A Finnish company combined billions of years of natural innovation, the purification power of plants, with a modern Nordic product design, resulting in a winning Naava smart green wall.
Designed and handmade in Finland, the Naava smart green wall has been awarded the Fennia Prize Winner design award. The prize is awarded by Design Forum Finland, the Fennia concern, the pension insurance company Elo and the Finnish Patent and Registration Office.
The goal of the competition is to support the production of high-level products and services, and to promote the globalization and competitiveness of Finnish industry. Former Fennia Grand Prix and Winner prizes have been awarded to renowned Finnish companies like Genelec, Ponsse and Iittala, that have also conquered the international markets.
The jury said: “Naava has productized clean air proficiently. Indoor air problems are a growing trend and solutions to remove them have potential. This solution as a whole, including the product and the service, brings additional value to the customer. Using plants as the starting point creates a new, fresh and different approach to design.”
Founded in 2011, Naava is a pioneering company and the leader in biological air purification. In addition to the forest fresh air, Naava brings authentic nature inside. In the modern world, we spend over 90% of our time indoors, but humans are not at their most efficient and healthiest in an artificial indoor environment.
“Naava wants everyone to have the right to breathe clean air, both inside and outside. In addition, we believe that humans feel best when they are connecting to nature every day. Naava is a visual demonstration that people are feeling well in the space,” says Naava’s Brand Manager Eeva Niemelä.
A Smart Green Wall for Every Space
As the company is on the verge of going global, the importance of the smart green wall’s design grew higher.
“Plants always fit everywhere, but now also the rest of the structure fits a Scandinavian white and minimalistic space, as well as a darker, more rustic surrounding. Thinking ahead of the future markets, in addition to our unique indoor air technology, an easily integrated design is our competitive advantage as well. As a Nordic company, we want our products to represent the world’s top-level design,” says Niemelä.
The starting point of the design process was the wishes of our customers. Architects and interior designers are playing an increasingly integral role as Naava’s partners, so our design has to serve their needs. They have been hoping for modularity and tailormade products. All new Naava-products can be adjusted for size and appearance to fit the customer’s wishes and the conditions of the space.
The new Naava is the signature of Naava’s very own R&D team; Tuomo Kangas, Aino Borg and Niko Järvinen, and also Naava’s Chief Design Advisor, Aalto University professor Ville Kokkonen.
“As an industrial designer, the most challenging and the best design work is to bring a completely new product into the world. Naava’s design language, functionality and visual unity had to be thought of from a clean slate,” Kokkonen says.
When designing Naava, even the smallest details have been honed carefully. Even though the plants are the most visible part of the product, the frame, lighting and water tank are distinguishable behind the lush plant mass. The invisible part of the product is the technology: the sensors and the artificial intelligence. The new Naavas are also easier to use and maintain.
You can breathe fresh Nordic forest air in the prize exhibition showcasing the winning innovations of the Fennia Prize. The exhibition has free entry 20.1.-12.2.2017 at Kluuvinkatu 6.