The purpose of the building supplies and solutions manufacturer company is to improve quality of life through comfortable and healthy living environments. The company wanted the 20-year-old office property in Pitäjänmäki to reflect the same ideology. The aim of the work environment renewal, which was implemented in connection with the renovation, was to design an activity-based office that would make the company’s business and role as a pioneer more concrete and support different functions and the ways of working shaped by the pandemic.

• pioneership
• sustainability and sustainable development
• aesthetics
• comfort and well-being

Rune & Berg Design was responsible for the interior architecture and graphic design of the project. We also supported the work community in the change from private offices to a modern, more open working concept and culture, for example, by establishing rules and holding online information events. “The private office layout, which is characteristic of the early 2000s, did not support the contemporary culture of working together. We wanted to modernise both the structure and the ways of working. Because the company specialises in construction, we also wanted to use their own products and showcase them in innovative ways,” Riina Ruska, Lead Designer for the project sums up.

The company’s new work environment is not only a showroom of innovative solutions, but also an inspiring work environment. Most of the visitors only see the reception area and showroom on the first floor and the restaurant and meeting rooms. The second, third and fourth floors are dedicated to working independently or together, not forgetting breaks. “The breakrooms have different focuses on different floors. They offer, for example, books and specialty coffees. The idea behind this is that people would move between the floors and share information on common customers and sites across the business units,” Riina says.

Premises that meet the needs of changed working practices – such as a silent room, sound-proof room for phone work and project workrooms – further increase well-being. Each floor has plenty of green elements, and the floors are divided into different zones from silent to loud. In addition, the existing saunas and roof terrace are now available for the entire staff. “The emphasis was on restorative spaces. For example, the renewed sauna and fireplace area is extremely cosy. It can even be used for internal, laid-back meetings, such as discussing the new week together over breakfast on Mondays,” Riina sums up.

“When you enter our office’s open café, you are greeted with an atmosphere that reflects our way of working in a very real way. That is the kind of experience we were looking to achieve together with the wonderful designers of Rune & Berg. The various joint workshops and how proud our people are of our new premises tell us that the design and implementation management were highly successful. It’s been easy to advertise Rune & Berg to groups that have visited our office,” says Hanno Nevanlinna, Director of Culture at Futurice on the cooperation.

Employing more than 600 people of 47 different nationalities, Futurice is known for its innovative corporate culture, where everyone can be themselves. The goal of the partnership has been to develop a world-class work environment experience that enables the top professionals to find and stay at Futurice.

“The most amazing thing about the partnership has been that the management has wanted to be involved in all the projects throughout the cooperation. This indicates that the space is seen as a strategic tool that can be used to influence the work itself,” says Sara Tuohikumpu, Lead Designer at Rune & Berg Design, who was involved in the early stages of the cooperation.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Rune & Berg in creating a workplace and culture that reflects our way of working. They’ve always appreciated and built upon the comments they’ve received from us as their client,” says Hanno.

The Managing Director, Finland of Futurice, Riku Valtasola, has also been closely involved in the development of the work environment experience. “I’m happy to say that working with Rune & Berg Design has been flexible and communicating with them has been open and easy. I consider it important that, in addition to their ideas, our partner pays attention to the changing needs and wishes of the employees. Rune & Berg always comes up with good ideas for suitable solutions. They also possess strong expertise in choosing the best-suited materials for the intended use, for example,” says Riku.

• highlighting the company culture
• ecological and effective design
• pioneering hybrid work

During the decade-long collaboration, Rune & Berg Design has been Futurice’s partner in developing the work environment concept, change management and designing and updating the offices in Helsinki and Tampere to suit their users. “We’ve seen immense growth since we moved from Lauttasaari to Kamppi. That was the first time we purchased interior architect services – it was a sign that doing things by ourselves was no longer enough. With a well-functioning, high-quality space, we can show that we take things seriously,” says Hanno.

In the latest update of the head office, we focused especially on solutions for a post-pandemic world of work. “We’ve been considering new ways working and how the space could support interaction in an interesting way that reflects Futurice,” says Sini Ala-Nikula, Lead Designer on Rune & Berg Design’s latest project. “For example, the tables in the conference rooms were designed together with Hanno. They’re all at standing height, and different messages and ideas to support the Futuriceans’ decision-making model and interaction have been incorporated in them.”

