Merihaka

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A view on Merihaka in July, 2005

Apartment blocks in Merihaka during the winter

Merihaka is a residential area in central Helsinki, Finland consisting of large high-rise concrete housing blocks. It is located by the sea next to districts of Hakaniemi, Kallio and Sörnäinen. It is known for its grey appearance that most agree is rather gloomy and unattractive. The housing complex was built, partly on reclaimed land, during the 1970s and 1980s, and today it is home to some 2,300 people. A distinctive feature, shared with some other places in Helsinki such as Itä-Pasila, is traffic segregation: the streets for cars and buses together with large car parks are on a level of their own, below that of pedestrian footways and the main entrances to the buildings. At the time, this arrangement was thought to increase the cosiness of the area as well as improve traffic safety, but today segregated areas are generally seen as confusing and inconvenient and the underground parts gloomy.

However, unlike one could assume, the flats in Merihaka are not among the cheapest or most unwanted in Helsinki. This is mainly due to the area's central location, only about one kilometre from the core of downtown Helsinki, and some flats, with magnificent sea views, command very high prices.

The most famous resident of Merihaka was, probably, the former prime minister of Finland, Kalevi Sorsa.