Located in the Katajanokka neighborhood, DLA Piper established a new home in Alvar Aalto’s iconic, recognizably monolithic “Sugar Cube” building.

Client
DLA Piper

Location
Helsinki

Area
1800 m²

Year
2023

Partners
Alvar Aalto Foundation The Finnish Heritage AgencyArk Byroo

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

Strategy

Fyra was selected as DLA Piper’s design partner for the project in early 2022 to plan the functionality and appearance of the new premises. Since a majority of the staff had previously worked in their own rooms, an extraordinary number of meeting rooms, phone booths and quiet spaces were designed to ease the transition. Additionally, the layout included a webinar room, library, and recreation room.

 

Delivery

Featuring panoramic views of Helsinki Market Square and the sea, the substantial semi-public lounge serves both employees and visitors. The design of the premises, supervised by the Finnish Heritage Agency and Alvar Aalto Foundation, carefully considers the unique historic value of the building.

Team

Tiina Närkki

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and RE development

tiina.narkki@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 536 3530

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Maija Leskelä

Interior Architect
Furniture Designer
M.A. (Cultural Anthropology)

maija.leskela@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 041 2322

Timeless prestige with the most impressive views in town.

Client
Carnegie

Location
Helsinki

Area
950 m²

Year
2022

Photography
Aleksti Tikkala

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

For investment bank Carnegie’s move, the upper level of the former UPM headquarter building was to be transformed into a functional office space with a distinctively esteemed ambience. The design process started by pre-establishing a few clear principles: since the operations are run by two separate divisions, Investment Banking and Securities, the space needed to be physically separated for regulatory reasons. In spite of the units’ separation, it was imperative to have a large functional break out area in order to facilitate daily breakfasts and unplanned encounters between teams during the day.

Strategy & Delivery

Original materials, such as glass walls and doors, as well as notable amount of existing materials like suspended ceilings, were preserved to the greatest extent possible. With modern wooden furniture and timeless design classics, the space reflects Nordic atmosphere and ages with dignity. The broad, dark wooden surfaces reflect the aspired ambience of prestige. The design language communicates with the historical architecture of the building, with furniture, acoustic solutions, and structure designed to calm down the open office space.

Team

Tiina Närkki

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and RE development

tiina.narkki@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 536 3530

Laura Järvinen

(on parental leave)
Interior Architect SIO
Designer

laura.jarvinen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 523 7187

The best work environment in the Nordic region. The new Helsinki premises of CBRE, an internationally recognized company focused on work environments and real estate consulting, could have been nothing less.

Client
CBRE Finland

Location
Helsinki

Area
1492 m²

Year
2020

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

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.

Strategy & Delivery

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.

Team

Tiina Närkki

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and RE development

tiina.narkki@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 536 3530

Niina Ojutkangas

Head of Insight &
Workplace Development
Interior Architect SIO

niina.ojutkangas@fyra.fi

+358 (0)45 224 1014

Roche, the largest biotech company, is a pioneer in healthcare and a frontrunner in personalised healthcare. Roche is the global leader in cancer treatments and the leading provider of in vitro diagnostics.

Client
Roche

Location
Espoo

Area
1400 m²

Year
2020

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

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.

Strategy & Delivery

Fyra always designs facilities in close cooperation with the customer. The design of the premises began with workshops with Roche’s employees and experts. Roche’s new premises are located in Metsä Group’s main building in Tapiola.

The plans took into account the beautiful architecture of the building – collaboration & working cafe was located with the best sea view, at the intersection of the L-shaped base, where all employees can enjoy the view. Equality was one of the starting points for the design and it was important that the facilities serve all employees and different working habits.

The new premises combine Roche’s two different industries: diagnostics and pharmacology, the aim of the spatial design was to support cooperation between the fields. In accordance with Roche’s values, Fyra chose local furniture and materials such as Finnish wood and granite for the interior. The harmonious color scheme of the space was inspired by the surrounding seascape and nature.

Team

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Anu Latvala

Head of Concepts
Interior Architect

anu.latvala@fyra.fi

+358 (0)41 501 6405

Silja Kantokorpi

Interior Architect
Designer

silja.kantokorpi@fyra.fi

+358 (0)44 031 0899

Background

Constructed in 1996, the Valimo Park building was originally designed to house a single company. The building was renovated in 2019 to suit the needs of a variety of users, with Fujitsu continuing to occupy the building as the main tenant. During the renovation, the entire office space was modernised with the old school cubicles being replaced with modern, hybrid work environment.

