We found a cluster that does not bother boundaries of municipalicies. This is normal to clusters (Porter 2000). We named the cluster of innovations and creative class as an "innovation horseshoe" because of its shape.
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In my analyses of the present state, it usually some how pop out also some estimations of the future. With predictive analytics, we show one scenario of the future in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HMA). This map will show emerging or growing clusters of innovation as well as the demand of the professionals, i.e. areas that could attract more professionals if there were new houing in the area. Growing innovation clusters could benefit from commercial zoning or actions from business service and other officials. I (still) hope there will soon be a paper to refer to.
Recently the importance of urban density and agglomeration advantages have seen a remarkable revival in the field of economic geography and urban planning. For example, Emil Malazia et al (2015), have found a correlation between urban density and economic growth in census track areas of Washington, D.C. Also the importance of dense mixed land use is commonly understood as an enabler of healthy and efficient communities (e.g. Musakwa and Niekerk (2013) ,Song and Rodríguez (2005). In our study, we have predicted which areas in Helsinki Metropolitan Region could benefit from more dense and mixed urban structure. Our analysis recognized two zip code areas with huge housing demand: Ruoholahti and Pitäjänmäki in western Helsinki. The areas with second highest housing demand were in Center of the Helsinki, Munkkiniemi, Itä-Pasila, Kaartinkaupunki and Meilahti in western Helsinki as well as Pohjois-Tapiola, Otaniemi, Pohjois-Leppävaara, Etelä-Leppävaara, Niittykumpu and Nihtisilta in eastern Espoo and Oitmäki in western Espoo as well as Kirkonkylä-Veromäki in Vantaa. Areas with highest potential for innovative growth locate mainly between areas’ with demand for housing. Especially the edges of the inner city as well as few subcenters on the ring roads get predictions of higher innovative output than today. Länsi-Pasila, Jätkäsaari and Pikku Huopalahti from Helsinki are on their own class with their innovative potential. Second highest innovative growth is predicted from Helsinki to Kulosaari, Kaitalahti and Kaivopuisto and from Espoo Laajalahti-Friisinmäki from Espoo and from Vantaa the zip code area Jokiniemi. Some previous innovation studies have recognized the existence of innovation paradoxes, meaning that some regions exhibit stronger (innovation prone) and some exhibit weaker (innovation averse) than expected economic growth relative to their R&D activity (Rodriguez-Pose 1999, Makkonen & Inkinen 2013).
In my PhD thesis, I have identified the under- and overachieving clusters in Helsinki Metropolitan Area in regard to the present state geography of human capital. This gives major advice to planning authorities of the region by highlighting the areas with the most potential for innovative growth. Method is multivariate spatial regression with GeoDa software. Analyzing the connection between zip code area's and its neighbors level of human capital and cluster's innovative output, we get the predictions of the estimated innovative output of the cluster and the residual values of each area, which show how much the area's development is lagged at the present. Results show that new clusters of knowledge intensive jobs and thus innovations could emerge into outskirts of inner city of Helsinki as well as some sub centers in Espoo and Vantaa. Areas rasterized with both styles represent innovation prone areas in regard to both, absolute and relative level of nearby human capital. These areas are southern and northern edge of the inner city in Helsinki as well as Kera, Mankkaa and Laajalahti in Espoo and Jokiniemi in Vantaa. Findings encourage to sufficient zoning of commercial space in ongoing planning of inner city extensions in Helsinki and planning of certain new or developing sub centers in Espoo and Vantaa. |
Photo by Rob Hurson
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July 2018
AuthorJuho Kiuru, geographer living in Helsinki, Finland. |