When Fyra started to plan the facilities for their long-term partner the main idea was that the work can be fun and comfortable, but the space can still be distinguished and professional. The facilities are divided into an internal zone that is used only by employees and an external zone that acts as a showroom for various work environment solutions – a collaborative space for customers and partners that easily transforms into seminar or event use.

The entire premises were designed according to latest wellbeing standards for a high-quality work environment that supports the health and wellbeing of employees. We spend 90% of our time indoors. Our well-being depends on how our environment treats us. This means taking into account e.g. indoor air, lighting solutions, exercising possibilities, and overall comfort of the space.

The premises have plenty of water points and a huge amount of greenery – even in some surprising places. Both the visitor zone and the inner zone have mindfullness spaces for rest where you can recover and calm down.

Much attention was paid to indoor air and sustainable development, e.g. by using chemical-free materials, recycled materials and vintage furniture. The sustainability also shows in the use of wood – the furniture was ordered from local carpenters and Finnish brands were preferred in the product choices.

The gentle color palette of shades of green, brown and blue reflects the natural color scheme. For exercise and small breaks from work there are different options such as wall bars – however in a way that all the elements fit into the space beautifully and subtly.

The premises of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies have typically been clinical and white, as well as highly hierarchical. However, Roche wanted to create a comfortable workplace for its employees with a relaxed, team-friendly atmosphere. In line with the company’s values, the workplace must also improve the quality of life and health.

Plans for the new kind of shared office and remote working space were put into action quickly. The Sturenportti building in Vallila, Helsinki had gone through renovations during different time periods. Thus, a clear unified feeling of space needed to be created, while also making as little changes as possible in the building itself to minimize the environmental impact. The protected iron floors of the building served as an inspiration for a reproduction of the industrial atmosphere throughout the premises.

HappySignals, a leading measurer and identifier for happiness, expectation and productivity data, was looking for a new home for its newly grown team. The aim was to find a bright space where new and changed ways of working were taken into account.

The property of Aleksi 15 answered the need for a right kind of premise perfectly, resulting in rapid plans for a modern, user oriented office space. In addition to designing premises for the new tenants, Fyra was also involved in creation of the marketing materials.

Solita chose Fyra to address a challenge that had come up in the business: how to create a space that enables growth without the addition of actual square metres. The company had already conducted utilisation rate calculations and employee surveys. Fyra reviewed the initial data, participated in group interviews and helped create the vision the company had for their spaces.

The result was a concept tailored to take into consideration the changing needs of both individuals as well as teams. There were different types of spaces. One of them, Daily, was built in the immediate vicinity of the team huts. It was a place for the teams to have their daily 15-minute stand-up meeting. The workstation areas consist of flexible solutions so teams can grow or become smaller without major changes.

The important thing for a growth company is to be able to meet clients and stakeholders. This is now easy with the Meet up venue area. A great deal of conference rooms with efficient use of space were designed. All equipped with great video technology enabling working from wherever you are in Finland – or in the world. On the other hand, a shared café provides a natural way for employees to come together which, in turn, supports innovation.

The concept was tested in the smaller Solita offices in Turku, Lahti and Tallinn as well as in a separate pilot space in Tampere. Each location provided new information and the concept was developed accordingly. A well-prepared space concept enabled the completion of the Helsinki offices in six months from signing the lease to the new location.

Despite the tight schedule, the Helsinki office, too, has a lot of custom furniture and fixtures designed specifically for the premises. A well-thought-out and flexible concept ensures effortless growth for Solita in the future also.

In the beginning of summer 2016 the Neste headquarters’ façade appeared as grand and forward-looking on the outside but on the inside the interior was like in any other office: brown, grey and lots of separate rooms. The traditional cubicle style did not comply with the Neste brand and it was not reflecting the direction in which Neste wanted to take the company culture.

