Residents’ feedback has highlighted, in particular, safety, cleanliness, green spaces, lighting, art, recreational opportunities, and activities aimed at young people. Thanks to the operating funds and the collaboration they have fostered, the Hervanta town center has been able to address many of these wishes.
One of the most visible outcomes of the operational fund is the expansion of the Tampere Festival of Light to Hervanta for the first time on this scale. A collection of five light installations has been created in the centre of Hervanta, combining coloured lighting, light projections, shadow play and communal lighting. The installations are situated at the Hervanta Leisure Centre, on Valtaraitti, in front of the Hehku Youth Centre, in the courtyard of the Hervanta Center, and in the area between the Leisure Centre and Lake Ahvenisjärvi. The light installations bring colour and atmosphere to the dark season and transform familiar routes into memorable experiences.
Illustrations created by local young people form part of the lighting display. The illustrations are used in the light projections and in the designs of the lanterns hung amongst the trees.
– The design was guided by a shared theme of self-expression and equality. It has been wonderful for both staff and young people to see how the young people’s drawings have moved from paper to become part of the Festival of Light, commented Aleksandr Lihatsov, the lead instructor at the Hehku Youth Centre in Hervanta.
Hervanta’s Festival of Light showcases the area from a new perspective. The artworks can be viewed until 28 February 2027.
The windows and doors of the former cinema in Hervanta have been given a new look. A temporary artwork designed by visual artist Sanna Seetri brings colour to the vacant building. The colourful, nature-themed artwork catches the eye of passers-by and invites them to stop and take a closer look. The temporary artwork will remain on the window surfaces for as long as it remains in good condition or until the building is put to another use.
– In designing the artwork, I took into account the architecture of the building, designed by Raili and Reima Pietilä, its history and the Hervanta neighbourhood. The work’s organic forms, shades and rounded shapes tie in with the building and its surroundings. Painting a mirror image on the inside of the glass surfaces presented its own challenges and, at the same time, led to some wonderful encounters with passers-by, says Sanna Seetri.
The €50,000 grant allocated for the development of Hervanta city centre forms part of Tampere’s Neighbourhood Development Programme for 2026–2029. Over the course of the year, the grant has also been used to renovate the Ahvenisjärvi pier, as well as to create a basketball court and an authorised graffiti wall. The aim of the funding is to strengthen residents’ opportunities to influence the development of their own neighbourhood and to translate their wishes into tangible improvements in the urban environment.