The new Kamppi office also had an emphasis on services as part of the Innovation Home property, and internal IT services were brought to the office in a central location to make the everyday lives of the Futuriceans easier. “The use of space at the Kamppi office works well. There are enough video booths, for example, and the large open café space with its easily movable furniture allows you to interact with people just as much or as little as you like,” says Hanno.

The world of work is in a state of constant change, and work environments must also change with the times. Futurice’s offices, which employ coders, service designers and business consultants, are designed to be flexible according to the needs of different employees and projects. At Futurice’s offices, you can find, for example, a lot of easily movable furniture and adjustable surfaces, such as movable glass walls, where you can stick your post-it notes to help with brainstorming.

“According to our brand, things need to have a bigger function and purpose. It’s important for us to be able to modify the premises according to the intended use,” says Hanno.

“The premises were built to be flexible. The people at Futurice are very independent also in rearranging the premises. In order to be able to do something new and creative, you need the premises to be flexible to facilitate that process,” says Sara, who participated in the first projects.

This flexibility is also reflected in the new Kamppi office: “For example, the working café with its easily movable furniture can be used to host a variety of events, from training events to information sessions, parties and hobby clubs. There is hardly any wasted space at the office, and reserving the spaces and zoning them to floors for focus-intensive work and cooperation make everyday life smoother,” says Sini.

The people at Futurice have also played a key role during the design process: the various workshops, user interviews and observation days have helped to create unique work environments that serve the Futuriceans. For example, the atmosphere of the premises and the principles of use were created together with the users.

“At the beginning of the cooperation, we spent a lot of time with the Futuriceans at their office at the time. We talked to people and observed their ways of working and, for example, the sound environment,” says Sara.

“We’ve really got to know them along the way and have had the privilege of being a part of their growth story. The Futuriceans challenge us to make bold choices and to think outside of the box. They appreciate our perspectives on small details and big issues alike,” says Account Manager Raija Mattila.

Since the 1930s, Vaisala has grown from an invention of one man into a global listed company with over 2,000 employees. Its headquarters are the Vantaanlaakso campus, with thousands of square metres of office and production space and a wide range of different experts, from sales to R&D specialists. The aim of our work was to promote a culture where people and ideas can move easily and where the office has a clear role to play as part of multi-location work. “We have defined the types of spaces that support future work, promoted the development of the work culture and supported various levels of the organisation during the change,” says Sini Ala-Nikula, Design Strategist for the client. “Reinforcing the so-called campus approach has become particularly important. Vaisala has exceptionally large premises that can be developed together,” adds Jenny Soldan, Design Strategist.

• The attractive campus has a clear role, and it offers relevant services to employees
• The physical work environment corresponds to the new ways of working
• The organisation has moved from private work rooms to shared use of spaces

Rune & Berg Design was responsible for designing the concrete spatial changes in Vantaa and Keilaniemi and acted as a partner in defining the space types and working practices for hybrid work and implementing the change. “The development of Vaisala’s work environments is based on strong top management support and insight, as well as the needs of supervisors and teams. Vaisala’s Future of Work working group and property management, IT and communications experts have also participated in the cooperation. Together with them, we have also developed communications that support the change and defined technological solutions for different spaces to support hybrid work,” says Sini.

In addition to the Vantaa campus, the Keilaranta office, which was completed in late 2022, has been designed on the basis of the hybrid concept and the working methods and types of spaces outlined in it. The approximately 1,000-square-metre office on the fifth floor offers areas for both focused work and social encounters. The sea views overlooking the Keilalahti bay and local services make the work day experience even better. “Vaisala wants to offer the best possible environment for work. The Keilaranta office adds variety and scope to the network of office locations that Vaisala’s employees and partners can use,” Sini describes.

Sentio Insight measurement was carried out before and after making spatial changes in both Vantaa and Keilaranta, and it showed that the functionality of the premises has improved by up to 20 per cent as a result of the changes. “The measurement includes straightforward matters, such as the functionality of the furniture, but also emotions and softer aspects related to the working environment. The development of the working environment requires this kind of measurements in order to indicate the direction of development,” concludes Jorma Lammila, Development Director at Vaisala.

Learn more about the Sentio Insight measurement carried out for Vaisala (in Finnish).

