What if the future of sports surfaces didn’t start in a stadium? What if it started on a school field? In the Finnish town of Lieto, that approach has already been applied. At Liikuntakeskuksen urheilukenttä, a new sports field was installed in collaboration with Lappset Group and the city of Lieto. The field hosts school sports, local soccer matches and daily activity from the surrounding community.
At first glance, it looks like any other modern sports field. But the approach is different.
A different approach to synthetic turf
The field was installed using ONE-DNA™ synthetic turf in 100% PE (one polymer), with polyethylene in both the fibre and the backing. The system installed in Lieto combined this polyethylene synthetic turf structure with sand and lightweight Brockfill infill, creating a stable and playable sports surface suitable for intensive daily use.
Field markings were applied using a durable coating rather than traditional tufted lines, resulting in a clean layout and consistent surface quality over time.
At its core, the concept follows a clear engineering principle: material choices at the design stage directly influence how a surface can be managed throughout its lifecycle.
Lappset and the city of Lieto
Projects like this are the result of close collaboration. Lappset Group is internationally known for designing environments where play, sport and movement come together. By integrating ONE-DNA™ synthetic turf into this project, Lappset continued its work in developing sports environments for active communities.
The city of Lieto applied this design approach in a public sports facility that will serve students, local clubs and residents for years to come.
Innovation often starts in ordinary places
Progress in synthetic turf rarely begins with big announcements. More often, it starts in places where surfaces are used every day: schools, neighbourhood sports fields and community spaces.
The new sports field in Lieto is one of those places. A field built for daily use, and a practical example of how sports surfaces can evolve through design.
Update, October 2026: this project used ONE-DNA™ in 100% PE. ONE-DNA™ sport surfaces are now supplied in 100% PO; see Technology for the current material routes.
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