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The Finnish Standards Association FSA is the central organization for standardization in Finland. SFS previously had office spaces spread across four floors in an office building located in Kamppi, Helsinki. On the ground floor, SFS operated a small bookstore, and in the basement, a small printing facility was used to print FSA training materials, including those for educational institutions. FSA sold the property at Malminkatu 34 to an investment company but remained as a tenant. The printing operations were relocated elsewhere. During the workspace project, SFS not only renovated its premises but also updated many of its working methods and consolidated its office space into two floors.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of organizations, and knowledge work has changed radically and permanently. Remote work has increased, and the future role of the office needs to be reconsidered – why do people come to the office, and what spaces will be particularly needed in the future? We explored these questions together with the staff of FSA.
The starting point was a traditional office layout with individual offices arranged along two corridors. Due to the relatively low ceiling height, the overall impression was dark and enclosed. The space was renovated into an open-plan office, including various work and support areas, meeting rooms for internal and external use, and a work café. In particular, spaces for interaction and collaboration were significantly increased.
The space was opened up significantly, allowing natural light to flow more freely from one area to another, and all FSA staff can now better enjoy urban city views. Meeting rooms and other interaction spaces were placed as a buffer near the elevators and main thoroughfares, while different types of workstations are arranged deeper into the building wing. For Teams meetings and phone work, generously sized soundproof room modules were placed throughout all work areas.
On the 6th floor, there is a library space, which also functions as a bookstore when needed and as a showcase for FSA’s digital books, which now make up the majority of its materials. Warm and homey atmosphere was brought to the lobbies and work cafés on the 6th and 7th floors with small, cozy furniture groups. The overall color scheme of the space is classic and calm, featuring shades of sand, natural white, and light oak. This is accented by FSA’s signature bold blue, which appears on selected walls, furniture, and digital surfaces. The space is also adorned with striking large plants in terracotta pots and a plant wall.
Sustainability was a key guiding principle in SFS’s project. The significant reduction in space usage helped reduce the carbon footprint. The design aimed to reuse as much of the existing structures as possible, where it made sense for functionality and soundproofing. Fewer walls were built than were removed.
The general lighting still had some lifecycle left, so the fixtures were updated with brighter light sources. SFS had a considerable amount of relatively new, usable furniture, which was largely reused in the spaces. The electric adjustable desks were given a fresh look by replacing the tabletops.
In this project, as well, we designed a unique piece of furniture. This piece serves as a lobby table, combining wood and tile in its design.
