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Already in 2020, when our working lives were turned upside down by an invisible virus, it was clear that many of our new modes of living would outlast the pandemic. There was of course the titanic and still-ongoing shift to a remote workforce, but even the very concept of what an office should constitute in a post-pandemic world was suddenly up for grabs.

Only a few years ago, dropping that question at a corporate mingle would no doubt have raised some eyebrows. Today however, with the compounded effect of the gig and freelance economy and the pandemic uprooting old working models, the answer to what constitutes an office is far from obvious.

Helsinki expands rapidly and has been doing so for the past ten years. Sompasaari town is completely redesigned and former gloomy areas are now replaced with urban lively neighborhoods. Sompasaari, Kalasatama is the new residential block in the area, and the towers of the center shine bright in the city.

The 15-minute city can be described in many ways, however, there’s one expression that sort of nails it – “putting people at the center of urban transformation”. Everyone should have a 15-minute access to necessary services to meet their daily needs. This type of model gives a lot more life into the local areas within a city, and it’s a lot more sustainable having everything just around the corner.

Do you remember your math teacher? Or do you remember the actual classroom? According to modern studies, the environment is just as important as the teacher when it comes to education. Health, concentration and results are all factors with major improvement thanks to a modern environment containing lots of natural light. A successful example of this is the S-house in Halmstad University, and the building achieved the certification Miljöbyggnad Silver.

There are many reasons why we should always think of restoration when it comes to “new” projects. One is the historical value of a building, we can learn a lot from old buildings in terms of history, architecture, design and the old way of living. Another reason is sustainability. We must be considerate to the resources we already have, and make sure we contribute to a circular economy.

The former steam power plant is an elegant brick building located in Västerås. Back in the days, the plant was one of Sweden’s energy suppliers, and for a long time it was left unused – until a couple of visionaries saw another type of energy in the building. Today it’s not only a tourist attraction, it’s a destination.