Cities: Espoo, Finland

This thread is desperately needing new content, so...

10. Lähderannanristi


This junction is decent example of the suburban nature of much of Espoo. And here you can also see the retail duopoly that is found on many places in Finland (although German Lidl has been trying break that in number of areas): on the left side of the road is S-Market of S-Group of retail cooperatives and the right side is K-Supermarket of the retailing conglomerate KESKO.

And perhaps I have to tell also, why I was in this location week ago: Finnish Nature Photographers' Association (SLV) held its autumn meeting at Hotel Korpilampi in Espoo last weekend. This hotel in somewhat remote location can be reached by a Helsinki region public transport bus, but sadly this route is operated most times twice in a hour and as the other busses I needed to take in order to reach a bus stop where I can take a right bus were running late, I eventually had to wait on this bus stop in this junction close to half an hour...

Another shot from Suomenoja/Finnoo


On the left side you can see one sign of the times: there is significant amount of new construction taking placing in the surrounding area, partially because the metro line from Helsinki will be extended further to the west and one of the new metro stations will be nearby. Also the water processing plant is going to be shut down soon as a new facility has been built elsewhere in Espoo.

And as said before the pools at Suomenoja are known for the birds and one of the attractions is that it is one the best places in Finland to photograph following species:

Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)


Horned grebe (Podiceps auritus)


Gadwall (Mareca strepera)


Common pochard (Aythya ferina)

Last evening I decided to do some birding at Laajalahti, bird photos were nothing to write home about, but I snapped few other pictures on my way back...

1. Reeds of Laajalahti


2. Urban areas are close


3. The new light rail line that will connect Eastern Espoo to East Helsinki


4. Another section of the new light rail tracks on Maarintie


And next to Laajalahti is Otaniemi, which is the home of Aalto University campus.

5. Aalto University Undergraduate Center


Or the main building of Helsinki University of Technology, which relocated from Helsinki to Otaniemi in 1966. In 2010 when Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics and University of Art and Design Helsinki merged to form Aalto University, inspiration for this name was the fact that large part of the old parts of the Otaniemi campus, including this building, were designed by Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, an alumnus of Helsinki University of Technology.

6. Foremost building now hosts the School of Economics


7. Another side of the School of Economics building


8. School of Arts, Design and Architecture


9. Behind the tracks and interesting floral installation is one of the older building of the Otaniemi campus


10. The campus has its own metro station