Producing meaningful holiday experiences to its customers is at the core of Holiday Club. This can also be seen, felt and experienced at the new Fredriksberg office. The aim of the project was to create a work environment for Holiday Club that would represent the industry and support new ways of working, bringing different professional groups and teams even more firmly together. “Our role was to support the transformation of the culture and ways of working through spatial solutions. We set out to build a CLUB that would support encounters between people and have a holiday atmosphere,” Sara Tuohikumpu, Lead Designer for the project, says.

• corporate culture that encourages cooperation and synergies between teams
• inspiring space that makes one feel like they’re on holiday and supports different encounters
• adaptability and taking into account project and phone work.

Rune & Berg Design helped Holiday Club to specify its future needs and was responsible for the interior architecture design of the work environment that supports a communal working culture. The specification of the needs included a personnel survey, tour and observation in the previous premises in Herttoniemi and in Fredriksberg, as well as interviews and a workshop with key persons. The most important areas of development were comfort, diverse furniture and acoustics. “The courage to suggest spatial solutions that support the future ways of working was essential in the project. The different spaces have different themes, atmospheres and functions that increase creativity and productivity,” Sara describes.

“Working together was a clear focus at the Holiday Club office. The work cafeteria is as large as the actual workspace. The project rooms and, for example, walking mats are located in the middle, offering views over the roofs of the Konepaja area,” Sara says. The heart of the office is the work cafeteria that is suitable for taking a break, enjoying lunch, or communal events and information sharing. The workspace is divided into quiet and active areas, which guarantees optimal conditions both for those who work on the phone and for those who need to concentrate. The flexible project facilities, on the other hand, adapt to project stages and the needs of users. “The visual look and feel of the office is highly important to Holiday Club employees. Holiday Club destinations in Finland inspired the style and atmosphere of the office,” Sara adds.

The deployment of the new office involved several shared practices and ways of working. In the current hybrid model, work is done both at home and at the office, so the decision was made to have shared workstations instead of dedicated workrooms. Partners and CLUB members from other offices are also welcome to work at Fredriksberg. “Based on comments from a feedback survey, the general feeling about the new office is very positive. Especially the beautiful, well-designed space and the opportunity to change seats during the workday has been liked”, says Nina Kuntola, HR Director for Holiday Club, summarising the experiences at the new office.

Read the article on Kauppalehti on Holiday Club’s move to Fredriksberg (in Finnish).

• attractive: boldly professional atmosphere, functional and innovative spaces
• well-being: the space oozes holistic well-being, as does the brand itself
• internal potential: natural space empowers and fosters creativity
• good vibes for all: lively and inspiring premises that support a good team spirit and sense of community
• technology focus: technology is visible in the space in a subtle but convincing way

Rune & Berg Design was responsible for the interior architecture and graphic design of the project. The project included a workshop with the project team, discussing the function and atmosphere of the space and the underlying ideas. “We started from Oura’s values and what the smart ring represents. The aim of the premises is to support well-being and get the most out of each employee,” Aino Keto, Project Lead Designer describes.

Oura’s business principle and corporate culture are based on supporting holistic well-being and reaching one’s full potential. The new office also supports these goals: the workstations that are divided by curtains facilitate communication, and the different meeting and brainstorming spaces encourage sharing ideas. The shared lobby and working café are ideal for communal moments with colleagues and partners. Quiet spaces, green decor elements and the acoustic panels that soften the sound environment ensure that the workday supports the employees’ well-being.

The visual look of the Helsinki office is founded on well-being, nature and balance. It was inspired by the colours and materials that are found in nature at different times of the day. “Oura is present in its customer’s life at all hours. This is why the office also reflects the circadian rhythm to create an impressive spatial experience where everything comes together and supports the Oura brand,” Aino says. “The colours reflect different times of day. We were also able to use the existing furniture in the space. We hardly needed to buy anything new,” Roosa Westerman, Interior Architect for the Project sums up.

The new Oura work environment forms a coherent spatial experience that supports the company’s brand and values. “Based on feedback, the office feels comfortable and enjoyable to its users. They have been very happy,” Aino says. Oura’s international offices are also interested in the look and feel and details of the Finnish office. For example, the San Francisco team is highly excited with the new office, in particular, the mirror-like Oura logo in the lobby.

