The Good Life the Good How Tolive 2 EDITORIAL ANDCONTENTS T Innovations Meet Our Reputable Social and Health Services

simple genius Ideas of wood Wowed by a sickplanet Cures for of creativity The business FINLAND on theeconomy andtechnology 2013 the good life the good How tolive 2 EDITORIAL ANDCONTENTS T innovations meet our reputable social and health services. innovations meetourreputablesocialandhealthservices. and white–wheresustainabletechnologicalservice blue andwhite,ourmentalityisshiftingtowardsgreen provide returnoninvestment.Andalthoughourﬂagboasts offers innovativeandstate-of-the-arttechnologiesthat estimate ofmorethan10percent,thecleantechsector in environmentalsustainability.Withanannualgrowth Small wonder,then,thatFinlandisalreadyagloballeader profound understandingofbothnatureandscience. success storiesoftoday,andespeciallytomorrow. Green isthenew blue and wellbeing for both its inhabitants and visitors alike. and wellbeingforbothitsinhabitantsvisitorsalike. Business aside, Finland offers good life, happiness Business aside,Finlandoffersgoodlife,happiness The greatesttechnologicalinnovationsstemfroma We areluckytohavedirectaccessgreenspaces and a healthy physical environment. This unique and ahealthyphysicalenvironment.Thisunique heritage provides fruitful breeding grounds heritage providesfruitfulbreedinggrounds connecting and collaborating – they are the connecting andcollaborating–theyarethe how andcapabilitiesbasedonnetworking, enterprises. TheseSMEsaredrivenbyknow- have nowturnedwiththeriseofgrowth handful oflargecorporations.Butthetables raditionally, Finnishexpertiserestedwitha for an unrivalled skillset geared towards for anunrivalledskillsetgearedtowards problem solving. And that is what our problem solving.Andthatiswhatour growth enterprises are all about: growth enterprisesareallabout:

c they are problem solvers, they areproblemsolvers, FOCUSFINLAND2013 the Economy Ministry ofEmploymentand Permanent Secretary just like our skilled workforce. just likeourskilledworkforce. ERKKI VIRTANEN

PHOTO: ANTTI KANGASSALO 2013 PRODUCERS Peter Marten,MaaritPiippo Tiina Kairistola,MarkusKokko,MariLehtonen,MerviLiukkonen, Laura Häkli,MikaHammarén,JohannaHermans,SallaKosunen, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF contact thenearestFinnishembassy. visit the Russian andSpanish.To readthemagazineonlineororderpapercopies,please Focus ontheeconomyandtechnology Finnfacts Tekes Culture formin.finland.fi PUBLISHERS COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY MANAGING EDITOR www.tekes.fi Focus TAT Groupwww.finnfacts.fi

Tytti Mård,ShellyNyqvist websiteatwww.focusmagazine.fi.For papercopiesyoucanalso Ministry forForeign Affairs Nicola Lindertz Sitra Kimmo Holappa Trailblazing ideasforbetterworkandplay Simply brilliant Arctic ingredientstakeskincaretonewheights The science of beauty www.sitra.fi Ministry ofEmploymentandtheEconomy Riitta Suppari/Keksi EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD is available in English, Chinese, German, isavailableinEnglish,Chinese,German, InvestinFinland ISSN 1797-3287 ENGLISH EDITOR ART DIRECTOR Department for Communications and DepartmentforCommunicationsand Sanoma Custom Media Sanoma CustomMedia PRINTED BY www.investinfinland.fi www.investinfinland.fi Minna Hakaoja, Minna Hakaoja, Antti Kangassalo Antti Kangassalo Silja Kudel Libris Oy Libris Oy www.tem.fi www.tem.fi

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO Eco-efficiency ontherise Balancing theenergyequation Going modular Fight firewithfog Rethinking timber Wonder wood Fans asfilmmakers Language ofdance Fishy business The returnofT-rex Biodiesel fuelfromtheforest Turning pollution tostone Sensitive solutionforasacredcity Saving theworld–onemetalatatime Open innovators News &Updates Eco-innovations andwoodenwondersfromtheNorth Smart architecture Dancer Tero Saarinengetsdowntobusiness The ground beneath hisfeet Easy doesit Natural beauty What’s behindtheFinnishsmile? Silver surfercity Who wouldn’twanttoworkhere? Stop theschoolbully Better births Happening Helsinki The goodlifeisnotforsale Breaking thelanguagebarrier Unleash theriffinyou Talking navigatorfortheblind Second lifeforMeeGo Laser-sharp pocketprojector Work upasweatwithAngryBirds Research opensnewgamingfrontiers Celestial magic

PHOTO: MARKO HUTTUNEN PHOTO: HEIDI STRENGELL Crowdsourcing isthefutureofindieﬁlmmaking Movie madness 10 waystomakeyourselfhappier Why Finns are smiling Clever curesforourailingplanet Cleaning itup

3 PHOTO: VUOKKO SALO ILLUSTRATION: JUSSI LEHTINIEMI NEWS & UPDATES c'0$64'*/-"/%bCOMPILED BY KATI HEIKINHEIMO

n the quest to find eco-efficient sources of energy, wave energy is a promising Riding I option. The kinetic energy harboured by oceans is massive, clean and renewable. the waves It just needs to be harnessed. One of the innovators in this field is Wello, a Finnish company known for its Penguin vessel currently floating off the coast of Scot- land. During one year, the device captures and converts enough kinetic energy to power up to 400 households. Finland’s largest energy company Fortum has also been exploring wave energy conver- sion since 2007. They have several ongoing development and wave power park projects with international partners in France, Portugal and Sweden.

www.wello.eu www.fortum.com PHOTO: STEFAN SJÖDIN STEFAN PHOTO:

emperatures as low as minus supplied by the Finnish Meteorological 128 degrees Celsius, thin air and Institute. They measure the relative humidity T lethal ultraviolet radiation, ﬁerce and the air pressure prevailing on the planet. sandstorms that sweep across the The same technology, developed by Vaisala, planet. How could there be life on Mars? has been previously used in space projects Perhaps the Martian environment wasn’t exploring Mars and Titan. always so hostile. That’s what the Mars Curiosity has about one Mars year, Science Laboratory aims to ﬁnd out. The MSL equalling approximately 687 Earth days, to rover Curiosity, operating since August 2012, collect data on the local conditions. It will has become an eagerly followed celebrity also extract and analyse the soil’s minerals. among space enthusiasts. The Rover Envi- If chemical elements – nitrogen, sulphur, ronmental Monitoring Station is a measuring phosphor or oxygen – are found, we may instrument compromising two devices have to revise our conception of life on Mars.

www.cab.inta-csic.es/rems www.vaisala.com NEWS& UPDATES www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi Anybody out there? NASA PHOTO:

4 Human spare parts in the making

opulation ageing The technologies will also leads to a significant benefit the development of P increase in bone eye medication as well as the SAMI HELENIUS PHOTO: injuries and diseases, research of the cardiac side such as osteoporosis – already effects of various drugs. affecting more than 200 The programme combines million people worldwide. A top-level expertise in bio- joint research programme materials, sensor technology, by the Tampere University of biomedical engineering and Technology and the University stem cells. Partners include of Tampere is now looking into private companies and medical finding new solutions for help- researchers from several ing these patients. The aim is countries. to develop tailored transplants, “spare parts”, for bone damage www.biomeditech.fi and neural tissue in cases such

as spinal injury. UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE IBT, HEIDI HONGISTO, PHOTO:

erry cruises on the Baltic Sea are a popular weekend getaway F for residents of the Baltic rim. The latest addition to the Viking Line fleet, M/S Viking Grace, represents the quietest and most environmentally friendly ferry in the world. GRACE The revolutionary Liquified Natural Gas fuel system built by Wärtsilä enables the ferry to use alternative fuels and cut down on emissions. The hull of the vessel is on the sea hydrodynamically optimised to minimise fuel consumption and wells, which is particularly important when passing through the narrow archipelago. Noise levels are kept low by innovative new soundproofing technology. Viking Grace was constructed at STX Europe’s shipyard in Turku, and features interior design by the award-winning dSign Vertti Kivi & Co. agency.

www.vikinggrace.com

5 In an ideal world, people do the things they really enjoy both at work and leisure. According to Linus Torvalds, father of the Linux operating system, technology can bring us closer to this goal.

