New life in a historic house
The Grönqvist building has commanded the streetscape of central Helsinki for well over a century. The block-long Neo-Renaissance building was completed in 1882. Photo: Volker von Bonin, Finnish Heritage Agency
DITTMAR & INDRENIUS has offices worthy of its name. The law firm's headquarters sit in the historical Grönqvist building, a landmark constructed in 1882–1883 in the very heart of Helsinki. When it was built, the Grönqvist building was the largest stone residential building in the Nordic countries, and it remains one of the city's most significant works of Neo-Renaissance architecture.
Founded in 1899, Dittmar & Indrenius has worked in the Grönqvist building for nearly half a century. Over that time, both the building and the company’s office have gone through several renovations that updated everything from the building services to the law firm's client spaces. The staff's own spaces, however, had been left waiting their turn for longer.
“Our own spaces weren't quite optimal anymore,” says Saara Vikholm, IT Director at Dittmar & Indrenius, who was involved in the renovation project. “The shared spaces in particular needed an update, because we'd grown quite a lot as a company.”
The new working café floor is where the wishes for better shared spaces finally come to life. Modern furniture blends beautifully into the old building's character, with blue Rey chairs from HAY and oak Akademia chairs from Nikari.
As the company grew over the years, the office had crept across three different floors. This included the entire fourth floor, which ran the full length of the building. The older spaces were a maze of corridors and rooms, as old buildings often are, and some of them couldn't be reached without stairs.
At the heart of the project was making the office easier to navigate and more accessible to everyone. The staff's own wishes echoed the same themes: a bigger kitchen, better shared spaces, and accessibility.
Respecting the old building
All of this had to be done with respect for the long history of both the old building and Dittmar & Indrenius.
“A prestigious property sets its own terms,” sums up Uura Voigt, Finance and Administration Director. “The aim was to honor the building's own character while making sure the workspaces and furniture are modern and work well.”
The architectural firm Futudesign was chosen as the project partner, handling both the architecture and interior design. Having both services under one roof turned out to be essential for keeping the project moving smoothly. The renovation was carried out in several phases across different parts of the offices, and the next space was already being planned while the previous one was still taking shape. All this also meant a good deal of moving around, as employees shifted out of the rooms under construction and into temporary quarters elsewhere in the building.
No one shaped the result more than the interior designer, Futudesign's Ines Wartiainen. “Maybe the most nerve-wracking part of the whole project was finding an interior designer we could get going with naturally,” Saara says.
Luckily, the two sides clicked fast. "We spoke the same language right from the start," Uura says with delight. "Ines' first plan was exactly what we'd pictured ourselves."
“People need modern tools and furnishings, but the building itself can remain true to its original character.”
So what did that first concept look like? The best person to answer is of course Ines herself, who explains that she put together her first proposal after getting to know the staff's wishes, the office's working culture, and the old, prestigious building. From there she sketched out the framework for the interior, keeping in mind the character of both the building and the firm.
“This firm has a long and wonderful history,” Ines says. “I wanted the spaces to feel neither stiff nor pompous, but to feel at home in such a grand old building while bringing out the joy, ease, and can-do spirit of the people who work here.”
The goal was a calm, cohesive space where all kinds of employees could feel relaxed.
A shared lounge corner brings a relaxed change of pace from the quiet of the private offices. Here you can sink into a soft sofa for a moment, whether in the company of colleagues or simply enjoying your own thoughts.
Furnishing made simple
The furniture came from several partners, among them Finnish Design Shop's Trade & Contract sales, where Laura Katva was the contact person. Finnish Design Shop delivered a good share of the furniture, which kept coordination simpler at a time when the temporary moves and other arrangements were already demanding enough.
“Sourcing the furniture no longer had to be an extra burden,” Ines sums up.
The staff's workspaces were fitted with Tolomeo lamps, and the tables came together by pairing Novea tops with Selka legs. The finishes were chosen on site from sample pieces, picked to sit well with the colors of the old building and to create the warm, inviting atmosphere the project called for.
“The collaboration has worked really well,” Laura says. “Futudesign really understands how the furniture world works, and that's made working together flexible.”