Aula is a non-profit organisation that helps people with disabilities and people who need other kind of special support in living their life to the fullest. Aula helps its customers to find their individual path to working life. The aim of the project was to create a functional and visually appealing space for both the customers and the staff. “We wanted to offer new kinds of day-time activities for our customers. The starting point was to have enough space and air and allow the customers to retreat to their own peace even in the presence of others. The end result surpasses all expectations,” says Nina Sohlberg-Ahlgren, Head of Operations at Aula. “We set out to create a good, beautiful and functional work environment, not a space dedicated to special groups – while we of course took into account sensory defensiveness and other special needs,”, Riina Ruska, Lead Designer for the project continues.

• functional and visually appealing space
• room for arts and crafts created by the customers
• equal and soothing experience for different customers

Rune & Berg Design had the great pleasure to be part of creating Studio Aula, a space brimming with creativity. We were responsible for the interior architectural design, specifying the furniture and materials for the working, break and social premises used by Aula’s customers, as well as the shop, lunch restaurant and lounge that are open to everyone. “This cooperation has been excellent, and everything has gone smoothly. Riina grasped the project on day one – she clearly understood what the environment and our customers are like”, Nina says, praising the cooperation.

One of the most important starting points of the design was taking into account artistic work in the furniture and materials of the different spaces. Studio Aula has a textile workshop where the customers can weave, print, sew, knit and crochet. The art workshop is suitable for painting and drawing. All the surfaces and materials of Studio Aula are paint and dye resistant and easy to clean, and their colours are forgiving. “The whole location serves as an exhibition space for the creative works,” Riina sums up.

The Studio Aula premises also serve as an exhibition space for the arts and crafts created in the studio, which is why their overall look and feel is neutral, allowing the art to shine. There are two kinds of exhibition surfaces: surfaces that the customers illustrate themselves and surfaces on which the works on art can be placed on display. Art is an important part of Aula’s operations, and it develops continuously: “A new jewellery artist starts at Aula next week,” Nina says.

The customers of Aula include different kinds of people with a wide range of needs and limitations. For example, some of the customers are overly responsive to sensory input. To ensure that the furniture is pleasant for all users, we paid particular attention to their durability, ergonomics and adjustability. For example, there are desks of different heights, both for standing and sitting, and the chairs have extensive adjustment options. “At first, we were worried that the large factory-like space would be too resonant and disturbing to noise sensitive customers. But it turns out they have not reacted to it,” Nina says, describing the project’s well-executed sound environment.

The users were also taken into account in the Studio Aula colour palette, which is based on the psychological effects of colours. Soothing pastels were selected for the space, because they are also suitable, for example, for customers with ASD. However, the subtle colour scheme has enough contrast so that customers with limited vision can see it clearly. “The colours are beautiful and relaxing. Our Italian guests just complimented the place and the interior design,” Nina says.

The Association for Finnish Work has awarded Aula with the Finnish Social Enterprise Mark.

The approximately 20 Nordhaven employees in Finland work at a renaissance-style stone castle in Kaartinkaupunki. The location has a beautiful view to the sea over the South Harbour. The interior’s features and atmosphere were previously not in line with the quality and reliability of Nordhaven’s services. “The project’s aim was to renew the spaces to correspond to Nordhaven’s characteristics and product, their brand image. They have a certain level of quality in everything they do, and we wanted to make that visible here”, says Riina Ruska, the project’s Lead Designer regarding the design work.

• Nordhaven’s reliability and displaying their strong experience in the field
• accounting for factors related to the customer experience from the moment of entry
• improving functionality with inventive methods

Nordhaven’s office spaces saw a change over a 240-square-metre area, which included the lobby, hallways, client consultation spaces, workspaces and a kitchen. Rune & Berg Design was responsible for the interior architecture design of the project. “The most important thing was that the spaces are in line with their intended purpose. For example, we installed new lighting in the meeting room which used to be a workspace, and the walls were removed from the kitchen, making space for a service point”, says Riina.

The changes to Nordhaven’s spaces were large, even though there were no structural changes besides removing the kitchen wall. “During photographing, we heard a person who had previously visited the space spontaneously exclaim ‘Wow, vad har hänt’ (Wow, what’s happened?)”, Riina says, smiling. The much more atmospheric office was created by adding colour, softness and quality to surfaces and furnishing. Detail work also played a key part in the look: the consistent round design of light fixtures makes the office even more cohesive, for example.