TEXT JORMA LEPPÄNEN PHOTO AKIPEKKA SINIKOSKI

Technology on a silver plaer

innish-born Linus Torvalds Even though the driving principle respects technology not as behind development is “more capacity an end in itself, but rather at relatively lower costs”, in many F its instrumental value in the areas – from information technology to service of people. water treatment – high prices often deter “Overcoming the big challenges that deployment of the latest technology. society faces requires collaboration on “Our individual needs and interests are many levels, including technological the driving force behind technological collaboration. Linux, too, is based on this advancements, and we are facing chal- notion,” says Torvalds, an advocate of the lenges at all levels of the hierarchy of open development philosophy. needs – from survival to social interac- Linux is one of the world’s most recog- tion and entertainment.” nised open source code products. One of How does Torvalds, recipient of the the advantages of an open development 2012 Millennium Technology Prize model is that product quality remains in Helsinki, Finland, see the future high since the users also do the testing. of the sector? Torvalds regards openness as a great “I am not a visionary, but I am motivator in managing complexity. interested in how the computer industry “Modern technology is so complex that will react when Moore’s Law is no longer not even huge companies can develop it by valid. The number of transistors on a themselves. For instance, basic software is a silicon chip can’t double every couple critical infrastructure that cannot be man- of years – the size of atoms becomes the aged by just one or even a few companies. limiting factor.” “With Linux, openness has made it possible to manage extreme complexity. As a result of this open approach, we have www.technologyacademy.fi resources for writing codes as well as for www.linuxfoundation.org testing and even creating new ideas.”

6 “Brainstorming isn’t the privilege of the select few; it ought to be an obligation for everyone,” says Liisa Välikangas, Professor of Innovation Management at the Aalto University School of Business. Breaking out of the funnel TEXT JORMA LEPPÄNEN PHOTO ANTTI KANGASSALO

hen Liisa Välikangas returned to Finland from California’s W Silicon Valley in 2005, her ideas about innovation management and management innovation seemed almost dangerous. Did she want to destroy functional processes and bring chaos to the workplace? “The competitiveness of companies is increasingly based on how actively they encourage their employees to generate ideas. Such open innovation, where everyone within an organisation has the possibility to offer ideas at both strategic One of the theories Välikangas ideas. This makes companies more and operative levels, seems like a foreign researched at Woodside Institute, dynamic and increases operational practice. I have collaborated with co-founded with Dr Gary Hamel, is why efficiency.” several Fortune 500 companies that have many leading companies let success Välikangas is also the president of successfully renewed their management block the renewal process. Innovation Democracy, Inc., an innova- methods, enabling them to handle a “Success is a trap for even the most tion non-proﬁt that works in Afghanistan huge volume of employee ideas without innovative companies. When money to support university students’ efforts to any fear of anarchy.” comes pouring in, corporate manage- turn their ideas into a source of income. A company’s ability to continuously ment doesn’t want to divide its attention “Our work in developing countries has produce unique beneﬁts and value for to think about budding ideas – regardless shown that lack of resources forces peo- customers is mostly based on how well of the potential.” ple to become innovative. A shovel can the employees identify the changing Companies must build their manage- function as a frying pan. This is exactly needs of its customers. ment models so that operations never the kind of genuine creativity that is “We are talking more about a process revolve only around the existing product always needed, whether in a village in involving not only other companies and and services portfolio. Africa or a multinational company.” universities, but, above all, customers. “There must be room for forward-

Often the customer might have created looking ideas and innovations. It is very http://biz.aalto.fi/en a solution that the company is already important for employees to maintain www.innodemo.com spending money looking for.” curiosity and their capacity to create

7 saving the world– onemetal atatime

Efficient recycling of scrap metal is an increasingly attractive alternative to digging up bulky ores for energy-hungry reﬁning plants.

TEXT FRAN WEAVER PHOTOS CHRISTIAN YAKOWLEF AND PHILIP LAZLO

8 lean tech- “The EU is leading the way nologies by obliging producers and includ- retailers to collect WEEE “Cing wastes, but the US, Russia and Brazil are recycling are the fastest quickly following growing industrial sector suit,” adds in the world. The indus- Halonen. “Envi- try is going through ronmentalism a challenging phase, among consum- with rapid techno- ers is on the rise, logical developments, especially in the increasing investments Nordic countries and tougher competi- and Germany, tion, as everyone works where people are to meet ever tightening very willing to take legislation,” says Petri recyclable wastes Halonen, CEO of the to collection points. Espoo-based recycling services Processing electronic company Kuusakoski, who are wastes is the fastest grow- among the world’s largest suppliers ing part of our business.” of recycled metals. “RECYCLING The metal recycling business is largely IS AMONG ANY OLD IRON? driven by the volatile prices of metals on Kuusakoski rounds up recyclable met- global commodity markets. It invariably THE WORLD’S als – in anything from mobile devices takes much less energy to collect used FASTEST or cables to refrigerators or cars – from metals for reprocessing than to obtain GROWING collection points across the Nordic and virgin metals by smelting mined ores, so SECTORS.” Baltic regions, Poland, Russia, the US their carbon footprint is much smaller. and the UK. These unwanted goods are Meanwhile, exploitable reserves of many ﬁrst pre-sorted manually to separate metal ores are dwindling fast. This makes recycling any hazardous substances as well as non-metals scrap metal even more attractive. like plastic and rubber. Metals are then crushed “We’re putting more efforts into research, develop- and automatically sorted at processing facilities by ment and technological advances, including projects weight, magnetism and conductivity. we run together with Aalto University. This pro-active Kuusakoski’s recycled metals are shipped around R&D aims to keep us well ahead of coming legislation,” the world. “The largest bulk of our steel and iron says Halonen. “The EU’s end-of-life-vehicle targets are products goes to Turkey, which is a leading steel that by 2015 only 5 per cent of a scrap car can go to producer; while the non-ferrous metals we recycle landﬁll – so vehicles will have to be 95 per cent recy- from electronics largely go to China for use in new clable. We believe this is certainly achievable, though products,” explains Halonen. it won’t be easy.” ALL WASTES WARMLY WELCOMED SWAMPED BY ELECTRONICS At the end of 2012, Kuusakoski opened an Ecopark “Another important trend is that we’re diversifying facility in Lahti to take in construction and demoli- from bulky iron and steel to non-ferrous metals like tion wastes. In addition to metals, the company deals aluminium, copper and precious metals like gold, silver extensively in recycled plastics, rubber and other and platinum,” says Halonen. organic wastes. A glance around any modern home or workplace “We’re keen to increase the recovery rates for reveals how we are overwhelmed by electronic appli- other kinds of wastes,” says Halonen. “This is ances. Consumers replace electronic goods frequently, business, but we have green values, too – and by generating ever larger quantities of Waste Electrical doing this, in some sense, we feel we can really and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) containing many help to save the planet!” valuable metals. www.kuusakoski.com

9 very year millions of Muslim pilgrims Waste bags are fed into Waste is conveyed travel to Mecca and visit the holy city’s 1 gravity-chute intakes 3 through the pipelines Grand Mosque. Vantaa-based vacuum linked to a network of to a collection terminal E conveying technology specialists Mari- 30 km of pipelines running beneath well away from the mosque. Matic have supplied a waste collection the Grand Mosque complex. system to deal with the massive waste management At the terminal, the waste is challenge facing this sacred site. On completion compacted into containers for in spring 2013, MariMatic’s MetroTaifun system Transporting waste through transportation by truck to a in Mecca will be the largest automatic solid waste 2 airtight pipelines instead landﬁll site. collection system anywhere in the world. of using trucks minimises problems with noise, smells and dust. The system uses much www.marimatic.fi less energy than trucks or conventional automatic waste THE SYSTEM WILL CONVEY collection systems. AS MUCH AS 900 TONNES OF SOLID WASTE PER DAY 1 DURING PEAK SEASONS LIKE THE 3 ANNUAL HAJJ 2 PILGRIMAGE.

Sensitive solution for a sacred city TEXT FRAN WEAVER PHOTO ISTOCKPHOTO ILLUSTRATION ANTTI KANGASSSALO

10 Turning pollution to stone

TEXT FRAN WEAVER esigned by inventor though credits may also be obtain- ILLUSTRATION ANTTI KANGASSALO Matti Nurmia, Cuycha able for the neutralised carbon,” Innovation’s ingenious Kankaanpää says. “Up to 80 per cent Power plants around the D carbon capture and neu- of the CO2 from flue gases could be tralisation (CCN) method captured by a series of CCN reactors. world desperately need to is modelled on natural weathering Mineralising carbon in this way is a processes, though it works much faster. better solution than trying to inject reduce their greenhouse gas Carbon dioxide (CO2) naturally captured CO2 underground.” emissions to combat climate dissolves in water in the air, making CCN plants will have to be located rainwater into a weak acid, which con- near sources of minerals and water, change. A Finnish invention stantly reacts with alkaline chemicals as well as plants emitting CO2. But involving the chemical in the earth’s rocks producing harmless according to Kankaanpää, suitable minerals. Stronger minerals are widely neutralisation of carbon acid of this kind CARBON IS LOCKED available in mining dioxide could help. can be formed in UP IN SAFE wastes; and water huge CCN reactors can be taken from by bubbling MINERALS AND the sea or a river BIO 1090% CO emissions THE BYPRODUCTS and safely returned CARBONATE PURIFIED 2 WATER EXHAUST from power YIELD INCOME. without pollution plants through problems. “Payback ordinary water. could be as little as Inside special reactors this fizzy two to five years,” he adds. GRAVEL, water can then be fed through crushed Cuycha Innovation have already CCN VALUABLE WASTE BYPRODUCTS feldspar, a common ingredient in rocks launched joint venture projects in ROCK UNIT around the world. “This will lock up the several countries. “The first pilot carbon in safe minerals and yield valu- plants are due to start operating able by-products including aluminium during 2013 in South Africa and hydroxide, calcium carbonate, silicates, Tanzania,” says Kankaanpää. “Both lithium carbonate and rare earth ele- plants will capture CO2 from waste- ments,” explains Cuycha Innovation’s to-energy plants located at landfill WATER CRUSHED FELDSPAR CEO Markus Kankaanpää. sites, and then use it to make valuable minerals from crushed mining A SAFE RETURN ON INVESTMENT wastes.” “The resulting aluminium compounds www.cuycha.com will be the main source of income, FLUE GAS