Client
Varma

Location
Helsinki

Area
10 000 m²

Year
2019

Partners
L Arkkitehdit

Photography
Sampsa Pärnänen

Details

Strategy & Delivery

Fyra was responsible for the concept design and the interior architecture of the common areas in the first and seventh floor. In addition to serving the users of the building, the first-floor common areas and services were designed to appeal to the surrounding community as well. The upper seventh floor of the building was converted into representative premises with new meeting rooms, collaborative areas and naturally a sauna.

Team

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Tiina Närkki

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and RE development

tiina.narkki@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 536 3530

Merja Virkkunen

Architect
Principal Designer

merja.virkkunen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 515 3697

Heini Korpinen

Interior Architect
Designer

The palatial Erottaja Neo-Renaissance building – a landmark essential to Helsinki’s architectural heritage – will be converted into office spaces and restaurants in a renovation beginning in autumn 2019.

Client
Trevian

Location
Helsinki

Year
2019

Partners
DrumDynamo & Son Zoan

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Details

Background

Before the project, Trevian, a real estate investment and asset management company, put the marketing of the project out to tender. Interior Architects Fyra won the interior design bid. It was a cooperation project together with creative agency Dynamo & Son and PR agency Drum.

Strategy & Delivery

Fyra’s assignment was to portray how the Neo-Renaissance building from 1891 and the Art Nouveau space from 1905 can function as a modern working environment. That vision was then used in planning the advertisement material and site visits. Fyra designed a visual customer journey map in the premise and chose the spaces that were to be renovated and through which you can walk and experience the interior.

 

 

Fyra brought the space to life by creating a contrast to the opulent details and bold colours. Modern Finnish furniture and large carpets were used to soften, balance out and add a contemporary vibe to the premises. Fyra provided also the designs of the 3D images for the advertisement video. In the video, behind each door and in the courtyard, everything is Fyra’s handiwork. 3D models: Zoan

Team

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Sara Koivisto

Interior Architect
Concept Designer

sara.koivisto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 365 7219

In the autumn of 2020 construction company and urban developer YIT invited Fyra to join a new and exciting project called Workery+. Together with Microsoft YIT had created “The Year Zero Report”, a study that defines seven lessons on the future of working. Workery+ Vallila is the first concrete outcome on what a service model based on those learnings would look like.

Client
YIT

Location
Helsinki

Year
2021

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Awards

Smart Building Award 2021

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

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.

Team

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Anu Latvala

Head of Concepts
Interior Architect

anu.latvala@fyra.fi

+358 (0)41 501 6405

Maija Leskelä

Interior Architect
Furniture Designer
M.A. (Cultural Anthropology)

maija.leskela@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 041 2322

Defined by its iconic location in the city center of Helsinki, Aleksi 15 has been a hub for commerce and business for a century and a half. The exceptional property is going through a major renovation regarfing the use of premises, as the historic commercial building is being transformed into a modern office and retail center.

Client
HappySignals

Location
Helsinki

Area
350 m²

Year
2021

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

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.

Delivery

HappySignals office represents a new era of working. According to HappySignals’ wishes and needs, the office has numerous tailored spaces for different working needs. For example a full studio set was built for video and podcast recording needs. Communal spaces were given a great deal of careful thought to create a homely atmosphere and in addition to traditional workstations the different ways of meeting colleagues and customers was emphasized.

Team

Ella Liuksiala

Interior Architect

Niina Ojutkangas

Head of Insight &
Workplace Development
Interior Architect SIO

niina.ojutkangas@fyra.fi

+358 (0)45 224 1014

In July 2018 technology company Solita chose Fyra to create a new key concept for their premises. At the same time, it would change the working culture of the growing company.

Client
Solita

Location
Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Lahti, Stockholm, Tallinn

Year
2019

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Details

Background

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.

Strategy & Delivery

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.

