Sustainability
Aalto University's purpose is to shape a sustainable future. At Aalto, we create solutions that enable well-being within the planetary boundaries.
Living campus nature as support for wellbeing
On Aalto University's campus, green areas are an important part of ecological sustainability and support the wellbeing of all campus users. The green areas also serve as a testbed for new innovations and, on the other hand, nurture the historically valued campus image.
Aalto University’s Otaniemi campus is a good example of how biodiversity can be strengthened as part of a pleasant campus environment. Solutions are being developed in the campus area that support biodiversity and bring nature closer to the everyday life of campus users.
Outdoor areas are being developed on nature’s terms and with resource wisdom. An experimental culture also plays a strong role in developing the campus’s natural environment.
Campus nature is alive and changing – how dynamic design shapes everyday environments
With the right plant choices and an understanding of microclimates, it is possible to create plant communities that thrive with minimal maintenance.
A key measure in promoting biodiversity on campus and in adapting to climate change is to assess the suitability of meadows for landscape management in the campus area. However, with regard to creating meadows, it must be noted that the development of a meadow requires suitable conditions and the right kind of care, which is often done by hand.
The aim on campus is to establish meadows in locations where their growth and flourishing can be successfully achieved, or in places where there is some other natural reason for creating a meadow.
Alvar Aalto’s plans for the Otaniemi campus area are a good example of how nature and the built environment can merge into one, creating a harmonious and sustainable whole. In Aalto’s visions, the characteristic features of the campus were maintained lawn, groups of trees and individual trees, which together with Otaniemi’s park history form a unique whole. According É«É«À²â€™s campus plan, these natural elements were to be preserved and clarified so that they could continue to serve as aesthetic and ecological elements of the area.
Nature at the core of Aalto's campus plan
The trees in the Otaniemi manor area were significant to Alvar Aalto.
Balancing nature and culture with the campus tree strategy
The campus tree strategy seeks to maintain a balanced and diverse tree population.
Although Alvar Aalto’s historic town plan guides the area’s development in the background, Otaniemi is also an excellent natural laboratory and testbed for students and researchers. The campus offers opportunities to observe ecosystem functions, such as the circulation of nutrients and water, as well as the effects of different land use solutions on the environment. Various species trials and meadow plantings support biodiversity and make the university’s environmental values visible.
A new perspective lies in the opportunity where both student projects and collaboration with leading experts in the field create a solid foundation based on open knowledge sharing. In experimentation-based activities, observations from the field are taken directly to a multidisciplinary working group and incorporated into the campus environment’s planning process.
Pioneers, pollinators, and standing deadwood
Aalto University’s campus is home to thousands of species. Nature recovers and flourishes through gentle care and room to grow.
Campus in the summer