ELECTRICITY, FUEL HEAT

POWERPLANT An elite community

O2ENRICHED leantech companies water protection. In 2012 globally AIR provide products and respected consultants from the C services designed to Cleantech Group and the World prevent or reduce Wildlife Fund (WWF) ranked harm to the environment. Finland Finland among the world’s leading is internationally renowned for countries for cleantech innova- high-level expertise in cleantech tions in their Global Cleantech OXYGEN ENRICHMENT sectors from renewable energy Innovation Index. and energy efﬁciency to waste processing, pollution control and www.cleantechfinland.com 11 The Finnish paper industry Biodiesel giant UPM have found a cost-effective way to reﬁne fuel from biodiesel vehicle fuel from crude tall oil – a residue of the the forest pulp-making process. TEXT FRAN WEAVER PHOTO MARTTI HÄNNINEN

uilt into the company’s “Tests have shown that our Kaukas pulp mill complex, biofuel is fully compatible with UPM’s Lappeenranta bio- modern car fleets and existing B refinery should produce fuel distribution networks – up to 120 million litres of and it also has lower emission biodiesel per year from 2014. levels than conventional fuels,” “This will be the first plant to produce explains Laumola. wood-based advanced biodiesel anywhere To reduce fossil fuel use, all in the world,” says development manager vehicle fuels supplied across the Heli Laumola. “This type of biofuel pro- EU from 2020 will need at least duction is totally sustainable, since our ten per cent biofuel content, main raw materials do not come from the so future demand for biodiesel food chain, but from pine wood already seems assured. “We feel that brought to the mill to make pulp.” the Lappeenranta biorefinery Dark-coloured crude tall oil will be represents UPM’s first steps separated from the soapy residues of to becoming a major player in the pulping process and transported to the production of sustainable the biorefinery where it will be purified, biofuels,” adds Laumola. hydrogenated in a chemical reactor, and finally distilled to create a clear liquid hydrocarbon. www.upm.com

12 The return of T-rex

powerful teeth into pieces as SRF in industrial boilers and about the size of a business card. cement kilns.” “Efficient separation processes “There is a massive need for then remove harmful substances such technologies, especially and recyclable materials such as in large cities in developing metals, glass, sand and stones,” countries where the demand he world’s main says Peter for energy is power sources Wallenius, “THERE IS A rising fast and have such serious BMH’s senior overburdened T environmental vice president MASSIVE NEED landfill sites are consequences that responsible FOR SUCH a huge problem,” it is refreshing to see how many for Sales and TECHNOLOGIES.” says Wallenius. companies are finding new ways Marketing. BMH’s Tyran- to turn by-products and wastes “Metals go for nosauruses are into valuable green energy. recycling; heavy waste fractions already used in several European (stones, sand, ceramics, glass and countries and in Thailand, FROM TRASH TO CASH heavy plastics) can be used for India, Australia and Brazil, so Tyrannosauruses are back – at landscaping; and wet organic these modern dinosaurs remain least in the form of massive materials can be biologically unthreatened by extinction. Tyrannosaurus solid recovered treated to make compost or fuel (SRF) production plants biogas, for instance,” explains made by the Rauma-based Wallenius. “This leaves us with www.bmh.fi company BMH Technology. the ‘fluffy stuff’ – mainly light Incoming waste is first plastic, paper, cardboard and shredded in the Tyrannosaurus’ textiles – which can be burned

19 fish tanks,” says Salminen. Young rainbow trout are already Fishy business swimming in the tanks, and the first greenhouse crops will be iofuels can be made ing and greenhouse cultivation. planted in spring 2013. from many kinds “The idea is to set up a closed As one of five Finnish towns of organic mate- system where wastes, energy in a ground-breaking Carbon B rial – including fish and nutrients are all recycled Neutral Municipalities project, scraps. Fish farming back into energy and food pro- Uusikaupunki is seeking new is big business in Uusikaupunki duction,” explains Salminen. ways to produce renewable on Finland’s West Coast, where Greenhouses and fish tanks energy. Sybimar’s solution also local firm Sybimar uses organic can be warmed using biogas ticks boxes for reducing waste, by-products to produce bio- generated from organic wastes, reusing materials and keeping diesel. “We also sell equipment including their own wastes. business local. that enables fish processors to Nutrient-rich wastewater from make safe, hygienic fish prod- fish tanks and even exhaust www.sybimar.fi ucts and generate by-products gases from the biopower plant www.environment.fi/canemu that can be used as animal feed can be fed into greenhouses to or in biodiesel production,” enhance crop growth. says managing director Rami A pilot scheme is already set Salminen. up. “Biogas from a new facility Sybimar’s latest concept is an at a local landfill site will soon integrated facility combining be used to provide heat and elec- bioenergy production, fish farm- tricity for our greenhouses and

13 The movement of a good life ero Saarinen life through dance and networking within the his choreographies to Company’s to transform the talent dance world. In business other dance companies. T artistically generated among the terms, Saarinen’s growing Saarinen says the driven company into different connections have opened decision to market the content, yet business- formats and services. up the company to the company on a global oriented model is After establishing his global market. scale has been totally unprecedented in the dance company in Finland, Saarinen developed intuitive, just like anything world of dance. The goal Tero Saarinen took his an international teaching else they do. is to promote a good troupe abroad and started programme and licenses 14 “HOW DOES THE GROUND UNDER MY FEET FEEL, HOW HEAVY ARE MY FINGERS, DO I FEEL THE WIND ON MY SKIN? THESE QUESTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL TO DANCERS. WE ARE BODILY CREATURES, A PART OF NATURE, AND UNDERSTANDING THIS IS THE KEY TO A BETTER LIFE,” SAYS DANCERCHOREOGRAPHER TERO SAARINEN.

TEXT JORMA LEPPÄNEN PHOTO HEIDI STRENGELL

stablished performance is like a multidimensional in 1996 and painting created with the audience. The achieving a uniqueness and freshness of a perfor- cult-like repu- mance stems from the dancer’s emotional tation around state – genuine to that day.” the world, Saarinen’s genius also lies in his ability Tero Saarinen to create a resonance where time and Company space become relational. “Dancers use has expanded their body and mind as an instrument. E its activities A dancer with heightened awareness from creating can slow down and speed up time, and and performing works to licensing and it isn’t a question of egotism or simply teaching them. Iiris Autio, managing moving slower or faster.” director of Tero Saarinen Company, An excellent example of the unity of notes that its mission aims to advocate a light, music and dance is the solo work humane world view. called HUNT, Saarinen’s interpretation “We have performed in nearly 40 of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. The solo countries and our artistic message has work has been performed in front of full generated a strong response. Thousands audiences around the world for a decade. have participated in post-performance “The theme of my latest solo work discussions. The topics often range from surged within me after seeing images of dance and human existence to creativity, the swirling plastic waste in the Pacific shamanism and intercultural communi- Ocean and other destruction humans cation,” Autio says. have inflicted on nature. That was the With his unique language of movement, inspiration for Vox Balaenae, the music Tero Saarinen plays with balance and for which is the George Crumb clas- imbalance. His works delve into an area sic of the same name.” that feels profoundly primal as if nature Vox Balaenae translates to Voice of the were speaking through him. Whale. The work is performed with live “Performance after performance, music and it is a mystically beautiful I continue to grow. Dance is a certain ritual in which nature once again speaks kind of continuous discovery process,” through the performers. The message is Saarinen says. wordless, but very vivid. With a passion for the fine arts as a young man, Saarinen likens choreogra- www.terosaarinen.com phy and dance to the work of a painter. “A dancer’s movement – space, lights, music – resonate with the audience. A

