Helsinki’s Vuosaari district now has more residents than the city of Kerava

The eastern Helsinki district of Vuosaari has surpassed the population of Kerava, with over 40,000 residents, as rapid growth and dense construction spark concerns among locals over the loss of green spaces, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

At the end of last year, Vuosaari’s population reached 40,014—five times higher than in 1966, when the area was incorporated into Helsinki. Over the same period, Helsinki’s overall population grew by just 1.4 times. If Vuosaari were an independent municipality, it would rank among Finland’s 30 largest, comparable in size to Tuusula or Kirkkonummi.

A recent resident survey, part of the Vuosaari Vision 2035 report compiled by the local Vuosaari committee, received nearly 1,600 responses. Nature and the sea were overwhelmingly cited as the area’s most valued features, while construction and zoning were seen as the greatest threats.

Eero Hildén, chair of the Vuosaari committee and a resident since 1994, called the results expected. “Nature and the sea clearly emerged as the top priorities, while construction and planning were viewed as the biggest risks,” he said.

Current development plans include infill construction in central Vuosaari, where new buildings are set to replace older low-rise structures and parts of the existing shopping center. In Rastila, on the district’s western edge, the city has proposed six new apartment blocks between Ramsinniementie and Hotel Rantapuisto—a project Hildén anticipates will face strong opposition due to the destruction of forested areas and a small grove. “Valuable woodland and a small stand of trees are slated for clearing, and bedrock will be blasted away. The plan feels utterly unreasonable,” he said.

Further expansion is planned in Meri-Rastila, where decades-old proposals to demolish dozens of existing properties for high-density housing remain under consideration.

Vuosaari’s transformation from a sparsely populated coastal area to a densely built urban district began with the 1966 completion of the Vuosaari Bridge, which halved travel times to central Helsinki. The bridge’s construction, documented by then-resident Kari Hoffrén, marked the start of large-scale housing development, including the mid-rise and high-rise blocks of Keski-Vuosaari in the 1970s and 1980s, followed by Meri-Rastila and Kallahden in the 1990s. The 2000s saw Aurinkolahti evolve into another high-density residential zone.

Hoffrén, who lived in Vuosaari for two decades before moving to Tuusula, expressed dismay at the changes. “It’s depressing to visit the old neighborhoods now. It’s all been packed in so tightly. Enough is enough,” he said.

The bridge’s 60th anniversary in early July coincides with Vuosaari’s own milestone. Its designer, engineer Kauko Heininen, was the father of Helena and Eero Heininen, who still hold photographs from its construction.

Today, Vuosaari’s 17 square kilometers blend dense urban housing with stretches of coastline, forest, and protected natural areas—a balance that remains a key challenge for Helsinki as the district’s growth continues.