Viita Workstation
About:
The Viita Workstation is a part of Lahti’s year as a European Green Capital 2021. Residents and tourists can use these workstations for free in five different locations around the city’s nature sites, what makes them a great place to take a break from your journey and get some work done. Lahti also shares the design opensource and encourages others to set up their own Workstations.
The workstations are made of Finnish spruce by a Lahti-based carpenter from design company called Upwood.
Viita workstation won silver in Grafias Vuodenhuiput competition and has been widely reported all over the world by news media.
Brief:
Design a remote workstation that is easy to attach to a tree, has all the functions needed and is durable outside in the woods.
The problem:
How to attatch the Workstations to a tree without damagin it, making in serve the needs of the user and making sure it survives in the nature of Lahti. The Workstation had to be designed so that it would be durable not just because the outside weather but also vandalism.
The consept:
A workstation where u can go relax and enjoy the nature. It has all the function you need - space for laptop, phone, bottle, pens and a hook for a bag. Visually blends into the woods with soft round shapes and doesn’t damage the nature.
My role:
Design Lead
Creative Consept Design
Product Design
3D Modeling
TBWA\Helsinki:
Juhana Hokkanen & Umberto Onza
"An insightful and timely implementation that takes a functional approach to outdoor advertising. Raises the profile of the advertiser with a beautiful, modern and practical solution. An advertisement that genuinely builds a better environment."
Grafia
As I wanted to reflect the nature with my designs I created twelve different concepts. The organic shapes resemble bark, mirrors reflective water and mushrooms & birdhouses can be found in forest.
After our team decided on the style we wanted to lean on, I created three different designs. Here the differences were the overall thickness of the round wood poles. As the Viita workstation were to implemented into the nature it had to be durable so we landed on the first design seen below on the left side.
Next my colleague 3D modelled the design and I rendered the images, created presentation for the client and manufacturing instructions for the carpenter.
Viita workstation has also found its ways into other countries like Sweden where the design was requested by a local museum.
Nature was strongly present throughout my design process of the Viita workstations. The design reflects ecology, locality and functionality combined with the round and soft shapes of nature. The workstations are unique in terms of usability, and differ from traditional camping tables due to their functions that are specifically designed for remote working. They include a phone and a cup holder, an area for a laptop, a place to put pens and a possibility to hang a bag.
Viita workstations are made of Finnish spruce, which is durable material for outdoor use. The use of spruce has a long history in Finland, and as a material it represents the Finnish forest at its best. The workstations are attached to trees with cargo belts so that no harm is done to the trees after installation and removal. Viita workstations was in use for the first time in autumn 2021 as a part of the Green Capital Year.