15 His award-winning Le Havre Hotakainen was selected (2011) sold to more than 50 as the Finnish entry for Fans as countries and received a 99 the Best Foreign Language per cent rating on popular Film at the 83rd Academy film review aggregator, the Awards in 2011. Though it Tomatometer. didn’t make the shortlist, filmmakers Kaurismäki’s most opti- the award-winning film mistic work to date, Le Havre garnered praise for its Though film production in Finland is unfolds in the eponymous intimate look into the French port town where a hearts and minds of men, small in volume, it is of art-house quality poor shoe shiner sets out to who talk openly in the and crafted with top-notch producers, help a young immigrant boy. sauna, an integral yet Familiar Kaurismäki themes sacred part of Finnish life. actors and creative funding solutions. include It was the first the strug- STORIES FROM documentary TEXT KATJA PANTZAR ILLUSTRATION JUSSI LEHTINIEMI gles of the film to repre- PHOTOS HENRI SALENIUS AND MARIANNE HEIKKINEN underdog, THE FRINGE ARE sent Finland at love SPRINKLED WITH the Academy ron Sky, the slick INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS and the DARK, OFFBEAT Awards. 2012 satire on With a 7.5 million euro travails HUMOUR. Another space Nazis, is budget, Iron Sky was also of daily recent docu- one of the highest a pioneer in its use of life – all mentary that profile films inter- crowdsourcing. served up with delicious doses explores the lives of real nationally to use “Iron Sky crowdsourced of dark humour. men is The Punk Syndrome crowdsourcing, the about a million euros of A new generation of film by Jukka Kärkkäinen and process of involv- its budget,” says Petri directors is following in his J-P Passi, which goes on ing audiences in Kemppinen, head of the footsteps with highly original the road with a mentally both film funding production department at stories about ordinary people. challenged punk band. iand production. the Finnish Film Foundation, The exotic North sets the American film bible “It was a natural which supports and develops scene for Dome Karukoski’s Variety praised the film for way to work together with Finnish film production, well-received road movie com- opening “a window onto our fans on things we were distribution and exhibition. edy Lapland Odyssey (2010), alternative culture, human not able to do, didn’t have which chronicles a young nature and the very narrow time to do, or just wanted REALITY CHECK man’s attempts to accomplish line between so-called outside-of-the-box thinking,” While Iron Sky is a fantasy a seemingly simple task – normal people and those says Iron Sky director Timo film and many recent award- picking up a digital TV adap- on the fringe.” Vuorensola. “The idea was winning Finnish films are tor from Rovaniemi, a few What sets all of these suc- based on our experiences with rooted in reality, all share an hundred kilometres away – to cessful films apart? “They Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning,” offbeat, often dark sense of keep his girlfriend. are very rooted and their he says, referring to his humour. use of storytelling is excel- well-received 2005 parody of Once the enfant terrible of MEN’S WORLD lent,” says Kemppinen. the American science fiction Finnish cinema, director Aki Sauna documentary “Many also highlight life’s franchise Star Trek that also Kaurismäki is now an inter- Steam of Life directed by absurdity in a way that used crowdsourcing. nationally acclaimed master. Joonas Berghäll and Mika audiences relate to.” 16 “IRON SKY CROWDSOURCED ABOUT A MILLION EUROS OF ITS BUDGET.”

THE FINNISH FILM FOUNDATION www.ses.ﬁ

IRON SKY www.ironsky.net

LE HAVRE www.janusﬁlms.com/lehavre

LAPLAND ODYSSEY www.napapiirinsankarit.ﬁ

THE PUNK SYNDROME kovasikajuttu.ﬁ

THE STEAM OF LIFE www.oktober.ﬁ 17 It’s a material that bends WONDER to just about anything, as these innovations WOOD prove. TEXT KATJA PANTZAR PHOTOS TUOMAS UUSHEIMO, MATTI HÄNNINEN, JUSSI PALOJÄRVI AND JARI HÄRKÖNEN An oasis of calm n the corner of Helsinki’s busy Narinkka Square lies a sleek wooden I structure that resembles a huge bowl or a ship’s hull. The Chapel of Silence is nondenominational, with staff from city congregations and social services available for conversation. Built by K2S architects, the chapel is a successful example of service design where public services are accessible in nontraditional sites. International design authority Architectural Digest called the alder- lined interior a “wondrous room”.

www.visithelsinki.fi www.k2s.fi/k2s.html

he world’s ﬁrst low- “The Cultural Sauna is Eco-sauna carbon concept sauna designed to be energy-efﬁcient. T stands in Helsinki’s All the energy is produced from Merihaka district, the renewable energy sources, and by the sea brainchild of architect Tuomas thus use of the sauna does not Toivonen and designer Nene cause carbon dioxide emissions,” Tsuboi. says Koskinen. Fortum, the Finnish energy A World Design Capital utilities company, is responsible Helsinki 2012 initiative, for the Cultural Sauna’s energy the new urban public system. Electricity is generated sauna – Kulttuurisauna in by integrated solar panels, the Finnish – is permanently located stove heated by burning wood on Hakaniemenranta. pellets and external power pro- kulttuurisauna.posterous.com duced by hydro power, according www.fortum.com to Fortum’s head of external communications in Finland Aki 18 Koskinen. The right specs

hen Hänninen says that’s not the Tampere case. He uses glue that is W carpenter heat-mouldable and makes Matti it possible to adjust the Hänninen couldn’t ﬁnd a lightweight durable frames pair of eyeglass frames that and ensure a personal ﬁt. pleased him, he decided to As for the name Kraa make a pair for himself. Kraa, it comes from when “Wood was a natural Hänninen was developing choice of material,” says the prototype. Hänninen, who now designs “I would leave home at his own collection of wooden the break of dawn when the spectacles available at opti- streets were quiet, except cians in Finland through his for the crows which always company Kraa Kraa Eyewear. greeted me with their While it’s generally cawing.” believed that wooden frames cannot be adjusted, www.kraakraa.fi

ade from wood “Woodcast was invented chips and by chance,” says Petro M biodegradable Lahtinen, one of the co- plastic, Wood- creators of the new material cast is a new material for that came about by mixing splints, fractures, after-care wood and polymer samples and a wide range of muscle in two different projects at and skeletal injuries. the University of Helsinki back in 2005. “The material has other Cast advantages such as non-toxicity, which greatly away improves occupational safety,” says Lahtinen. “It is also biodegradable, which lessens the waste burden and helps to save the environment. And it’s the only material available which can be handled without gloves and other personal protection by cast makers.”

www.onbone.com

19 Long a staple in single-family housing construction, wood is gaining ground in the commercial and industrial building sectors.

TEXT RANDEL WELLS PHOTOS MONTSE ZAMORANO AND JANI ULMANEN Rethinking timber or many PuuEra took a mere seven “The system significantly attracts residents to wooden countries, wood months to construct and reduces construction time apartments. is a home-grown includes solutions for ultra- and on-site labour, as well as Wood absorbs humidity building mate- low energy consumption. minimises loss of materials,” from indoor air and releases it F rial with many And Fin- says Ari into the outside air. This helps advantages. Not land’s largest “IT’S A Tiukkanen, senior balance humidity levels and only is wood renewable, but it multi-storey vice president improves the overall quality consumes carbon dioxide as it project to RENEWABLE at Metsä Wood, of indoor air. grows, helping further reduce date was just RESOURCE a Finnish wood There’s no doubt wood con- the carbon footprint of urban completed in WITH A products company. struction is enjoying a rebirth, development. Viikki, a sub- NATURAL The pre-fabricated and for good reason. Airaksela “Wood is a renewable urb outside wooden frames looks forward to the future: resource which Finland has Helsinki. Part APPEAL.” also make for easier “We are seeing the emergence more than enough of to meet of the Devel- implementation of of a new business sector. demand,” says Mika Airaksela, oping Multi- changes and repairs Wooden apartment blocks managing director at Finnish Storey Building Programme throughout the building’s life are planned all over Finland building firm RKL Reponen. of the City of Helsinki, the cycle compared to concrete which will bring thousands of apartment complex consists alternatives. eco-friendly housing units to PROOF IN PRACTICE of five buildings with a total the market.” Finland’s first five-storey wood of 104 flats. LIVING NATURALLY apartment building, dubbed The buildings were Apart from the ecological www.metsawood.com “PuuEra”, rose up in Vierumäki constructed using the Metsä benefits of wood, the ambi- in southern Finland in 2011. Wood Multi-Storey System. ence of a natural material

