SATO Corporation
Press release 15 June 2023 at 12.30 pm
Photo SATO: Underneath the stairs to the loft of the innovation apartment there is a nook that serves as storage space, a remote workspace or an extra sleeping space.
SATO has developed innovative decor solutions making day-to-day life easier in smaller homes. These are now available for viewing in the apartment building completed in Lincolninaukio, Keimolanmäki, in June. Suitable for a variety of uses, the furnishings make everyday life smoother and provide added space for homes with smaller square meterage. The solutions are designed for purposes such as remote work and hosting overnight guests.
Apartments in Finland’s biggest cities have been steadily getting smaller since the 2010s, but at the same time working at home has increased – particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. People living in smaller homes often do not have a spot for remote work. SATO, one of Finland’s largest rental housing providers, has developed decor solutions in response to this need. Showcased in an apartment building completed in Lincolninaukio, Keimolanmäki, Vantaa, during June, these innovative solutions were designed by SATO’s in-house designer Jonna Röynä in cooperation with the manufacturers. The solutions were tailored specifically for SATO and for small spaces.
"Our current and potential residents have expressed the wish to fit in remote workspaces in SATO homes. A separate home office is not possible or even wanted by many who live in small square meterage. For me, too, the home and the workplace are two different things, so it’s good to be able to separate them in some way," says Röynä, who does a lot of remote work at home.
Remote work furniture for any space
The new decor solutions for small homes are available for viewing in a 45 m2 loft-style apartment in Keimolanmäki, Vantaa. The layout of the innovation apartment works as a home as well as a business space, and the furnishing solutions are carefully considered from the perspective of residents’ everyday lives. When you step in, there is a small landing strip that serves as a drop-off for your keys or phone. There are three different remote workstation solutions, with two of these showcased in the innovation apartment.
"You can fold the briefcase-like on-the-wall work of art with a mirror down to serve as a desk for work or as a small table. There is space inside the unit for a laptop and office supplies. The other remote workstation is a small shelf that transforms into a desk. The shelf also fits into a corridor or other space with no room for a desk or table. Both solutions are cost-effective and can be placed in many different spots in the apartment," Röynä says.
The third remote workstation converts from a work of art to a folding table where the aluminium art feature serves as the table leg. The manufacturing of this remote workstation is still in progress, and the product will be presented at a later date.
Guest bed under the stairs
Underneath the stairs to the loft of the innovation apartment there is a nook that serves as storage space, a remote workspace or an extra sleeping space. The set of drawers under the stairs features a small tabletop you can use as a tray for your laptop or other items. The nook also has power sockets and a spot for a light. The drawer unit is just under two metres long, making it spacious enough for an adult as well as a child to sleep on. Jonna Röynä has designed a comfy mattress for the nook. Easy to roll up, there is also a pillow inside the mattress.
"A spare bed is often needed in a small apartment. Even through there’s no guest bedroom, it’s nice to be able to provide a place for an overnight guest to sleep. The nook is also a peaceful spot for residents to use, perhaps to read a book or watch a movie on the laptop," Röynä points out.
A peaceful ambience for the loft-style home with a high ceiling is also provided by the acoustics art panel that can be installed above the sofa, for example. Any image can be printed on the acoustics panel to turn it into wall art. The acoustics wall panel and all of the other innovation furnishings were created in cooperation with small Finnish enterprises.
Added value for residents’ everyday lives
SATO wants to respond to residents’ housing-related needs as diversely as possible. The home is more than just the walls, and solutions that make everyday lives in rental homes easier can be introduced by means of a variety of innovative elements. Adding a ready-made workstation to an apartment may mean that there is no need for a separate home office and that there are therefore more rental homes available that meet your needs.
"We want to create added value for residents’ everyday lives through our innovative furnishing solutions. For me, really important aspects in a home include aesthetics and a warm atmosphere as well as a certain sense of the unexpected – without compromising on functionality. I hope the elements I’ve designed will also create added value for SATO homes in the future," Röynä says.
Innovative furnishing solutions are prototypes and they are not permanent fixtures in all SATOhomes.
Photo SATO: The briefcase-like on-the-wall work of art with a mirror serves as a desk for work or as a small table also in small space.
For media enquiries about SATO’s innovative decor solutions, please contact:
Jonna Röynä, Specialist, SATO Product Development and Space Design, jonna.royna@sato.fi, phone +358 50 562 6008
SATO Corporation is an expert in sustainable rental housing and one of Finland’s largest rental housing providers. SATO owns around 25,000 rental homes in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Tampere and Turku.
SATO aims to provide an excellent customer experience and a comprehensive range of urban rental housing alternatives with good access to public transport and services. We promote sustainable development and work in open interaction with our stakeholders. SATO invests profitably, sustainably and with a long-term view. We increase the value of our assets through investments, divestments and repairs.
In 2022, SATO Group’s net sales totalled EUR 291.2 million, operating profit EUR 198.9 million and profit before taxes EUR 151.9 million. The value of SATO’s investment properties is around EUR 5 billion. www.sato.fi
