In summer 2023, Finnish technology company Wolt moved to new premises in Kamppi, Helsinki, in the former extensively renovated KY building. The previous headquarters of the company founded in 2014, had become too small. The new office is around 7,300m² on eight floors. Arkkitehtitoimisto Tengbom was the main designer of the renovation and Rune&Berg Design was responsible for the interior design. Wolt’s own brand team was responsible for the look and feel of the interior design.
Expectations were high on the day of the housewarming party at Wolt’s new headquarters. The employees had been eagerly waiting to get into their new office for a long time and this was reflected in their energy and comments. There was nothing but positive feedback for the office: “It's great to be home!” and “Wow – looks amazing!” were among the spontaneous exclamations. The day was even more exciting for Susan Vättö, the HQ Project Lead responsible for the design and implementation of the new office, as she had spent a lot of time mapping the wishes and needs of the employees to ensure the office would be as functional as possible. The question asked at the survey phase was simply: What would make you come to the office? However, the employees responded with a lot of very specific wishes regarding the atmosphere of the premises, the different needs for work and flexibility, and many other aspects. Wolt’s managers wanted to be able to “feel the atmosphere as soon as you step inside”. The atmosphere must also change when you go from one space to another.
Adaptability at Wolt’s pace
There was no set concept when the project started, but it was very clear that the spaces had to adapt “at Wolt’s pace”. The old office was felt to be cold, and employees wanted the new office to be cosy and homelike, with different colours and elements. They didn’t want an office that was too neat and tidy, as if it had come off a production line.
Wolt chose Martela's flexible Workplace as a Service (WaaS) solution as the main method of sourcing the office furniture. The service included assistance for furniture selection to furniture installation and maintenance. This circular economy rental model also means future changes to the space are easy, as furniture can be replaced, recycled and added to in a sustainable way. Martela’s experts helped in selecting the furniture, from considering overall functionality to the choice of materials and colours, as well as the delivery and installation of the furniture. Wolt’s own brand team was responsible for the look and feel of the interior design. In addition to Martela’s own collection of furniture for public indoor spaces, products from a wide network of partners such as Hakola, Lepo, Muuto, HAY and Mizetto were used.
Change of atmosphere with meeting space hopping
The users have really made themselves at home since the housewarming and the number of people working at the office has doubled compared to before! More furniture has been added since the summer to meet the needs. A new concept called ‘meeting space hopping’ has also been launched at Wolt as teams want to go from one meeting space to another to experience a new atmosphere. Most of the meeting rooms are relaxed spaces that are easy to adapt, and you can even sit on the floor if you like! There are also plenty of places for relaxation where people can take a break and have some space.
“When spending time in the different spaces, I still think, 'Wow, they were good decisions’,” says Vättö. “We had a million ideas and needed a partner who was able to take control and bring everything together. The project progressed rapidly, and we adapted our plans as we went along. Everything went really well!” The office will continue to be developed and the teams have been providing ideas for further development. Martela visits twice a month to make sure everything is working. A workplace survey will also be carried out soon.
“At Wolt, employees like to work and come up with solutions together, and we want to support this,” says a satisfied Vättö.