Lighter, brighter, open to all
The year-long renovation was a huge project, yet it moved along remarkably smoothly, especially considering the building's age and all the surprises it had in store.
“It's an old building and quite a maze. On my first visit, even I got a little lost," Ines laughs. "So we opened the corridors into one continuous line and added glass walls, which gave the space a much clearer layout.”
The glass walls also drew daylight into corridors that had never had any, opening up the whole space.
The renovated break areas are open and full of light. Made of white opal glass, the Atollo 237 table lamp was designed by Vico Magistretti.
The office floors are now linked by a new internal staircase and a lift, making everyday movement smoother, and bringing accessibility up to modern standards.
For the staff, the most visible and significant part of the renovation is the new break area, with its spacious kitchen and the working café built alongside it. These spaces are located on the second floor, right by the entrance to the office.
Ines looks at the solution through a designer's eyes. “When the shared spaces sit right on the way in and out, people use them much more," she says. “If reaching them takes a winding route, someone rushing in the morning will just grab a coffee on the way to work and head straight to their own office.”
“A clearer layout does more than ease the way around. It also lightens the cognitive load that builds up bit by bit when you're forever having to read your surroundings,” she adds.
The tables in the working café, pairing Novea tops with Selka legs, are a big part of its warm and welcoming feel. The tones were picked on-site to sit well with the colors of the old building. The pendant is Wästberg’s w132 Nendo lamp.
The difference is striking. Even though Dittmar & Indrenius has no office mandate, the spaces are now so inviting that more than half the staff come in every single day.
“The old café was tucked behind a doorway and around a corner. You couldn't see in, and hardly anyone ate lunch there,” Uura recalls. "Now there's usually someone sitting in the new working café. You can pop in with a colleague for a quick coffee, grab lunch, or just chat.”
The original aim was above all to spark more unplanned encounters. “We hoped for a natural spot where you could spend time with colleagues and get talking,” Saara says. “And I think it's worked out wonderfully!”
Books from floor to ceiling
Dittmar & Indrenius has an impressive book collection, and it now has a home of its own: a library right beside the working café. Floor-to-ceiling shelves give the space a stately, almost ceremonious feel.
“Even though so much is available digitally now, books deserve a place that does them justice,” Ines says.
Light birch shelves, a dark sliding ladder, and a brass railing bring a fresh, modern touch to the traditional library atmosphere.
The shelves rising to the full height of the room give Dittmar & Indrenius's book collection the home it deserves.
The bookshelves are made of birch. The traditional ladder and brass railings were updated with new materials that give them a fresh, modern look. “A dark, heavy library wouldn't reflect who Dittmar & Indrenius are or the energy they bring to their work,” Ines says of the color palette.
Saara's favorite part of the whole renovation is precisely these shared spaces on the second floor. “Our new library is fresh and elegant,” she says with delight. “The shared spaces on the second floor are the real highlight.”
Designing for every mind
The atmosphere Saara praises isn't just a matter of harmonious colors and comfortable furniture. A good space is also one that works for different kinds of people. Ines has given this plenty of thought.
“We've come a long way with physical accessibility, and the law requires it. But I'd love for us to start talking more about sensory accessibility, too, among other things. Spaces should support all kinds of people.”
The comfortable seats and warm tones of the working café are an open invitation to take a little break. The soft lines of Lepo Production's Wooden Boa chair create a pleasing contrast with HAY's mirrored Slit table.
The small details make the break area feel welcoming and easy. The tube cushion is the work of designer duo Juslin Maunula.
You can see this thinking all over the Dittmar & Indrenius project. The opened-up corridors and clearer layout don't just make the place feel roomier; they take away some of the mental effort of constantly figuring out where you are. A private office is there when you need to focus, and the working café gives a different option to anyone who works better with a bit of life around them. There's even a gym on-site to keep the body going as well.
“At home, people arrange things to suit themselves. I'd love for workplaces and schools to offer that kind of choice too, so everyone can thrive in their own way,” Ines says, and adds: “Wellbeing creates productivity, not the other way around.”
See also:
• Finnish Design Shop’s Trade & Contract Sales >
Published on 22 Jun, 2026
