Helsinki sports field intentionally built sloped due to weak soil

Helsinki's Herttoniemi sports field has undergone a significant renovation costing 4.2 million euros, but the resulting sloped design has raised questions among residents. The unusual gradient is a deliberate engineering choice to address the area's weak soil.

According to Tiina Perälä, lead landscape architect at Sweco, the firm involved in the project, the ground beneath the field is up to eight meters deep with weak soil. Constructing a level field would have incurred an additional cost of at least 1 million euros on top of the already substantial renovation budget.

Katriina Arrakoski, head of Helsinki's park and green area planning unit, confirmed that the field was designed to be sloped and unsuitable for competitive sports. This decision was made because the underlying soil was weak, and the city opted not to disturb it, opting instead for a design that accommodated the existing conditions.

The renovated field is intended for amateur use and school sports for children and youth, rather than for professional or competitive athletics. The city prioritized a functional and cost-effective solution given the challenging geological circumstances.