 inhabitants. It is 176 km north-west from the capital city Helsinki and 157 km north-east from Turku, but has an airport of its own, too. Tampere has always been a very important industrial city and a centre of industrial innovations, and in 1882 it actually had the 1st electric light in Scandinavia. In 1974 the world's first mobile phone call using the NMT-technology was called from Tampere, in 1991 they already used GSM technology, and the world famous NOKIA company was originally founded in Tampere although it then moved to the neighbouring municipality Nokia in the 1860's! The rich industrial history of Tampere is visible everywhere in the city, and in fact we'll have our get-together on Wednesday, April 14th in the former Frenckell paper mill that now serves as the offices of the city planning department of Tampere. You can find more information about Tampere on the city's web page http://www.gotampere.fi/eng

Our hosts in Tampere have negotiated reasonable hotel prices for the seminar participants either at Sokos Hotel Tammer (http://www.sokoshotels.fi/en/hotels/tampere/tammer) or at the Hostel Sofia (http://www.hostelsofia.fi/). You are expected to make your own reservation by March 3rd according to the instructions in the invitation. In order to get the discount room price, mention "UBC-Tampere" when you make your reservation! 

Please send in your registration by February 28th to UBC-seminar@tampere.fi (registration form in enclosed in this e-mail) and book your accommodation at the same time either to sokos.hotels@sok.fi (or phone +358 20 1234 632) or to hostelsofia@hostelsofia.fi. When coming to Tampere, remember to pack your swim suit with you, because you cannot visit Finland without going to sauna (in the programme on Friday evening, April 16th)! 

Looking forward to meeting you in Tampere in April, 

Sirpa Kallio

Chairperson of the UBC Commission on Urban Planning, Project Manager
City of Helsinki Economic and Planning Centre
tel. +358 9 310 36124
e-mail: sirpa.kallio@hel.fi

• Invitation ( 307.7 KB )
• Program ( 5.81 KB )
• Registration form ( 44.5 KB )
• Transportation ( 6.27 KB )