“We wanted a multi-space office that would encourage and promote interaction”, says Niko Pihlman, Head of Real Estate at Neste Oyj. “We wanted premises that are flexible and provide people with working space regardless of time or location.”

It was time to tear down walls and create a whole new working environment for over 600 people.

Fyra was chosen to create the interior design.

“We were particularly impressed with Fyra’s competence in providing multi-space office solutions. Their references show that people at Fyra are in tune with the office working culture of the future and how to implement that to the company premises”, Pihlman says.

But let’s rewind to where it all started. The fast-expanding Zalando started looking for bigger premises in 2015. There was a clear-cut vision from the start: Zalando hoped for not only more space but for a raw industrial look, a vivid colour scheme based on the brand colours and a wide variety of work areas and stations.

Fyra was actively involved in realising this vision from the beginning. Fyra’s interior architects were out and about looking at potential premises with Tuomas Kytömaa, Site Lead at Zalando Tech Hub. Various preliminary layouts were sketched according to different facilities.

Then the team chanced upon a 1400-square-metre space on Runeberginkatu street, in central Helsinki. “When I saw the space I thought wow. You could immediately see the possibility of dividing it in two sections: one high-ceilinged space for events and hanging out, and another dedicated as a quiet working space”, says Taru Leppänen, the Interior Architect at Fyra.

Splitting the space into two resolved the entire interior architecture of the facility. The events area with a ceiling reaching the height of almost ten metres provides an opportunity to play billiards, have lunch, hang out with your colleagues, work in the sofa area on the mezzanine or swing on the light-embedded swings. This section is also used for lectures, events and parties as it can be separated so that people can continue to work at the other end of the premises.

The starting point for the office design was to ensure a quiet atmosphere for working. The layout makes sure that you cannot walk between the work stations as the corridors circle outside the work areas. Phone booths were situated so that there are no distractions or curious looks from passers-by. Solutions were provided for all the special requirements – some of which were more surprising than others. “A larger quantity of men’s restrooms were needed as this predominantly male company offers soft drinks all day,” says Taru Leppänen. The people at Zalando also had another special request in mind: the offices definitely needed superheroes. In the previous office there were pictures laminated and attached on the walls.

In addition to Hulk, jumping at you from the fire door, the two adjacent meeting rooms feature Batman and The Joker. Both in graphic black and white, and gnashing their teeth. All the superhero artwork was drawn by artist Rasmus Tikkanen. The employees at Zalando were asked for their input in choosing which heroes should adorn their walls. Everyone was happy with the result. Not only in the artwork but the entire interior design.

“One of the employees told us that this is the first office where their child wants to come to work. Of all Zalando offices throughout the world, this is the most amazing and absolutely the best, which is something even our German colleagues always say”, Tuomas Kytömaa says.

There is loft-esque aesthetics to the premises but with a softer twist. Birch veneer peeled on a lathe, wood stained black as well as white surfaces. These surfaces and colours alternate complementing each other in the interior of both sections of the office. There are plenty of meeting rooms to choose from, be it small two-person rooms or larger conference rooms. They were organised as separate blocks which were stained black on the outside. Glass walls and doors were used to bring an airy, spacious feel.

Zalando did not have a real estate manager or a project manager in Finland so Fyra was in charge of not only the designing interior architecture but also of the comprehensive project management of the entire assignment. Zalando’s Kytömaa is extremely grateful and speaks highly of Fyra’s professional competence in design and process management. Another fact he appreciates is that the Fyra team takes a tour of the offices every now and then to check for possible imperfections and contact the developer if something needs to be addressed.

“Fyra was a trusted companion and we will definitely use them in the future. Had they not been there for us in this project this could have turned into a disaster”, says Kytömaa.

Zalando is an international company that is constantly growing meaning that is seen as an appealing employer as such, but Kytömaa sees the new, amazing premises as a huge asset when it comes to recruitment market. “This is really important. It helps branding when you see this is the coolest tech hub in Helsinki.”