A district does not become lively simply because a major building project is completed, urban strategist and researcher Ilona Hiila says in an interview with HS. In her view, the idea that one striking building can bring an entire neighbourhood back to life is too narrow.

What matters, Hiila says, is what happens after the building is finished: what services are available, how people use the area and whether it develops functions that support everyday life. A new building by itself does not yet make a district attractive or vibrant.

Her remarks come amid a wider debate about city development, where success is often measured by visible construction projects. Hiila’s point is that real vitality is built more slowly and through a broader set of conditions than a single project can provide.