It is important to me to have a positive impact on society through my work. In urban planning, we are dealing with things that shape people's lives and the environment, so I feel a responsibility to ensure that my work is done to a high standard of quality, and representative to all stakeholders. As Jane Jacobs have said, cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, but only when they are created by everybody.

Sitowisen asiantuntijat suunnittelupöydän ääressä.
Christopher Erdman with colleague Sameli Sivonen.

Visioning together with customers

I have always been a creative person, and when I was young I was inspired by things like drawing and making things with my own hands. Both of my important mentors – my grandfather and a close family friend – were architects, so studying architecture was a natural choice. Today, I am particularly fascinated by the rapid changes our cities are going through, the pressing needs of the environment and our responsibility to align cities with our cultural visions. 

For me, the best day at work is when I get to spend it together with my colleagues around the drawing table full of post-it notes, layers of trace paper and new ideas.

In many projects I work together with different experts from Sitowise, and it is good to have general knowledge from many different design fields.

3D modeling is an important skill in projects

Sitowise offers the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of projects. A memorable one was a project where I was able to design optimal locations for birdwatchers using GIS mapping tools. It has also been interesting to study the visual impacts of wind and solar energy infrastructure in rural and natural environments.

In many projects I work together with different experts from Sitowise, and it is good to have general knowledge from many different design fields, such as landscape architecture, traffic and environmental planning, and stormwater management. I do joint projects in urban infrastructure design, for example, and with digital services experts we explore different 3D modeling environments.

Although the role of an architect is creative, my 3D modeling and parametric design skills are also very useful in projects. For example, 3D modeling helped in designing the unique subpanel solutions for Hakaniemi Bridge.

I am currently working in a multidisciplinary expert group at the Länsiratikat alliance. This is an impressive urban planning project that will build a light rail connection from the center of Helsinki to Kannelmäki. The project combines both public transport and public space planning.

Sitowisen asiantuntija Christopher Erdman.

Balancing optimistic hopes and practical constraints

As an architect, I work mainly in the early stages of projects. It requires the ability to plan large-scale entities, envision the future, and bring images to life. Strategic and systemic thinking is also emphasized at the beginning of projects.

Typically, my projects start with a brainstorming session. Then the ideas start to move from the whiteboard to drawings and further to illustrative 3D models. Ultimately, modeling helps to notice possible space limitations and conflicting wishes in terms of implementation. Making and proposing compromises and coordinating different project goals are important skills in my work.

I want to give a voice to both stakeholders and the natural environment, which requires a balance between optimistic hopes and practical constraints. Some clients need a gentle nudge and encouragement to start improving the current situation; for other projects, it is better to stay in the familiar and safe.

I have received great support from Sitowise in building my life in Finland. I have three small children, so work-life balance is very important to me. Sitowise is an employer that values life outside of work as well.

Colleagues help me adapt to Finnish way of life

I studied for a bachelor degree in geography and a master degree in architecture in Canada, until I moved to this side of the world to Lund, Sweden for one semester. I started at Sitowise in the fall of 2022, and it has been exciting to see how architects work at Sitowise in the urban planning department. It fits well with my own experience working at the interface of architecture and urban planning.

I have received great support from Sitowise in building my life in Finland. I have three small children, so work-life balance is very important to me. Sitowise is an employer that values life outside of work as well.

I am also grateful to my kind, patient and empathetic colleagues who have understood well what it is like to arrive in a new country. Many things that seemed easy before are suddenly difficult. However, the work community has helped me adapt to the new country and work environment, as well as the Finnish way of life.