Team

Tiina Närkki

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and RE development

tiina.narkki@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 536 3530

Heini Korpinen

Interior Architect
Designer

Niina Ojutkangas

Head of Insight &
Workplace Development
Interior Architect SIO

niina.ojutkangas@fyra.fi

+358 (0)45 224 1014

Sara Koivisto

Interior Architect
Concept Designer

sara.koivisto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 365 7219

Would you like to work today standing up, sitting in an armchair or gazing at the sea? All these types of working are available at the renewed Neste headquarters. The company’s work culture has now boldly entered a new era.

Client
Neste

Location
Espoo

Area
10 000 m²

Year
2017

Photography
Sampsa Pärnänen

Expertise Workplace Design

Details

Background

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.

Delivery

A well-thought-out concept was needed in the beginning. It took a lot of research and interviews.

“Interior solutions must always be based on how people work and operate in the environment we are going to design. We must find out how people in this exact company work. For me, as an interior designer, the most rewarding thing is solving the functionality of the premises and meeting the expectations of the personnel. This ensures an environment in which people thrive”, says Anu Latvala, Interior Architect at Fyra.

The renovation was carried out within an extremely tight schedule. The project began in the beginning of 2016 and the last floor was completed in July 2017. The personnel were interviewed and plans were changed whenever new needs came up.

“The Fyra team was keen and perceptive in recognising the needs that emerged from the interviews. Each floor was executed keeping in mind the needs of the building users as well as the overall requirements set by the company”, says Neste’s Niko Pihlman expressing his gratitude.

The fact that the company is located in two adjacent buildings, consisting of nine 1000-square -meter-floors, meant that Fyra had a challenge on their hands. From the beginning they decided to execute the project in stages.

One floor at a time the walls were torn down and the plastic flooring removed. Everything was substituted with colour, natural materials and sleek, modern furniture from Finnish furniture manufacturers. The guiding idea throughout the project was to create an open, flexible space where people can interact. Whereas previously people were sitting in their own places amidst piles of papers, now everyone has nine floors at their disposal.

“Pretty much all work spaces are flexible and they don’t ‘belong’ to anyone”, says Fyra’s Latvala.

A multi-space office allows information to circulate more easily as people see each other and are able to exchange ideas also in informal spaces – like in the kitchen. One was built on each floor.

“People work 7,5 hours a day. It is really important that the work environment is comfortable. An open-plan office has to have great support facilities”, Latvala says.

A fun detail in the new offices is that each floor has a kitchen that differs from the others – just like each floor. The furniture in each floor is different and some of the floors have a lush indoor plant wall.

“One wing is blue and the other is green and the colours fade towards the top”, Anu Latvala says.

There are work spaces and different office layouts that suit different needs. Some prefer a more traditional office desk and some a standing desk. Someone might perform better when slouching on a sofa with their laptop or sitting in a dark blue or green armchair. There a spots for those who work alone and for those who work in teams. Something for all.

“Different spaces provide sometimes a much needed distraction without having to leave the premises”, says Niko Pihlman from Neste.

One such distraction is available when taking the elevator to E6, the top floor. There is a self-service café, a small golf course, sofas, a library, armchairs and rooms of different sizes available for reservation. A minimalist interior combined with a spectacular sea view.

Big companies like Neste need their headquarters to look modern and contemporary, and last for more than ten years. Solutions have to be not only great but timeless, too. The facilities have to be flexible should there be a decrease or increase in the number of staff. Layouts must withstand changes.

“The new offices are more flexible and suit the Neste business operations”, says Niko Pihlman.

The renewed premises contribute to and complement the Neste marketing communications: fresh, easily approachable and positive. An office that looks like its brand engages employees and acts as a calling card for the company.

It was clear right from the start that the renovation would go further than just the Espoo headquarters in Finland. The concept needed to be reproducible and applicable on a global level. During the renovation Fyra and Neste compiled a manual regarding the office solutions. The instruction book called Agile Working will be made available in the Neste offices around the world.

This means that also other Neste offices will be able to provide different work spaces be it at a café or by a green plant wall or a golf course – or sitting at a traditional office desk.

“I am very happy with the outcome”, says Niko Pihlman at Neste.

“We found the common thread very quickly. The common thread between the Neste brand and the working culture we want to promote.”

Team

Niina Sihto

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
WP and Concepts

niina.sihto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 508 0332

Anu Latvala

Head of Concepts
Interior Architect

anu.latvala@fyra.fi

+358 (0)41 501 6405