Two squares in Helsinki: a biography

Woven into the fabric of buildings, streets, and plazas are clues that tell us about their times, their purposes, and perhaps even suggested behaviour within them. By tracing changes in spatial forms and how they are deciphered, we may create one of a city's many possible histories. Rather than stressing the role of the city's buildings, the discussion focuses instead on Helsinki's two major open spaces: the commercial Market Square and the more ceremonial Senate Square, designed by Carl Ludwig Engel in the early 1800s. Although their architectural frames have remained essentially the same through the years, the activities within them have followed the developments of modern life. From their stories we may witness the continuing evolution of urban living characteristic of modern cities, and perhaps learn to better identify and understand them when projecting new designs.