Seinäjoki housing fair area a decade on: half the original residents remain

A decade after the 2016 Seinäjoki housing fair, roughly half of the original residents still call the Pruukinranta area home, according to a report by Finnish broadcaster Yle.

The forested district near Kyrkösjärvi lake and the central hospital was designed with 35 single-family houses—including one semi-detached and one terraced house—plus one apartment building, arranged in circular and horseshoe patterns to follow the natural terrain. Today, its quiet streets are lined with wildflowers, grasses, and maturing pine forests that nearly reach residents’ windows.

Residents like former speed skater Pekka Koskela, who moved in at the start, praise the area’s proximity to nature, workplaces, and the city, as well as its tranquility and recreational opportunities, including access to Kyrkösjärvi and the Joupiska artificial turf field. Koskela’s 200-square-meter CLT-element home, built for a family of three, has adapted to his now five-person household with modular walls and durable appliances.

Hannu-Pekka Parviainen, known as Duudsonien HP, also remains satisfied with his semi-detached house, though he admits he would design its layout differently today. “If I were to build now, I’d do it completely differently,” he said, noting that his next home would still span two floors.

Joran Hasenson, CEO of Finland’s Housing Fairs, emphasized that current priorities have shifted from sheer size to quality of living. “Size is no longer the key factor—it’s about smart design, quality materials, good outdoor spaces, and energy efficiency,” he said. Last year, the largest house at the Oulu fair matched the smallest from two decades prior, with average sizes now around 120 square meters.

A ceramic sculpture, Päivi Rintaniemi’s A Big Hug (Hali), greets visitors at the entrance, symbolizing the area’s welcoming atmosphere. The neighborhood’s mix of grand, estate-like homes and modest houses reflects the fair’s tradition of diversity, though modern luxury is now defined by functionality rather than square footage.