Housing Foundation

Asuntosäätiö (Swedish: Bostadsstiftelsen, "the Housing Foundation") is a Finnish non-profit housing foundation established in 1951 in Espoo. It was created on the initiative of Heikki von Hertzen, then head of the population federation Väestöliitto, with the aim of planning and building the garden city of Hagalund (Tapiola) in Espoo according to new urban-planning ideals. The other founding bodies were the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, the central organisation of salaried employees, the tenants' central association and the Invalidiliitto (disability federation). Tapiola developed into a well-known, high-quality residential environment and gave Asuntosäätiö a respected position in Finnish housing construction. The foundation is a general-benefit (non-profit) housing operator. Its core business today is the development, construction and management of right-of-occupancy homes (asumisoikeusasunnot, "aso" homes) and owner-occupied apartments, alongside rental and shared-ownership models. It markets homes in more than 30 localities across Finland, from the Helsinki metropolitan area to regional centres, and offers new-build projects with energy-efficient solutions and shared amenities. Its website provides services for both apartment applicants and existing residents, a newsletter, resident stories and current news. Historically, Asuntosäätiö is best known for Tapiola, the garden city in Espoo that became an international showcase of Finnish post-war planning. A later major project was the development of Stensvik (Kivenlahti) in Espoo, land the foundation bought in 1961; in 1966 Alvar Aalto was commissioned to plan a community of about 100,000 inhabitants for the rapidly growing municipality, though the plan was already heavily scaled down when construction began in the early 1970s. Today the Espoonlahti area, formed by Sökö and Stensvik, has more than 46,000 residents and is one of Espoo's major district centres. The foundation also planned and built garden-city districts such as Viitaniemi in Jyväskylä and Korkalorinne in Rovaniemi, as well as housing projects in Porvoo and Tuusula. In recent decades it has developed the Störsvik area in Siuntio (over 700 hectares, acquired as early as 1960) and Bastvik on the eastern shore of Espoonlahti. Asuntosäätiö founded the free newspaper Länsiväylä in 1954 and published it for a long time; by 2010 its circulation was about 119,000 copies, and it is now owned by the media group Janton. The foundation remains an active builder and manager of housing, with recent completions including right-of-occupancy apartment buildings in Pirkkala and owner-occupied Hitas apartments in the Verkkosaari district of Helsinki (Asunto Oy Helsingin Capella). It also engages in current issues such as balcony safety in its properties.

Asuntosäätiö was founded in 1951 in Espoo as a Finnish general-benefit housing foundation. It was initiated by Heikki von Hertzen, then director of the population federation Väestöliitto, who wanted to plan and build the garden city of Hagalund (Tapiola) in Espoo according to contemporary urban-planning ideals. The other founding organisations were the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, the central organisation of salaried employees, the tenants' central association and the Invalidiliitto. Tapiola became a celebrated and high-quality residential environment and established Asuntosäätiö's reputation in Finnish housing construction. In 1954 the foundation founded the free newspaper Länsiväylä, which it published for many years; by 2010 the paper had a circulation of about 119,000 copies, and it is now owned by the media group Janton. A later major project was the expansion of Stensvik (Kivenlahti) in Espoo, land the foundation had purchased in 1961. In 1966 Alvar Aalto was commissioned to draw up a plan for about 100,000 inhabitants in the rapidly growing municipality. Construction of Stensvik began in the early 1970s, but the plan was already heavily reduced by then. Today the Espoonlahti area, comprising Sökö and Stensvik, has more than 46,000 inhabitants and is one of Espoo's large district centres. The foundation also planned and carried out the garden-city districts of Viitaniemi in Jyväskylä and Korkalorinne in Rovaniemi, as well as housing projects in Porvoo and Tuusula. In more recent years it has developed the Störsvik areas in Siuntio (a total of more than 700 hectares, acquired as early as 1960) and Bastvik on the eastern shore of Espoonlahti. In the 2020s Asuntosäätiö continues to build and manage right-of-occupancy and owner-occupied housing across Finland. Its website markets homes in more than 30 localities, offers services for applicants and residents, and highlights new-build projects with energy-efficient solutions and shared spaces. Recent completions include a six-storey right-of-occupancy building with 37 apartments in Pirkkala and the Hitas owner-occupied project Asunto Oy Helsingin Capella in the Verkkosaari district of Helsinki, with 32 apartments ranging from two-room flats to five-room family homes. The foundation also addresses current safety topics, such as balcony safety at its properties.

• 2026

  New right-of-occupancy homes completed in Pirkkala; balcony safety review conducted.

• 2010

  Länsiväylä newspaper circulation is about 119,000 copies; it is later owned by Janton.

• 1970

  Construction of Stensvik begins in the early 1970s with a heavily reduced plan.

• 1966

  Alvar Aalto is commissioned to plan Stensvik for about 100,000 inhabitants.

• 1961

  Land for Stensvik (Kivenlahti) in Espoo is purchased.

• 1960

  The Störsvik area in Siuntio is acquired (over 700 hectares in total).

• 1954

  The foundation founds the free newspaper Länsiväylä.

• 1951

  Asuntosäätiö (Bostadsstiftelsen) founded in Espoo on the initiative of Heikki von Hertzen and other organisations.

Non-profit, general-benefit housing provider focused on right-of-occupancy and owner-occupied homes, with a heritage of garden-city planning and sustainable, energy-efficient residential development.

• Right-of-occupancy homes (asumisoikeusasunnot)

  Housing model where residents pay an occupancy fee and a monthly usage fee; a core offering of Asuntosäätiö.

• Owner-occupied apartments (Hitas and others)

  New owner-occupied apartments, including Hitas-regulated units such as Asunto Oy Helsingin Capella in Verkkosaari.

• Rental apartments

  Rental housing managed by the foundation.

• Garden-city and area development

  Large-scale residential area planning and construction, historically Tapiola, Stensvik, Viitaniemi, Korkalorinne, Störsvik and Bastvik.

1. 1Asuntosäätiö official websiteasuntosaatio.fi
2. 2Wikidata: Housing Foundationwikidata.org
3. 3Bostadsstiftelsen – Wikipedia (Swedish)sv.wikipedia.org