Sustainable homes for the needs of the residents – Y-Säätiö and Aalto University students work together to develop future housing solutions 19.12.2024News Aalto University teachers Marco Rodriguez Chavez and Pablo Riquelme and In the middle, winning team members Eve Lemmelä, Iiris Moisio, Dhanush Harish and Manja Platovšek. What kind of homes will we need in the future? How can neighbourhoods best support their residents’ daily lives, well-being and sense of community? These questions were answered in the Space in Practice project, which brought together Aalto University interior design students, M2-Kodit’s residents and Y-Säätiö. The aim of the project was to develop future housing models for M2-Kodit’s properties owned by -Säätiö in Liusketie and Rapakiventie, Helsinki. The designs emphasised ecology, community and flexibility. Aalto University students brought relevant perspectives to the design, while M2-Kotie residents provided valuable practical insights into everyday living and ideas for the adaptability of the apartments. Innovative perspectives on housing As part of the Space in Practice project, workshops were held where students worked on their designs and received feedback from Y-Säätiö staff for further development. In the first workshop, M2-Kodit’s residents shared valuable practical insights into their daily lives, which guided the design to better meet the needs of the residents. The students were also introduced to the values and objectives of Y-Säätiö, so that the concepts would reflect the Foundation’s vision and principles of sustainable housing. At the project’s closing event, a jury selected the winner in collaboration. Discussions at the workshop focused on improving safety and community in neighbourhoods and the adaptability of housing to different and changing life situations. The project culminated in a closing session at the Arthur Hotel, where the best proposal was awarded. The winning project was the Soma team, whose design stood out for its innovative combination of creative housing design and cost-effectiveness. Towards practical implementation through joint design Y-Säätiö will continue to develop and implement the ideas generated by the project independently on the M2-Kodit property in Liusketie and Rapakiventie. The winning team’s concept creates a strong basis for the development of adaptable and cost-effective housing solutions that meet the changing needs of residents. “It is important for us to listen to today’s young students, as they bring fresh and up-to-date views on housing and spatial design solutions,” says Pekka Kampman, CEO of Y-Säätiön palvelut Oy. “The students’ creativity and innovative solutions bring new thinking alongside traditional design, and this collaboration will help us develop homes that better meet the needs of the future.” Y-Säätiö is looking forward to the start of the renovation work, and at the M2-Kodit property in Liusketie, Helsinki, the implementation will start with one apartment. The aim is to improve the adaptability of the apartments so that they can be flexibly adapted to different family situations. For example, an apartment can be rearranged so that a two-bedroom can easily be converted into a three-bedroom or vice versa. We warmly thank the residents, students and employees of Y-Säätiö for their valuable contribution to the project.