The Challenge

Lahti has long been a host for major events, yet many of its event spaces lacked a unified development strategy. As expectations rise for better guest experience, smarter logistics, and sustainable infrastructure, the city required a clear framework to prioritize investments and modernize its event landscape.

The Goal

To create a long-term, actionable roadmap that guides the development of Lahti’s most important event areas—supporting the city’s growth as a vibrant, year-round host for sports, culture, and public life.

Our Approach

• Reviewed the current state of 12 major event areas through site visits, data analysis, and visual documentation

• Conducted interviews, surveys, and workshops with city teams, event organizers, and stakeholders

• Evaluated each site using a standardized Event Venue Scorecard

• Benchmarked best practices from comparable Finnish and European cities

• Aligned plans with Lahti’s strategic goals and sustainability principles

• Produced design materials and visualizations to support future decisions and funding

Key Results

• Development plans for 12 event areas, each with tailored strategies for accessibility, flexibility, and infrastructure upgrades

• 3D visualizations for 5 selected areas to illustrate conceptual futures

• Event Venue Scorecard analysis conducted using 8 key criteria per site (capacity, sustainability, safety, technical readiness, etc.)

• Investment plans estimating costs and identifying funding channels for each area

• Event-area matrix combining suitability, development potential, and strategic priority into a portfolio management tool

• Moodboards for 10 areas showcasing design tone and atmosphere

• Impact analyses for 8 event types—covering potential economic, social, and environmental outcomes

• Benchmarking report drawing insights from reference cities across Finland and Europe

• Next steps roadmap for stakeholder involvement, decision-making, and implementation coordination

Deliverables

• Strategic Development Plans (one for each area, PDF)

• Investment Overview (cost estimates and funding proposals, Excel)

• Event Venue Scorecard (individual and comparative assessments, Excel + PDF)

• Impact Analysis Reports (economic scenarios and qualitative evaluation, PDF & Excel)

• Development Matrix Tool (portfolio-level overview, Excel)

• Presentation Decks (area-specific one-pagers, PDF)

• 3D Concept Visuals (10 images across 5 areas, PNG/JPG)

• Moodboards (vision and theme visuals for each area, PDF)

• Final Report (all findings and recommendations compiled, PDF)

Outcome

This project provided Lahti with a robust planning framework to steer long-term investments and development in event infrastructure. It empowers decision-makers with tools, visuals, and data to elevate the city’s profile as a modern event destination while ensuring community value and sustainable growth.