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The Maintaining the cultural milieu of Northern Ostrobothnia region project was started in 2000. It is a co-operative project of the Department of Architecture (University of Oulu), the municipalities of the region and the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The project’s goal is to strengthen the identity, distinctiveness and attractiveness of villages and small towns of the region. During the course of the multi-year project, the university works in close co-operation with municipal authorities and building supervision. Because a good environment is seen as a factor in the competitiveness and success of a municipality, the region’s municipalities have eagerly joined this research work.
The role of the Department of Architecture is to co-ordinate the project, create ideas, provide guidance and advice, participate in the planning of individual development projects, and provide planning, guidance and advice in renovation projects and environmental care pilot projects. Within the framework of the project, the Department of Architecture has adopted research work related to the development of provincial population centres and the improvement, development and renovation of the built environment as a central part of its activity for the next few years.
In the first phase of the work, the 18 municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia and the condition and improvement needs of the built-up environment of their villages and small towns were examined. They were analysed on the basis of existing plans and written material, but especially on-site. The population centres’ visual and functional structure, such as the location and functionality of activities, the functionality and appearance of the road network, and the building stock of the centre, were examined. Attention was focused on the present image and identity of the villages and towns, which includes significant factors such as scenery, views, green areas, landmarks, various built-up areas and the level of maintenance of the environment. Municipality-specific reports based on the analysis were compiled of the present situation.
Within the framework of this project during the second phase, plans and action programmes will be compiled for maintaining the environment and developing the built-up areas of the municipalities’ population centres, town plans will be updated and planned in more detail, maintenance and renovation of the building stock will be planned etc. Along with this work the methods and resources with which the town centre environment and local building heritage can be maintained even better will be examined and surveyed. The expertise of the Department of Architecture at the University of Oulu will be utilised in the project. The Department of Architecture has committed itself to the project in that the department’s training work, thesis project work and post-graduate studies are directed toward research and development work that serves the municipalities. The results of research and training work are made directly available to the provinces. The actual development work and the maintenance and repair of the building stock take place explicitly at the municipal level. Sub-projects of the project are currently ongoing or starting up in 11 municipalities.
