Modern rental home in Jätkäsaari

Fisherfolk and bogeymen

People have lived in Jätkäsaari since the late 1800s. In addition to being home to fisherfolk, those days the island was a recreational area for Helsinki residents and a villa district for those with a higher social standing. The West Harbour was founded in Jätkäsaari in the early 1900s and over the years expanded into Helsinki’s largest harbour. When the cargo harbour moved to Vuosaari in 2008, the construction of a new district for 18,000 residents and 6,000 workplaces began in what used to be a field for shipping containers.

The Finnish name of Jätkäsaari is translated from the Swedish Busholmen. The world bus was originally thought to refer to dock workers (hamnbuse), but there are also other theories as regards the etymology of the word: in Old Swedish, buza meant a merchant ship, whereas bus is also a dialectal word for bogeyman. In 1928, Jätkäsaari was confirmed as the Finnish name of the island.

Harbour heritage and culture going hand in hand

Located at the mainland-side end of Jätkäsaari is Huutokonttori, with the building’s name reflecting its former use as the hiring hall where dock workers gathered each morning to be assigned jobs for the day. The building has been converted into a City of Helsinki Rescue Station and also houses the Jätkäsaari Info Centre and Library.

If you borrowed a nice DVD from the library and now need a player for it, you will probably find one at the Verkkokauppa.com megastore located next to the West Harbour. Bad Bad Boy, the sculpture by Tommi Toija outside Verkkokauppa is bound to catch your eye. In addition to the massive pink boy, there is also a lot of other public art in the Jätkäsaari streetscape, including the Länsilinkki Bridge, the Back to the Future installation in a phone booth, the Harbour relief and the Horizon in Jätkäsaarenlaituri street. And there is also more art coming up.

If you are interested in stage art, check out the current repertoire of the Viirus theatre company.

Breaks from everyday life for every budget

Jätkäsaari is an easy place to set off for all sorts of breaks: For Estonia, you can take direct ferry from the West Harbour. Breaks from everyday life are also available at the 16-storey Clarion Hotel Helsinki. You can enjoy spectacular views over the sea around the year from its rooftop terrace and swimming pool.

If you are into flavours from around the world but not so much into travelling somewhere far away, a culinary staycation is your solution. Jätkäsaari restaurants offer authentic (including vegan) taste delights ranging from Italian (Da Spizzico, Via Tribunali) and Thai (Siam City), Japanese (Mashiro) and Vietnamese (Sen Việt Vegan Restaurant) to name but a few examples.
Those who enjoy a cup of coffee with something sweet or savoury will love the freshly baked treats of Belle Baguette, Persian vegetarian food and pastries at Banu Cafe and the handmade cakes of Kakuttaa.

For international flavours there is Maustekauppa, the shop for all the spices and seasonings your inner Top Chef will need.

Did your trousers split from having a bit too much to eat? No problem, you can have them fixed at Ompelimo 18 or get a nice second-hand pair from Siisti Kirppis.

Lots of services, leisure activities and different types of homes

In Jätkäsaari, you will find basic services near or even nearer. The island boasts a broad range of food shopping from small to large stores. For more shopping opportunities there is the local Ruoholahti shopping centre across the canal. The youngest members of the family will not need to venture far for Jätkäsaari Comprehensive School, and the current range of children’s daycare facilities will increase as the local population grows.

Jätkäsaari has excellent access to public transport as well as pedestrian and cycling routes. Once completed, a fifth of the area of Jätkäsaari will be parks providing you with ample space for lounging around, keeping fit and play. The largest green area, Hyväntoivonpuisto Park, will soon be an oasis spanning a kilometre in length and almost a hundred metres in width and featuring the island’s main pedestrian and cycling routes.

Those into keeping fit will find all sorts of opportunities for guided activity in Jätkäsaari. There is a diverse range of indoor and outdoor venues for sports: take a look what is available at the artificial ice rink at the Jätkäsaari Sports Park and the Jätkäsaari artificial turf field and air dome. You can also break up a sweat at the Easy Training gym, and new perspectives for runners are available at Runner’s High. And by the way, Jätkäsaari also has specialist shops for sports gear and supplies from clothes to supplements.
Those into music can hone their skills at the Stadin Musakoulu and Guitar Trainer schools.

Four-legged friends have also been taken into account in the district’s planning and design. You can take your canine companion to Jätkäsaari Dog Park or pamper your pet at Bonjour Dog Grooming.

Housing for a new era

Architecture in Jätkäsaari is streamlined and experimental: bold colours, a variety of apartment types, balconies of many shapes and rooftops also taken into use. SATO’s modern rental homes are located at Rionkatu 11, Malagankatu 7 and Atlantinkatu 12.

Housing for a new era calls for recycling solutions for a new era. Jätkäsaari has an innovative automated waste collection system (AWCS) that sucks waste down the tube and through underground pipes to the collection station at a speed of 70 km per hour. Any waste that is too bulky to fit into the Rööri tube system or that you are not allowed to put down the tube (such as metal and glass) can be taken to one of the many separate sorting rooms available in the area.

Take a look at SATO rental homes in Jätkäsaari and find the home of your life in one of Helsinki’s most seasidey districts!