Yhdessä / Together

Habitare’s 2023 theme, Together, explores the contrasts of our time. We have more wealth than ever before, but at the same time, our current way of life pollutes the planet and is riddled with inequality. We face biodiversity loss, the climate crisis, and other security challenges every day in our lives. We must not be paralysed in the face of these global concerns, and we must act together, respecting our ties with each other and with nature.

“In times of crisis, we need security and a sense of togetherness. Hard times tie us to our families, our friends, and each other. With strong ties, we have the courage to do the right thing and to take chances, because we know that someone is holding on to us. We can be glued together by joy, empathy, meaningfulness, activism, hope, or a common goal. It is a reassuring thought that we are part of a global community that is breathing in the same rhythm”, say the designers behind the theme, Anna Pirkola and Kirsikka Simberg of Studio Plenty.

The Habitare 2023 theme, Together, highlights the sense of togetherness in challenging times. The theme also explores our changing world, and how, together, we must consider new perspectives on consumption and living.

Various solutions have already been considered. For example, the circular economy involves a search for responsible operational economic models, especially from the point of view of recycling materials. In addition, ownership is undergoing a cultural change, as more and more services are being used jointly, and goods are being rented, borrowed, and shared.

“Maybe in the future, we will increasingly see a housing company offering residents shared tools, or more than one family using one summer cottage”, say Simberg and Pirkola.

“The theme of Together can also accommodate the points of view of cooperation or, say, of community. In the field of design, cooperation is essential. Seamless cooperation between the designer, the manufacturer, and the manufacturer’s network is how products and services are created. Many commercial companies, museums, and media organisations believe in the power of community. We can choose to be part of a number of different communities that offer interesting content or help us in everyday situations. Together we are more”, says the creative director of Habitare, Laura Sarvilinna.

Studio Plenty, the company behind the theme, shows Together in action

Simberg and Pirkola, of Studio Plenty, exemplify how the theme Together can be manifested in practice. Simberg and Pirkola work together in the company they founded as stylists and designers. Working as partners or even in a joint business is not a common practice among stylists.

“Working together, even in such a small company, has given us new opportunities to develop our business in a direction that is more empathetic and more respectful of the environment and of each other. In a sense, we named our company hoping to manifest the meaning of plenty: more time for planning our work, more opportunities, being more for our customers and for ourselves. Our work often straddles the intersections between design and advertising, and it is at its most rewarding when designing large wholes together with the customer”, say Pirkola and Simberg.