The first change to the local detailed plan of the Väritehdas area is on display

Press release 25.8.2025

The industrial and park areas on the southeast side of the centre of Tikkurila district are planned to become a new residential and workplace area, Väritehdas – Color Factory. Several changes to the local detailed plan will be prepared for the area, the first of which will be made available to residents during September.

At its meeting on 25 August, the Vantaa City Board decided to make the first detailed plan for the Väritehdas area available for residents to see and comment on during September. The proposal will be available on the plan’s website https://www.vantaa.fi/fi/kaavoitus/kaavat/ensimmainen-varitehtaan-alueen-kaavamuutos-kaynnistyy

The entire area of the Color Factory is almost the size of the current Tikkurila city centre, about 40 hectares. The first phase of the detailed plan covers about a quarter of it. The area is located between the PPG Tikkurila factories, the Heureka Science Center parking area, the manor and park areas between them, and the banks of the Keravanjoki River. The Color Factory area is closely connected to the current centre of Tikkurila district and is located along Vantaa’s future tram route.

The area is planned to initially have apartments for about a thousand residents, about 400 jobs and a daycare centre. There is also a place reserved for a school in the area. All in all, apartments for more than 4,000 residents and 2,500–3,000 jobs are planned for the Color Factory area. The area will be planned and built in phases as the paint factory continues to operate. Brick-and-mortar shops are planned along Kuninkaalantie, and space has been reserved for restaurants on the riverbank.

PPG Tikkurila’s old headquarters and research center will remain as the landmarks of the area. In connection with them, apartments with river views have been planned in the waterfront blocks, among other things. Restaurants or cafés are planned on the street levels of the buildings.

 

The upcoming Color Factory area is divided into four villages

The Color Factory area offers housing options for a wide range of lifestyles. Dense terraced house blocks along the riverbank will provide magnificent views and convenient everyday living, with close access to services and transport connections in the center of Tikkurila district. The tallest buildings, along with workplaces and brick-and-mortar shops, are planned along Kuninkaalantie. Toward the cultural landscape of Fastbölenmäki, the buildings will gradually lower in height and adopt gabled roofs. Near the historic village milieu of Fastböle, the plan includes wooden detached houses and a new daycare center. A school, to be located along Heidehofintie, will be safely accessible via parks and the Kuninkaalanbaana route.

“The location of Color Factory is one of the best in City of Vantaa and even in the entire Helsinki metropolitan area. Excellent transport connections and services next to river and park landscapes create an opportunity to combine the best aspects of urban and natural living. Large park areas will be preserved. Although the block structure resembles that of a downtown area, the yards and streetscapes have been designed to be as green as possible,” says Johanna Saarivuo, Director of Property Development at the real estate expert company Fokus Nordic.

“The Color Factory district development will make the area more accessible to both residents and visitors. The project will bring new homes and workplaces right next to the city centre, in harmony with the historical setting, while also introducing new restaurants and cafés for those strolling along the riverside or visiting the Heureka Science Center. Construction will not extend closer to the riverbank, preserving the green recreational routes in the area.Under this change to the local detailed plan, the Heureka Science Center parking area will remain unchanged for the time being,” says Kerttu Kurki-Issakainen, Tikkurila’s Regional Architect at the City of Vantaa.

The entire Color Factory area consists of four areas, each defined by its own colour and character. The main color of the area now being zoned is red inspired by the historic red-brick industrial buildings. Key features of the red village include a riverside walking trail and former PPG Tikkurila headquarters research centre, which are planned to be transformed into apartments and restaurants space. In the next phase, the yellow village will be zoned, with plans for daily services and a grocery store.

 

Construction could begin in 2027

The first detailed plan proposal for the area will be made available for viewing and residents’ comments during September 2025. During the public viewing, you can submit a reminder of the plan proposal by sending a message to the City Registry. More information on how to issue a reminder will be updated on the plan’s webpage https://www.vantaa.fi/fi/kaavoitus/kaavat/ensimmainen-varitehtaan-alueen-kaavamuutos-kaynnistyy

The feedback will be compiled and its impact on the planning material will be reviewed before the next decision-making stage. After this, the local detailed plan is scheduled to proceed to its final decision phase in the winter of 2026.

After the local detailed plan has been approved, the plots will be sold to developers. Planning and construction preparation will take approximately one year, after which actual construction can begin with municipal infrastructure and street building. The zoning and development of the Color Factory area are carried out by Fokus Nordic in cooperation with the City of Vantaa. In addition, Fokus Nordic is responsible for the sale of the plots on behalf of PPG Tikkurila.

“If the local detailed plan is confirmed as scheduled next spring, construction could begin in 2027. Planning for the second phase, which will be located at the bend of the river, is set to begin immediately after the first phase,” says Jari Lassila, Project Director at PPG Tikkurila

 

PPG Tikkurila continues to operate in the area

PPG Tikkurila owns the majority of the land to be developed in the Color Factory district (20.7 hectares). The former Tikkurila Oyj is now part of the American company PPG, which manufactures paints and coatings in more than 70 countries. The company’s history at Color Factory, which began in 1862, continues. The factory area will gradually be transformed into a modern campus where product development and production processes are seamlessly integrated. Operations will be gradually concentrated towards Heidehofintie, where the current headquarters are located, freeing up land for other uses.

 

More info on:

When the plan becomes available, the Color Factory website (www.varitehdas.fi), managed jointly by Fokus Nordic and PPG Tikkurila, will also be launched. The site will feature, for example, a map of the area with information on transport connections, planned services, and historic buildings. The pages will be updated as the planning progresses

The City of Vantaa’s website related to the detailed plan material can be found at https://www.vantaa.fi/fi/kaavoitus/kaavat/ensimmainen-varitehtaan-alueen-kaavamuutos-kaynnistyy

Jari Lassila
Project Director
PPG Tikkurila
jlassila@ppg.com
+358 40 526 0685

Terhi Kuusisto
Town plan architect
City of Vantaa
tehi.kuusisto@vantaa.fi
+358 50 302 9691

Johanna Saarivuo
Director of Real Estate Development
FOKUS Nordic
johanna.saarivuo@fokusnordic.com
+358 50 366 9152