20 conomical lower-energy apart- oxygen, bringing it it under control rapidly. ments made of wood represent Significantly less water is needed because Fight fire E a significant achievement in new these systems are so effective. building technology. Yet without Excellent fire fighting performance is advances in fire safety, wood could not just one of the benefits of Marrioff’s Hi- with fog be a serious alternative to conventional Fog. Modular, compact components make multi-storey building materials. the system flexible and easy to install. TEXT RANDEL WELLS Wood carries with it an inherently Countless full-scale tests and many high fire risk. However, with the latest real-case fires have proved its value. breakthroughs in fire technology those Today, Hi-Fog can be found in venues fire risks can be managed, even in multi- ranging from St Mark’s Basilica in Venice storey buildings. to state-of-the-art data centres, industrial A pioneer in water mist fire protection, complexes and cruise liners around the Vantaa-based Marioff first launched its world. Hi-Fog high pressure water mist system in 1991. The minute droplets of water www.marioff.com mist absorb heat and starve the fire of

odular construction form airtight structures – and Going based on Neapo’s allow entirely new construction M Fixcel steel core methods. panels is opening In a world ﬁrst, a three-storey modular up new possibilities in single and building was fully constructed multi-storey building projects. indoors and moved on pontoons Panel construction produces to its ﬁnal destination on Hirven- TEXT RANDEL WELLS less than half the carbon emis- salo Island near Turku. PHOTO JOUNI SAARISTO sions of the industry average. Completely recyclable, the www.neapo.fi lightweight and durable panels

21 odern lifestyles demand Better construction The pilot projects caused a real energy, and lots of it. methods, renewable change in our culture, explains Veikko Households account for Simunaniemi, managing director at M one-fourth of the total energy and advanced Järvenpään Mestariasunnot, the owner energy consumption and constructor of the buildings. Winners within the European Union. technologies are turning of the 2010 Builder of the Year award, Zero-energy housing is a new initiative houses into energy Järvenpään Mestariasunnot construct, in Finland aiming to significantly lower manage and maintain a wide range of energy consumption. Zero-energy build- producers. rental apartment buildings and houses for ings produce as much renewable energy special needs groups in Järvenpää. as they consume from the grid. SETTING THE BASELINE “All our new projects strive to meet Building a zero-energy house in Nordic In 2011, Finland took a major step low-energy standards and use renewable climates is of course not easy. Winter forward in zero-energy building with two energy. We have also adopted a new days are cold and dark. Summer days, by pilot projects. emphasis on energy effi- contrast, are very long, providing double Järvenpää House is a “SYSTEM ciency in our refurbishment the amount of solar energy. four-storey apartment AUTOMATION projects.” “But for zero-energy housing, the building in Järvenpää first priority is to make buildings as just north of Helsinki. IS THE BRAIN CHANGE FOR THE energy-efficient as possible,” says Pekka Its sister, Kuopio House, AND HEART OF FUTURE Heikkinen, a professor of architecture at is about 300 km north A ZEROENERGY Technology is a crucial vari- Aalto University. “After that, we can start of Järvenpää. HOUSE.” able in the energy equation, to think about energy sources.” both in terms of automation and monitoring. “System automation is the brain and heart of a zero-energy house,” adds Simunaniemi. “It manages energy flows so that we get Balancing the the best performance at the right time in the right place.” Weather forecast data is also used to energy equation balance the indoor climate conditions in anticipation of outdoor temperature TEXT RANDEL WELLS ILLUSTRATION ISTOCKPHOTO fluctuations. Yet more change is needed. Micro-power producers need to be better integrated with large-scale producers. Thermal energy, for instance, cannot be sold to the district heating network. In Järvenpää this issue was resolved by selling surplus energy to a neighbouring building. But innovation in renewable energy is surging, as evidenced by a new swimming complex in Pori that harnesses power through a unique combination of solar power panels and copper heat collectors. “The knowledge we gain in the coldest region of Europe is relevant for everyone,” concludes Heikkinen. “If we can develop suitable technology for zero-energy buildings up North, we can use that expertise in other environments all over world.”

www.nollaenergia.fi

22 Eco-eﬃciency on the rise Innovative elevators can make a huge impact on the energy performance of the built world.

TEXT RANDEL WELLS

eople are streaming into a light load, there is excess energy cities. “We are facing normally lost during braking. challenges in how to KONE pioneered the use of regen- P manage rapid urbanisation erative drives already in 1991. These in a sustainable manner. drives can recover up to 35 per cent of KONE is committed to developing and an elevator’s total energy consumption delivering solutions by supplying power that use less energy,” “WE ARE FACING back to the building’s says Hanna Uusitalo, CHALLENGES network for use in environmental direc- lighting or other tor at elevator and IN HOW TO purposes. escalator company MANAGE RAPID Furthermore, KONE. URBANISATION IN advances in power A SUSTAINABLE management A GREEN TOOL destination control Buildings are respon- MANNER.” system software help sible for 40 per cent to optimise energy of the world’s energy consumption. consumption. Lights, displays and air Elevators and escalators account for conditioning are turned off when the as much as ten per cent of a build- elevator car is not in use. ing’s energy usage. In 2008, KONE set what seemed an ACLASS RATING outrageous target: reduce the energy At present, the only standard available consumption of all new volume eleva- for elevator energy efficiency is VDI tors by 50 per cent within two years. In 4707, a guideline established by the 2010, an additional 35 per cent energy German Association of Engineers. consumption reduction target was set KONE is the ﬁrst in its industry to in Europe. Today, KONE’s European achieve the A-class energy rating. volume elevators consume 70 per A trend already gaining traction is cent less energy, while Asian volume the green building concept. “This plays elevators consume from 60 to 75 per well into our near future. We envision cent less energy. large modernisation projects coming because of the green building require- RECOVERING ENERGY ments kicking in,” notes Uusitalo. Elevators also present a source of potential energy. When a car descends with a heavy load or ascends with www.kone.com

23 CELESTIAL MAGIC

o witness the Aurora Borealis is, literally, something out of this world. Also known as the Northern Lights, this natural wonder of T the world is a spectacle in itself. Finns refer to the Aurora Borealis as revontulet or “fox lights”, a name derived from a Finnish folk tale about an Arctic fox that started fires and stirred up a flurry of snow with its brush-like tail. The Northern Lights are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the Earth’s gaseous atmosphere. As a result, these geomagnetic storms exude an aura of light that seems to dance across the sky. The first recorded naked-eye observations date back to 1748; nowadays, auroral cameras systematically record the activity. The ideal times to observe this spectacle are in late autumn (September-October) and winter/early spring (February-March). Best of all, this breathtaking experience is free!

PHOTO JARI KÄRPPÄ 24 25 Research opens new gaming frontiers

“Success in computer alto Such innovations can be take up this specialisation University’s risky for small companies. each year. games is like success in world-class “Here research can help. “Say you are a good 3D dating – it’s all about A research We can experiment with renderer with some experi- gives its crazy new ideas, gather ence in games design. In timing,” says Perttu students a distinct edge, feedback from users and our MA programme, you Hämäläinen, only half- bringing the latest field can deepen your under- findings to the classroom. DESIGNERS standing and your way joking. He if anyone is an Finnish games companies of thinking about games ARE LEARNING authority on the subject, are already at the cutting design,” Hämäläinen says. edge of the industry, but THE ROUTE The programme not only having been appointed as continued success entails FROM MIND helps games designers being in the right place at TO MARKET. sharpen their technical Finland’s first computer the right time, says Perttu skills, but also trains bud- games professor at Aalto Hämäläinen. ding games entrepreneurs He has been there himself provide reliable data for in communications and University last year. as a games designer. One companies to utilise.” business planning. In of his creations, Kung-Fu Research is a big part of other words, it equips the JUHA RUDANKO TEXT Live, was formerly one Hämäläinen’s job, but so is next generation of Finnish of the most downloaded teaching. Aalto University games designers with the games on the Playstation offers a Master’s Degree in tools they need for taking Network. The game incor- Game Design and Produc- their bright ideas from porates motion control tion to students who have mind to market. gaming, where players use already completed a Bach- their own body to control elor’s degree in a related www.aalto.fi/en the game. subject. Five new students

26 ovio, the numerous other countries “We need to get all age com- around the world. groups to exercise more, pany “The digital meets the and there are very few behind physical in these parks. concepts which actually the Games technology is work in getting young Work R mobile integrated so that the people to be more physi- game light and sound effects cally active. Angry Birds upasweat that has become a make you feel like you activity parks can be part global entertainment of the solution.” with phenomenon, has THE DIGITAL Rovio and Lappset have teamed up with leading MEETS THE also designed Angry Birds Angry playground equipment activity parks speciﬁcally manufacturer Lappset to PHYSICAL geared at teenagers. They design a new generation IN THESE combine music, dance Birds of activity parks. ACTIVITY and parkour, which The ﬁrst Angry PARKS. Laakkonen believes will Birds activity parks get teens working up Everyone’s favourite were launched in a sweat. The first teen Finland last year. are actually in the game,” parks were launched feathered friends are “The reception has Laakkonen adds. earlier this year. taking playgrounds been very positive. The Rovio and Lappset “This is a great way of Angry Birds concept has have big plans for the getting kids all around by storm all over the inspired parents to get parks, with hundreds, if the world moving – and world. outdoors and get active not thousands already loving it!” with their children,” in the pipeline. As well TEXT JUHA RUDANKO says Juha Laakkonen, as being great fun, they www.lappset.com ANTTI KUROLA CEO of Lappset. Parks are provide an important PHOTO being built in China, the service for society, affirms UK, the Netherlands and Laakkonen.

