From the textile industry to technology companies
The Turku Science Park was started with the construction of DataCity in 1988. The idea was to bring Turku's high-tech companies and academic research together under the same roof. The developer, Real Estate Councillor Juhani Lunden, got the project started with his idea for an "IT building", which was named DataCity.
The history of the ElectroCity property in the textile industry
The past of the ElectroCity property is related to the textile industry. In 1928, August Laurén founded Kudos Oy Silo, which operated in the knitwear industry. In the 1930s, Silo entrenched its position as the country's second largest tricot factory. It built its first own factory in the industrial area between Kupittaa Park and Kupittaa station on Lemminkäisenkatu in 1942. The old Silo industrial property was renovated and extended into offices for high-tech companies in 1989. ElectroCity was completely renovated in 2015, when the Werstas coworking space was also started.
Upon completion, BioCity was Finland's most modern bioindustry centre
Built in the early 1990s as an extension of a three-story spinning mill, BioCity was Finland's most modern bioindustry centre when it was completed. The initial idea of the new project was to establish a biotechnology centre in Turku, as great growth was expected from the bio and pharmaceutical sector. For this, more laboratory and production spaces were needed. The basic idea was not only to secure the growth of the bioindustry, but also to practically apply the expertise of universities and research institutes. In addition to bioindustry operators, BioCity is home to a meeting and conference centre named after Turku statesman, President Mauno Koivisto. The centre was inaugurated at the end of 1993 and renovated in 2013.
PharmaCity was completed in 2002
PharmaCity was completed in 2002 on the corner of Lemminkäisenkatu and Itäinen Pitkäkatu, next to BioCity and ElectroCity. The growth of the bio- and pharmaceutical industry created an acute shortage of research and development facilities. We wanted to respond to this shortage by building PharmaCity with its laboratory and office spaces that cater to the needs of future users. Two low-rise buildings were demolished at the site: HK Ruokatalo's production plant and old storage rooms. The slaughterhouse of HK's predecessor, the LSO Cooperative, whose history dates back to 1913, was located in the area.
The history of Intelligate office buildings dates back to 1992
The history of the Intelligate office buildings dates back to 1992 when an architectural competition was organised to design the whole Kupittaa centre. The award-winning plan included the Kupittaa railway station, a commercial building, and an office complex. The first of these, the station building, was built in 1995. The Intelligate complex includes three interconnected office and business buildings, the first of which was completed in 2006 and the second in 2013. The third Intelligate had to wait until 2020, when Sokos Hotel Kupittaa opened at the property.
In 2006, ICT-City was built on the site of the former Anni Helena grain silo
The IT teaching of the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi and the Turku University of Applied Sciences is in the building. The Turku University of Applied Sciences focused its teaching in the Science Park (excl. Academy of Arts) when the new campus building EduCity was completed in 2020. The top floors are company offices, and today EduCity houses Nordea and Cloetta, among others.
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Video Turun Tiedepuiston historiasta ja tulevaisuuden suunnitelmista.