Table 7 Summary of the studied innovative city locations in the knowledge bases framework
| Â | Arabianranta | Keilaniemi-Otaniemi | Center of Helsinki |
|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge base characteristic | Symbolic - art and design dominated residential district | Synthetic - engineering and ICT production hub | Analytical combining synthetic and symbolic |
Spatial characteristics (buildings and green areas) | Low building profile (max 10 floors); extensive green areas (managed), water-front | High building profile (max 25 floors); limited green areas mainly in natural condition; water-front | Low building profile (max 10 floors); very limited green areas (city parks); CBD and old design |
Organizational characteristics (derived from planning) | Residential area; limited number of businesses; strong focus on residential buildings | Business district; business design; applications of steel, concrete and glass | Old town planning derivable to 19th century; combination of business structures and residential buildings |
Relative location and accessibility (modes of transport and travel time) | Peripheral. Central distance 7Â km via roads; limited car parking and access; efficient public transport | Mediocre. Central distance 7Â km via roads; efficient car access and parking; mediocre public transport | Central node. Highly efficient public transport (intermodal, all modes); limited car parking and access |
University presence | Aalto University: School of Art, Design and Architecture | Aalto University: Helsinki University of Technology (main campus) | University of Helsinki; Aalto University: School of Business; Sibelius Academy |
Municipality (2 in Helsinki, 1 in Espoo) | Helsinki | Espoo | Helsinki |
Institutional diversity and knowledge bases | Strong focus on art and design; combination of symbolic knowledge resources; living lab | High technology ICT engineering; Combination of synthetic and analytical knowledge bases and software production | Multitude of actors and activities; Fragmented structures and combination of all knowledge bases |
Characteristics of economic actors | Art and design retailing; Small production; Services; Restaurants | Corporate headquarters: ICT; Oil refining; Industrial engineering | Multitude of functions: Headquarters; Finance and services; Legal services; PR and consulting |