27 Laser-sharp pocket projector

TEXT TIM BIRD PHOTO ISTOCKPHOTO With the magic of lasers, he image is so sharp and the “Firstly, there are the academic insti- colours so true that it’s hard tutions in Finland that teach people to any smartphone can now to believe a smartphone create a technology and a product like become an ultra-crisp HD T could pull it off. A laser light this,” he begins. “Secondly, we have source produced by Finnish the support of various organisations projector. company Epicrystals enables integration that understand market potential and of a High Deﬁnition projector into any assist in funding. Thirdly, we had an handheld imaging device. angel investor who recognised this as a “Manufacturers of handheld consumer ‘billion dollar’ idea.” devices want their products to project an The project has involved the Techni- HD picture of at least 100 centimetres on cal Research Centre of Finland, and has any surface,” says Dan Colliander, CEO embraced partners in cities all over Fin- of EpiCrystals. land, with input from the University of “There is currently no other light Joensuu and the Tampere University of source available which can be as small as Technology. 0.3 cubic centimetres, use so little power, The response has been extremely produce such vibrant colours and enable positive, adds Colliander. “Everyone is such a low integration cost.” urging us to go into mass production as He points to three major factors behind soon as possible.” the imminent breakthrough of his company. www.epicrystals.com Second life for MeeGo Certain ideas are just too good to keep down. MeeGo makes a surprise return as an operating system for smartphones and other platforms.

TEXT TIM BIRD

echnologies fall by developing its own MeeGo- Jussi Hurmola, head of Jolla’s chosen a data centre in Hong the wayside all the based operating system and Sailfish operating system. Kong’s Cyberport to host its T time. Such appeared smartphone range. “We are introducing a change data, productisation facilities, to be the fate of the Their first device was in the markets, and we want to collaboration and cloud services. MeeGo mobile operating system, launched at the end of last year. grow with this change,” says Consumers are spoiled for abandoned by Nokia when And the new fully productised Hurmola. “Jolla is a global brand, choice in the smartphone its partnership with Microsoft mobile operating system, named but we are especially aiming at market. Hurmola insists, though, kicked in. Sailfish, is available for licensing the Chinese market to start with. that the market is ready for But a group of Nokia by other device manufacturers, “It took a while to convince an independent, open-source ex-employees maintained that design houses and service investors that a small company ecosystem alternative. MeeGo – based on the Linux companies. like Jolla can actually create

open-source platform – still “Jolla will enable partners a new ecosystem alliance,” www.jollatides.com offers the way forward for such as operators, content pro- he says, “but by working and smartphone development. viders or banks to integrate to providing results, we convinced They took matters into their the software and to the device, our investors.” own hands, forming Jolla, and to have brand access all the Funding comes from a a Finnish start-up that is way to the end user,” explains number of partners. Jolla has 28 he concept seems obvious – so why didn’t anyone think of it before? BlindSquare is T an audio iPhone and iPad application for blind and partially sighted people, issuing audio guidance about their environment and the physical challenges they might encounter during outings. The app is the brainchild of Ilkka Pirttimaa, who developed BlindSquare through his own MIPSoft development company. “I started to wonder whether augmented reality could be used in a way that hadn’t been done before,” he says. “I thought about audio and speech synthesis, which is never mentioned in this context. I initially considered how it could be used for tourists, and then I began to wonder if there might be potential for blind people. “My studies in usability and cognitive science proved useful,” he continues. “Public transport is a special challenge for blind people – where and when to get off buses and trains, for instance. Databases for public transport are not very well standardised between different cities in Finland, and I realised that (location ﬁnder app) FourSquare would be a good platform for devising a global service.” BlindSquare has clearly tapped into a need, attracting interest from 30 countries and customers all over the Talking navigator world. The app is available in Finnish, Swedish, English, Italian, German, Dutch and Spanish language versions, for the blind with more to come. “One blind man told me this is the ﬁrst time in 64 years that he can do new The genius of many innovative ideas is things alone, for himself. But of course, in their simplicity. That is certainly the it doesn’t replace the cane and the guide dog!” case for BlindSquare.

www.blindsquare.com TEXT TIM BIRD PHOTO VEIKKO SOMERPURO 29 velin is a progressive challenge levels with innova- Finnish tive video game features.” start-up with The guitar has a global appeal. “People “Oan awesome start at very different ages, some as young goal,” says as seven, others in their teen years, and co-founder, Christoph Thür. “We many, especially guys, start when they are want to make the world more musical 30 or 40,” says Thür. “So even though we by changing the way people learn to made our ﬁrst game for a young audience, play the guitar.” many of our players are actually our age Helsinki-based Ovelin, founded or older. more than two years ago by Thür and “WildChords has been well received Mikko Kaipainen, brings together a internationally. We believe Ovelin passionate team of combines some of the business professionals, know-how Finland is guitar teachers, game WILDCHORDS HAS recognised for: educa- Unleash developers, musicians, HIT THE NUMBER tion, games, high-tech – visual designers and ONE MUSIC and guitar music.” visionaries. In its APP SPOT IN What’s next for the riﬀ short lifetime, Ovelin’s Ovelin? “We are working single guitar tutorial 34 COUNTRIES. hard on another guitar game, WildChords, learning game also in you has hit the number suitable for advanced one music app spot players. There’ll be a lot in 34 countries, and won several inter- of new functionality and techniques. So Learning to play the guitar national prizes, including the Sunday it’s more than guitar basics.” can be just as much fun Times World’s Best Apps 2012 and Best European Learning Game 2011 (LUDUS) www.ovelin.com as playing a computer awards. WildChords is also available for iPad, and can be played with any acoustic game – especially when and electric guitar as the controller. you combine the two. “Mikko and I were guitar dropouts, with no motivation to practice beginner TEXT TIM BIRD PHOTO RIITTA SUPPARI exercises,” says Thür. “Our games make ILLUSTRATIONS DANKO PANTOVIC the learning process fun by combining

30 e are solving the Breaking the biggest problem in translation “Wthese days – the language barrier fact that order- ing and managing translations is tedious,” says Jani Penttinen, CEO of the Transfluent English may be the lingua translation service, which has its head office in Helsinki. franca of almost everything “Using Transfluent, a business can com- these days, but the need for municate just the way they do now, but their message is broadcast in any number of translation is here to stay. languages they wish to target. And when the In fact, it’s growing. customers want to talk back, Transfluent is there to facilitate that direct communication TEXT TIM BIRD PHOTO MARIANNE TAYLOR as well.” Transfluent is all about removing language barriers. It was used during the US presidential campaign to translate President Obama’s Tweets into Spanish. “We started by running a consumer-oriented social network, Xiha, which has had more than 26 million users over the last five years, but got squeezed in the marketplace when Facebook grew globally. The idea of Xiha was to remove the language barrier by offering a real-time translation service. We were often contacted by businesses, asking us if they could use Xiha on their websites, as they needed a way to talk to their international customers,” says Penttinen. Trying a different tactic, Transfluent decided to build a service targeting business users. It is the only translation service embedded directly to social networks such as Facebook and Wordpress. “Our customers are all types of businesses that need to talk to their customers in more than one language. They include universities, rock bands, start-ups and publicly listed companies. The common denominator is their “OUR CUSTOMERS multilingual clientele.” ARE ALL TYPES OF www.transfluent.com BUSINESSES THAT NEED TO TALK TO THEIR CUSTOMERS IN MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE.”

31 The good life is not for sale

32 How does one quantify happiness? Not in dollars or euros. The happiest nations are not the richest in GDP, but they are wealthy in social capital.