When the spaces were renewed, special attention was paid to the customer and employee experience. A brass logo wall was added to the entryway, and the hallways were paced with rail lighting and oaken finger panels. The meeting rooms were toned with mint green walls, more acoustic surfaces and soft textiles to lighten the atmosphere. A suggestion was made to pair the workspace for analysts and individual workspaces with a one-person Teams space that is suited for hybrid work. The curated art from the Rikhardinkatu art lending services puts the finishing touches on a high-class experience.

Read about Rettig Group’s renewed head office.

Our cooperation with Smartly began in 2016 with the development of the Helsinki office’s work environment, after which the offices in Berlin and New York were also renewed. In that case, the planning was done on the basis of country-specific needs; however, at the beginning of 2021, the cooperation was deepened and they wanted to harmonise the spatial experience between the different offices. “The goal of the concept work was to create a common understanding of the current state and future needs based on Smartly’s operating culture, co-create with Smartly’s employees and support them in change, and define the role and purpose of the work environment,” says Lead Designer Jenni Herkama at Rune & Berg Design.

The end result is a work environment concept that supports Smartly’s strategy and serves as a guideline for work environment design globally in hybrid work. The concept has provided a clear framework for an extensive renewal project, and there has been a shift from ad hoc work to systematic management. “As a team, we have gained confidence that large-scale, multidimensional and active development work in different countries is in line with the concept. In-depth cooperation ensures that things go in the right direction, always including the right expertise needed,” Jenni says. The concept is suitable for a wide variety of different spaces and locations, and allows testing of different spaces and ways of working. All Smartly employees have the opportunity to be heard, which has increased the sense of equality on every continent.

Smartly’s Facilities Lead Susan Vättö often expresses how good the cooperation is: “Without the help of Rune & Berg, we would not have succeeded on this scale. The pace of development is rapid, which includes long-term and acute needs, but Rune & Berg has a magical ability to find the balance between these and still keep an eye on the big picture. The cooperation has required a good grip from Rune & Berg, which has been a first-class success.”

According to Susan, it has been especially important to involve Smartly employees in the development work, because this is what is being done for them. Design drivers for the work environment concept were defined through interviews, surveys, observation and understanding provided by workshops. In addition, Rune & Berg has a long-standing understanding of both the industry and Smartly. Design drivers guide the concept and spatial design work.

• Building community – a sense of togetherness and a strong “we” spirit. The offices have extensive multifunctional lounges, terraces and a kitchen area for meetings.
• Collaboration – a work environment where cross-team collaboration is smooth and information flows. A variety of spatial solutions supporting planned and intuitive collaboration, live, virtually and hybrid.
• Well-being – enabling spontaneous interactions is particularly important. The spatial solutions also take into account high-quality lighting, cleanroom air, versatile ergonomics and biophilia. In addition, a separate zone has been developed for concentration and recovery.
• Inclusive – working together and learning as keys to success. The design has taken into account a strong open culture, transparency, accessibility and equal experience in different offices.

“Internally at Smartly, the entire development team has earned full trust. Emphasis has been placed on the spatial experience and it is perceived as very important, both from the top level and at the individual level,” Susan says.

Rune & Berg Design has had a diverse team of experts involved in the development work:

• Spatial strategy consulting
• Design strategy, strategic design
• Service design
• Spatial design, interior architecture
• Graphic design
• Change communications
• Project management in a global environment

“The information gathered, the analysis and the expertise of Rune & Berg have guided the strategic spatial decisions throughout the cooperation. It has been a pleasure to cooperate with Smartly’s smart and wonderful experts,” explains Lead Designer Jenni.

The recipe for successful cooperation has included committed management, an understanding of genuine needs, clear goals, employee involvement, the creation of aligned operating models and continuous learning and development.

Susan has found the cooperation very easy and immediate: “It doesn’t matter who the expert from Rune & Berg is. Everyone there has a passion for doing things, a desire to do things well without wasting anyone’s time. They are warm-hearted experts.”

Smartly’s growth story from two founders to a global player of 650 people in eight years is unique. Smartly currently operates in 17 locations. Combining creative advertising production, media buying automation and first-class customer service, Smartly helps brands around the world increase their advertising results. At Smartly, shoes and titles remain at the door.