As part of the company’s “workplace well-being first” design of its newly relocated Finnish offices, AstraZeneca has installed living walls in partnership with Finnish indoor nature technology firm Naava. The global pharmaceutical company has around 100 employees based in Finland, with the new premises located in the Keilaniemi region of Espoo.
One major goal of the office relocation was to reinforce AstraZeneca’s community culture by attracting people back to more frequent on-site work as part of a continued hybrid work model. This attraction extends to the offices’ nature-inspired interior, purposefully designed to promote comfort and well-being by harnessing biophilic design’s stress-relieving, productivity-enhancing effects.
“We’re proud to unveil our new offices in Finland. We believe the site reflects the culture of our workforce and our commitment to providing our people with the best-possible working environments,” said Jaakko Viitala, country director for Finland at AstraZeneca. “The interior design and even the location itself were chosen after listening carefully to peoples’ preferences. As such, we’ve succeeded in creating a working environment where people feel happy and inspired, and their well-being is a priority.”
The biophilic interior includes 11 green walls located in larger communal areas and meeting rooms, and as functional space dividers between work zones. According to Naava, the walls’ living plants purify the air, removing harmful chemicals to give an indoor air quality equivalent to that of the Nordic forest, as well as providing calming, stress-relieving visual, ambient, and acoustic stimuli.
The office’s Keilaniemi location is itself a balance between technology and nature. The area is a business and high-tech hub, home to several of Finland’s most well-known global companies as well as many of its fastest-growing startups. In addition to its commercial importance, Keilaniemi’s scenic environment incorporates several walking and cycling paths, strengthening the location’s popularity with AstraZeneca’s employees.
“The office location is more attractive for many reasons. We’ve moved from overlooking a busy motorway to an area with sea views that is easily accessible on foot or by bike,” explained Viitala. “These additional nature-inspired benefits all contribute to creating a workplace experience built on well-being, where our talented people can thrive. The new location is also very well connected, promoting the sense of community alongside other leading innovators.”