TEXT SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS RIITTA SUPPARI / KEKSI

urvey findings a solid welfare state tradition and an confirm that money active third sector – both are needed Happening really doesn’t buy to build the best possible society,” happiness. Social she maintains. Helsinki support and freedom Pessi has also conducted research on S from corruption what constitutes a “good life”, yielding he Finnish capital has recently together outweigh some counter-intuitive findings on the Tenjoyed more than its fair share income as factors explaining why elusive nature of happiness. For start- of the limelight. It was voted the all the happiest countries are in ers, few people believe that winning second-most liveable city of 2012 by northern Europe. the lottery is a one-way ticket to bliss. British lifestyle magazine Monocle and Finland ranks among the top coun- Survey respondents felt that the good ranked by the New York Times as the tries in the Organisation for Economic life is something one works for, not world’s second most interesting travel Cooperation and Development’s something achieved by luck. destination. And, it was last year’s World Better Life Index. It was also judged Design Capital. But is Helsinki content? to be the world’s second happiest MIDLIFE MYTHS Not judging by the pace of urban renewal country in last year’s United Nations Similar findings have come to light in going on all over the city. World Happiness Report. Denmark the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Helsinki is in the midst of the biggest topped the poll, with Norway ranking Personality and Social Development, construction boom in its history. The number three. The world’s wealthiest an ongoing research project initiated relocation of downtown port facilities nation by GDP, the US, failed to even in 1968 by Professor Lea Pulkkinen. has freed up inner-city districts for new make the top ten. The test subjects, now in their fifties, housing and commercial development. Why, then, are these Nordic have been interviewed at regular Mixed-use seaside communities are taking countries smiling? intervals since they shape in the vacated cargo ports of Kala- Because people are “HELPING were eight years old. satama and the West Harbour, forming happier when they OTHERS IS CODED The study debunks the New Helsinki Water Front. Innovative give – it’s coded into INTO OUR HUMAN the myth that people architecture, low-carbon solutions and our human genome. grow miserable advanced technology infrastructure Virtuous acts and a GENOME.” as they age. will revitalise the community, improve social conscience are “On average, everyday quality of life for residents and the cornerstone of the Aristotelian people are very satisfied with their consolidate the city’s reputation as one good life contends Anne Birgitta lives and feel happiness as well as of the most connected business hubs in Pessi, a professor of Practical Theology psychological and social wellbeing northern Europe. Helsinki is reclaiming its at Helsinki University. in mid-adulthood. If anything, scores connection with the sea – and the Helsinki in wellbeing increase from age 36 to Water Front will be the city’s calling card THE WEALTH PARADOX 50,” reveals Pulkkinen’s successor, Dr for years to come. Pessi’s latest research explores a curi- Katja Kokko from the University of www.hel.fi ous paradox in Western society. We Jyväskylä. are wealthier than ever, yet many of us What male and female respondents feel lost and lonely. Her proposed cure reported as giving them the most to this social malaise is philanthropy. pleasure was not wealth, but home “Volunteering and helping others and family. The best things in life are greatly improves our happiness, and apparently free, at least for those of us even our physical wellbeing,” she says. living in societies that foster a healthy People who volunteer enjoy feelings work-life balance. of social connectedness and higher http://issuu.com/earthinstitute self-esteem, which promotes health, www.jyu.fi psychological wellbeing and longevity. If altruism brings joy, then what is the best model for societal happiness? “I’m deeply proud that Finland has

33 hile more control of her body Relaxbirth has attracted “Wworking and the delivery process. recognition internation- as a mid- ally, winning the Best wife, I couldn’t do enough EMPOWERED MUMS European Woman Inno- Beer to help mothers who Freedom of movement vation Title for 2009-2010 became exhausted during brings both physiological and the Red Herring 2012 prolonged labour. Despite and psychological benefits. Top 100 Global Award. births all the equipment in the “I found a natural push- “Finland has done excel- delivery room, something ing position spontaneously. lent work in the childbirth seemed to be missing,” It’s impossible to push field, and I’m very happy if says Eija Pessinen, the ‘wrong’ with the birthing Relaxbirth can strengthen system’s inventor and Vice support,” describes one our leading position. Like all great inventions, CEO of Relaxbirth. satisfied mum. Knowledge transfer can Relaxbirth makes you Drawing on Pessinen’s An effective pushing also help developing extensive international phase is also beneficial countries to meet the UN wonder why nobody midwifery experience, the for the unborn child. The Millennium Development thought of it sooner. device was co-developed mother’s optimal position Goals of reducing mater- by a wide-ranging team of helps the baby descend nal and infant mortality,” Combining an innovative specialists. Allowing the faster in the birth canal, notes Pessinen. support device and mother to change position making the delivery freely, it is designed to smoother for both. www.relaxbirth.com natural birthing method, speed up the birth and For childbirth profession- the system takes the toil reduce pain sensations. It als, the adjustable device supports numerous birth- provides better working out of labour. ing positions, catering to conditions, helping to varied preferences and prevent the back and TEXT SILJA KUDEL cultural traditions. In all, shoulder pain endemic PHOTO NINA KELLOKOSKI it gives the mother-to-be among midwives.

34 An insightful new programme wages a comprehensive attack on school bullying. Stop the school bully TEXT SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS MIKA KURKILAHTI

hy do bullies says KiVa Director, Professor bully? Because Christina Salmivalli. they are By instilling a zero-tolerance W rewarded by culture, KiVa has signiﬁcantly their “audi- reduced bullying in Finnish ence”. Peer attention only fuels schools. Randomised trials prove it their abusive behaviour. An anti- is working – and the world is tak- bullying programme developed by ing notice. The material has been the University of Turku stops the translated into several languages vicious circle by addressing not and KiVa school licences are only the harasser and victim, but being marketed to international the entire peer group. Teachers and partners. Licence sales have begun parents are actively involved, too. in Sweden, and pilots are under Called KiVa – Finnish for “nice” – way in the Netherlands, Wales, the the programme comprises lessons, US, Japan and Luxembourg. discussions, manuals, ﬁlms and even computer games that expose bullying for what it is: ugly abuse www.kivakoulu.fi that no one should tolerate. “We want to change classroom norms and urge children to support their victimised classmates instead of rewarding the bullies,”

35 Who wouldn’t want to work here? Visit Futurice and you instantly appreciate why the Finnish software company was chosen as Europe’s Best Workplace last year. TEXT SILJA KUDEL PHOTO VILLE SAARINEN

he atmosphere is infec- Berlin, Düsseldorf and London. For the time with friends and family,” says tiously friendly. Cheerful past six years it has ranked among Fin- CEO Vesa Lauronen. carpets, fruit bowls and “Ask land’s fastest growing technology firms. He also notes that top performers are T Why?” posters add colourful “We strive to make Futurice a great motivated not by status, but the opportu- accents to the stylish white place to work not to maximise profits, nity to deepen their knowledge. interiors. There’s even a luxury sauna. but because it’s the only proper way “Our career path isn’t a rise up the The Great Place to Work Institute to treat our valued employees,” says company ladder. It’s a dive into a sea of selected Futurice as the winner among the head of human resources, Hanno endless know-how. We arrange in-house 1,500 firms from 18 countries competing Nevanlinna. training every month on topics ranging in the SME category. The listing is based from consulting skills to deep techno- on employee surveys. DIVING, NOT CLIMBING logical subjects.” Obviously, it takes more than décor Futurice emulates another Finnish soft- Other Finnish companies on the Best to create an inspirational workplace. ware company widely recognised as an Workplace shortlist were Tutoris health Futurice’s recipe is an open, caring style innovative employer. Reaktor has ranked care, Fondia legal services and Novia of management. The CEO regularly among Europe’s top three workplaces advertising. The Finnish government’s arranges half-hour chats – what he calls for four years running. Like Futurice, target is to make the Finnish labour “speed dates” – to touch base with every Reaktor has a warm, wellbeing-oriented market the best in the world by 2020. member of the personnel. company culture. Founded in 2000, Futurice has 150 “We believe in work-life balance www.futurice.com www.reaktor.fi employees based in Helsinki, Tampere, and encourage employees to spend

36 The intelligent city Silver of the future must be designed for everyone, by everyone – both surfer city young and old. TEXT SILJA KUDEL ILLUSTRATION ANTTI KANGASSALO

he cities of tomorrow will be As part of a postdoctoral project public places feel more functional and one giant hotspot providing launched at the end of last year, safe for people over 65,” she explains. access to a near-inconceivable Suopajärvi is testing co-design practices The first apps to emerge from the project T array of e-services. It sounds such as shadowing seniors and video- are awaited in two years’ time. But, like a sci-fi fantasy, but a recording their feelings about places emphasises Suopajärvi, the key outcome prototype already exists in the northern along their daily route. By studying their will be the knowledge the project yields Finnish city of Oulu, where a ubiquitous everyday practices, she aims to find out on how participatory design should be computing infra- how they can participate practiced in the case of elderly citizens. structure is invisibly in designing apps based on embedded in the their particular needs and www.ubioulu.fi/en SENIORS ARE THE www.ubioulu.fi/en/node/453 urban space. desires. The downtown BEST EXPERTS “My aim is to ‘mingle’ area is a “living lab” ON THE TAILORED designers, decision-makers for pilot services ESERVICES THEY and seniors. Working such as Ubinion, a WANT AND NEED. together they can come up public network of with new ideas for making interactive screens where young people offer (colourful) feedback to city policy-makers. Another popular app is a location-aware multi- player game, where players “conquer” access points in the wireless network. Par- ticipants have found these new services engaging – and highly addictive. “People can barely imagine the possibilities that new technology can open up for society. We have to demonstrate it to them in practice,” says Professor Timo Ojala from Oulu University, one of the institutions involved in Oulu’s Urban Interactions Research Programme.

TUNEDIN SENIORS The vision of a smart city might excite technogeeks, but surely not elderly residents? This stereotype is refuted by Dr Tiina Suopajärvi, a cultural anthro- pologist who is researching how seniors can be involved in co-designing e-services. “It’s wrong to assume that all seniors are incapable of using novel technologies.”

