Honka Kömmeli, to be built for the Oulu Housing Fair, goes back to the roots

PRESS RELEASE HONKARAKENNE LTD

3 October 2024 10:00 am

Honka Kömmeli, to be built for the Oulu Housing Fair, goes back to the roots

Honka Kömmeli, a log home to be built for the summer 2025 Housing Fair in Oulu, is a modern interpretation of traditional architecture typical for the coastal area painted with the classic tone of Falun red. The minimalistic façade hides inside an earthy home full of atmosphere, that rolls back the years and provides the most memorable sauna experience in the housing fair.

Honka Kömmeli, tailored to first-time home builders Emma and Lassi, is rich in pine, not only in the logs but also the fixtures and the interior choices. In addition to the home’s natural material choices, the spatial and aesthetic solutions inspired by tradition create a soothing atmosphere. The home of the magical pine is a place for contemplation.

Designed by Juho Lonkila from Oulu, the charming curiosity of Honka Kömmeli is the sauna inspired from age-old Finnish sauna where the benches are high in the room and the washing area below, inviting you to relax and cleanse yourself at your ease.

“I wanted to design a daily sauna ceremony in Kömmeli that is inspired by Finnish traditional culture. You wash yourself, sitting down, under the benches. The route to the sauna has also been carefully planned, to enhance the sauna experience,” says Lonkila, who is currently working on a doctoral dissertation about Finnish sauna culture.

The red colour was the obvious choice for first-time home builders Emma and Lassi, as it evokes fond memories of coming back home. The name Kömmeli is also firmly rooted in tradition: In Emma’s childhood home, the outbuilding, which also included the sauna, was called a ‘kömmeli’. It’s an old Finnish word for a small building, such as a sauna in the yard.

Honka Kömmeli creates a unique, genuine connection with nature

The material for Honka Kömmeli is mainly pine. The exterior walls, fixtures and also some of the furniture are also made of pine. The natural material makes Honka Kömmeli a soothing atmosphere.

“Natural materials, such as solid wood, give the feeling of being in the forest. Many studies support this view. The connection with nature is strong in Honka Kömmeli, because the wood is used plentifully in both the building itself and the interior. Connecting with nature is particularly important in the northern hemisphere, because we spend up to 90 per cent of our time indoors,” says Honka product director Eino Hekali.

Research has shown that log buildings are beneficial not only in terms of mental wellbeing but also have other health benefits. Honka is spearheading their development. A healthy house is built of components that emit the smallest possible amounts of synthetic substances. In addition to its own product development, Honka has spurred its partners to develop low-emission and M1-class materials.

Housing fair partners Fasetti and Ruukki Construction at the forefront of ecological choices

Honka Kömmeli's interior design is by Aare Visuals. Honka Kömmeli’s housing fair partners are Fasetti and Ruukki Construction. Fasetti is a Finnish design company that sells and restores Finnish design classics and design future classics. Honka Kömmeli has design furniture made by Fasetti, and unique lighting designed for the house.

Ruukki Construction, experts in steel construction products, provides the roof made of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel for Honka Kömmeli. Ruukki^® Classic Low-carbon roof complements the ecological and low-carbon Honka log house.

Pictures of Honka Kömmeli:

Additional information and interview requests:

Heidi Kaunokoski, Marketing Director

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Honkarakenne Ltd manufactures healthy and eco-friendly high-quality log homes, holiday homes and public buildings. Its buildings are made from Finnish solid wood under the Honka® brand. The company has already delivered 90,000 buildings in over 50 countries. The Honka log home kits are manufactured at the company’s own factory in Karstula, Finland. In 2023, Honkarakenne Group's consolidated net sales totalled EUR 46.3 million, of which exports accounted for 31%.

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