Adaptable Event Space for live and hybrid events
The head office of software house Smartly.io in Helsinki has received a new Event Space on its ground floor. The magical space reflects the identity of the company and is suitable for a wide range of events, from globally streamed seminars to local and cosy team meetups. The spatial experience starts even before entering the space, with light art that is also visible on the outside, representing power animals that reflect the company’s values. The most prominent of the power animals, the Smartly unicorn, greets visitors near the entrance. The head of the unicorn also serves as a camera stand for live streaming. The creative space can accommodate over 100 people, but it is also ideal for organising virtual events for participants from all over the world, thanks to its adaptability and easy-to-use AV technology.
Photos: Mikael Pettersson
360 spatial experience is the essence of Smartly.io
Smartly.io operates in several offices globally, and its culture is all about equality and a strong sense of community. The Event Space was designed as a communal hub that supports hybrid work and represents the company’s core values for colleagues and visitors from different countries. “Smartly.io values innovation and does not take work too seriously. At the same time, it is also a large-scale IT company with high security standards. The aim of the Event Space was to make the Smartly.io culture and values visible without letting visitors enter the actual working spaces,” says Aino Keto, Project Lead Designer.
When on, the light art depicting company’s power animals are also visible from outside of the space.
The design of the Event Space was guided by the following design drivers that were specified with the client:
- networking
- Smartly.io’s brand awareness and visibility
- personnel satisfaction and well-being
The Event Space was designed in cooperation with experts from various fields. The idea was to create the multimedia experience of the future that would make even virtual participants feel like they are genuinely present at the event. Rune & Berg Design was responsible for the conceptual design, interior architecture design and the graphic look and feel of the project. OiOi was responsible for audiovisual content production and Granlund for audiovisual design. Akukon was the consulting partner for acoustics.
Versatile and playful Event Space that supports creativity
The Event Space was designed as a surprising space that supports Smartly.io’s innovative brand image and the outside-the-box thinking of different target groups. Thanks to the adjustable sound system, lighting and furniture, the atmosphere can be adapted to casual get-togethers, more business-like meetings with customers and training events alike. “The Event Space supports working smartly and loving one’s job. Employees can freely reserve it for casual get-togethers or use it as a yoga room. Thanks to the electrically controlled curtains, the atmosphere is easy to change. The space also has a kitchen for large-scale events that require catering. There is plenty of storage space under the rising auditorium for furniture that make the space adaptable,” says Aino.
The Smartly.io way of working involves various internal events, as well as many events with stakeholders, such as customer meetings, training, demos, product launches and presentations to students. The functions and visual look and feel were designed in cooperation with Smarty.io’s marketing team. The human-sized unicorn that sits in the audience, inviting visitors to take selfies for social media, is the emblem of the Smartly.io spatial experience.
Event Space was designed as a surprising space that supports Smartly.io's innovative brand image and outside-the-box thinking.
Whatever the event may be, the audiovisual solutions and furniture make even remote participants feel like they are part of the audience. The numerous streaming cameras and plug-in-and-play connections enable smooth presenting and listening to presentations everywhere in the space. “The Smartly.io Event Space is unique. It is the first completed space of the company’s new work environment concept. It supports hybrid work, and the modern technology enables multisensory experiences,” explains Heidi Linkka, Design Strategist from the Smartly project team.
Would you like to know more about our collaboration with Smartly.io?
See the global work environment concept we designed for them.
Get familiar with other similar projects