37 Finland has been ranked as the second happiest country in the United Nations World Happiness Report. What’s the secret? It’s not scientiﬁc. The Finns are smiling because they have the “joy formula” in balance.

TEXT SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS VUOKKO SALO 1. Let oﬀ steam Fusing the best of Finnish and Indian traditions, Saunayoga is a silent workout done on a sauna bench at 50-55 °C. The combination of heat and gentle stretching leaves you feeling warm and reconnected.

www.saunayoga.com

What’s behind the Finnish smile?

38 2. Exercise the brain 7. Be a culture vulture Reading not only makes you smarter, it also Open your mind to new ideas by going to a play, gives you a cognitive workout. Science concert or art show. Finland hosts a year-round conﬁrms that when we read, blood ﬂows to programme of culture festivals. Whether you love lesser-used parts of the brain. A chapter a day opera, metal or indie music, get out and get festive. keeps the doctor away. www.festivals.fi

www.booksfromfinland.fi 8. Head back to school Spring-clean your head by taking a class. Learn a 3. Beat burnout new language, discover the secrets of quantum Work smarter, not harder. Why spend all day physics or pick up a musical instrument. More answering emails when going for a jog would than 1.7 million Finns participate in adult educa- make you more productive? Finnish research- tion every year. ers have published a book of hand-picked tips for a better working week. www.minedu.fi

http://925design.fi/ 9. Get moving Exercise releases endorphins, those feel-good 4. Eat wiser chemicals that induce natural euphoria. Finland Xylitol, Benecol and Lactobacillus GG hail is among Europe’s sportiest nations, with 64 per from Finland, the world leader in developing cent of women and 60 per cent of men exercising functional, health-enhancing foods. The vigorously at least twice a week. Finnish diet is also rich in “superfoods” such as www.slu.fi blueberries.

www.foodforlife.fi 10. Discover new places Stay curious and broaden your horizons. Try a differ- 5. Uncluer the mind ent kind of holiday this year: play swamp football, Spend time with yourself. We clean our homes ride with huskies in the wilds of Lapland or enjoy a regularly, so why not our minds, too? A silent retreat quiet break in a lakeside cottage.

is a great way to sweep out bad habits and tired ideas www.visitfinland.com blocking personal growth.

www.valamo.fi

6. Go wild Leave the rat race behind and commune with nature. The newly opened Haltia Finnish Nature Centre in Nuuksio National Park is hiker heaven, the next best thing to wilder- ness right on the doorstep of the Finnish capital.

www.haltia.com

39 Natural beauty 40 Skincare products take natural ingredients to new technological heights.

TEXT KATJA PANTZAR PHOTOS RIITTA SUPPERI, TAPANI PELTTARI AND EIJA VUORELA

ong before eco-awareness, ment,” says Kirsi Gotthardt, head of local food and using natural communication for Lumene, which has ingredients for medicinal and worked together with VTT on a number L cosmetic purposes became of projects. a fad, Finns were utilis- According to Lumene, the cloudberry’s ing these practices. stem cell extract contains about ten Finnish cosmetics and skincare times more flavanols, nature’s powerful brand Lumene has been using natural antioxidants, than fresh cloudberries. raw materials from Finland’s north in Antioxidants are said to help protect skin its products, sold around the world, against external factors that can cause since the mid-1990s. ageing. The extract is also said to promote In the early 2000s, Lumene started using the formation of collagen in the skin. cloudberries from Lap- land. The pale orange CLOUDBERRY ETHICALLY PRODUCED berry resembling a STEM CELL As cloudberry grows in Arctic cross between a rasp- EXTRACT bogs, Lumene has been work- berry and blackberry ing together with the Finnish Arctic is packed with vitamin HELPS PROTECT Association for Nature Con- C, omega fatty acids SKIN AGAINST servation – promoting active toughness and antioxidants SUN DAMAGE. citizenship and environmental from the intensity awareness since 1938 – to etria, a family-owned of the Lappish sun, improve water management natural cosmetics which at the height of summer shines and safeguard biodiversity. D business based in around the clock. Other ingredients used in Lumene’s Rovaniemi, the capital of Now the brand is taking the berry to product lines include blueberry, sea buck- Finnish Lapland, has also been using new heights. Lumene has developed thorn, lingonberry, cranberry, heather, Arctic ingredients combined with a stem cell technology in cooperation birch, spruce knot extract, plantain, linen biotechnology, research and product with VTT Technical Research Centre of seed, peat and spring water – all found development since the mid-1990s. Finland. The “Excellent Future” skincare naturally in Finland. “Studies reveal the concentrated series is reportedly the first commercial effect of Lappish flora is five times www.lumene.com product in the world to utilise cell cultiva- www.sll.fi higher than that of similar plants in tion of northern cloudberries. the south,” says Tenho Pitkänen, “Cloudberry seed oil is one of the key Detria’s founder. ingredients, so this project was a natural “Researchers believe this is due step forward in our product develop- to the extreme conditions of the far north, which means that the defence and protective mechanisms of Arctic flora are very strong and that strength is stored in a natural chemical form.” One of Detria’s key ingredients is the dwarf evergreen shrub bearberry, which contains arbutin and is believed to have anti-ageing properties and protect the skin against damage caused by free radicals.

www.detria.fi

41 EASY DOES IT c FOCUS FINLAND 2013bCOMPILED BY KATJA PANTZAR

EASY DOES IT

Community spirit here’s a new enthusiasm growing in Finland. Cleaning T Day, a celebration of recycling, turns city streets and courtyards into massive ﬂea markets where everyone can sell unused items. The eco-friendly event joins Restaurant Day, started in 2011, whereby anyone can open a restaurant on a speciﬁc day. Both grassroots initiatives are inspiring similar efforts in other countries.

www.restaurantday.org http://siivouspaiva.com PHOTOS: ANTTI KANGASSALO PHOTOS: Sound design

enelec, speaker design. Prestigious founded in Genelec users have included G 1978 in the 20th Century Fox movie Finnish town studios and Sony. One of of Iisalmi, developed a Finland’s best-known design- unique way of making ers Harri Koskinen has been loudspeakers using a integral to the success since round form (departing the late 1990s when he and from the previously the company began working square-shaped standard) together. and quickly became a hit that inspired international www.genelec.fi Jean genie n average, a woman tries on ten pairs of jeans before finding O one that fits. NOMO offers the solution: custom-fit jeans for men and women made by combining a 3D-body scanner with Finnish design and craftsmanship. With boutiques in Helsinki, Hamburg and Dubai, buyers consult with a denimologist and customise their trousers by choosing pocket shape and size, waist height and leg length. Jean-ius.

42 www.nomojeans.com All night long

he world’s largest orienteering race is the annual Jukola Relay held T every June at different sites around Finland since 1949. Not only does it draw top orienteers from around the globe, it’s consistently praised as being one of the best- organised events of its kind. With an evening start time of 11 p.m., it’s also one of the most exotic – the sun hasn’t quite set when the race sets off in the land of the midnight sun. Star prints www.jukola.com innish textile design house Marimekko, sold in 40 countries, is expanding with a recently opened

PHOTO: NINA SAKSMAN PHOTO: F store in Hong Kong. The company reportedly plans to open 13 additional stores in China by 2016. The colourful spring-summer 2013 line Smart physiology debuted at New York Fashion Week. The company’s three new retail stores in North atigue and stress can research phase, its commercial America include one in Beverly Hills, as CEO lead to serious health and potential is massive. Mika Ihamuotila says that the company F safety problems. Being Another Finnish innovator, wants to increase its profile in the entertain- overly tired is particularly First Beat Technologies, has ment and film industry. In keeping with Mari- dangerous for professions in which developed a stress assessment and mekko’s retro print re-issues, the 90210 alertness is vital: think surgeons, management method for heart move is also a return to the company’s roots. pilots or truck drivers. A team rate analysis to provide information Back in 1960, then first lady Jackie Kennedy of researchers led by Professor about the body’s functions. boosted Marimekko’s celebrity appeal when Edward Häggström at the It is well documented that a she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated University of Helsinki’s department rested and stress-free person feels wearing a red sleeveless Marimekko dress. of physics has come up with a and works better. sleepiness tester, a device that www.marimekko.com www.helsinki.fi/research measures one’s level of fatigue. www.firstbeat.fi Although the product is still in the

43 FINLAND IN FIGURES Number of lakes 188,000 Percentage of metal meals were introduced Year when free hot waste recycled in Finnish schools Star Wars to reach spot the#1 Hours ittook forBirds Angry 99.9 on theUSAppStore 1948 Percentage of land area covered by Finland’s position Competitiveness Report (2012-13) in theGlobal forests Number of days intheyear 2.5 that thesunisabove the cloudberry containscloudberry horizon inthefar North more Ca vitamin dresses worn by How many times Jackie Kennedy 75 than anorange of Marimekko 3 The number presidential the 1960 US throughout campaign 8 3 70