Plusarkkitehdit - design management europe award

Winner Cardiff 2008
Plusarkkitehdit, Finland
Best management of design in a micro company
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PLUSARCHITECTS Ltd.
DESIGN & INNOVATION
Adding and creating value through combining design, technology and service innovations
PLUSARCHITECTS LTD
We offer our clients solutions for permanent and leisure time housing through innovative products & services that are based on good
design, mass-customized individuality and easy delivery.
Design, service and technology platforms
Profitability through platform thinking
Design Platform – individuality through mass customization
Our goal is to set up international, networked, and scalable business which is based on our design & service platform as well as on
our local co-operators.
At the moment our products are sold in Finland, Sweden, Russia,
Germany and France.
PlusVilla concept has won Fennia Prize 2007 Winner design award,
GOOD Design 2008 design award. PlusVilla concept is nominated
for the German Design Award 2009.
Key figures:
Turnover 2007 650.000,(increase 56% from 2007)
Design team 5 persons.
Total number of employees 15.
Privatly owned company.
PRODUCT & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
Innovations through design
New product & service development process (IDDD)
Product & Service development process of PlusArchitects Ltd is
always based on innovation that is aimed to fulfill identified customer needs. Process itself consists of levels of design, business
development and production / distribution planning. Each step is
evaluated by design team, needed outside experts, our co-operators and clients. Most products return to innovation and design
steps for further development. During the design process of PlusVilla concept over 20 different design variations were designed before proceeding from development step to distribution.
The result of IDDD process is a design product that is fitted on our
service and technology platforms.
For PlusArchitecs Ltd. the design platform is a tool for providing
the needed level of individuality on our mass customized products.
Design platform is also a tool for updating design generations of
the product and adding new features during the life cycle of the
product.
Design platform consists of three levels:
1. Platform which is the base of the product. For example in PlusVilla concept the main dimensions, architectural elements, structural solutions and some other basic elements are always present
and are considered as basic platform. Basic platform identifies
the design of the product.
2.Modular add-ons. Modular add-ons are pre designed parts that
clients can change using the service platform. The variations include in PlusVilla product room & size variations, colour and exterior element packages, terrace variations, interior material variations etc. Modular add-ons give the client feeling of individuality
without sacrificing the benefits of manufacturability.
3. Individual tailoring is provided for clients who are willing to invest more on individual design. For example in PlusVilla concept
tailoring can go as far as redesigning the shape of the building or
redesigning the interior.
SERVICE PLATFORM – communicating design
As houses are large and expensive objects it is impossible to build
model houses for each variation of houses we have in each location
where we operate. Internet and web is the main tool for us to communicate with our clients and co-operators.
Service platform works as an interface between our products, clients and our co-operators. Service platform is the main tool for
marketing our services and it is also the best possible tool for giving the client time to consider their needs and customs in order to
get the best possible solution for their personal needs.
We keep on tracking the popularity of each one of our designs in
the service platform in order to get better understanding about client needs. This information is then used in our IDDD process in new
product development and also in design updates on current products.
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM – scalability through technological innovation
Technology platform is the technical base of the service platform.
Technology platform is developed by our 3d & programming department (Adactive Ltd). Using our own platform allows us to rapidly develop new features if needed.
Technology platform functions as a backbone of our product development as it allows implementation of service platforms with varying content. So far technology platform has been used to launch localized versions of PlusVilla concepts in new market areas. Totally
new product will be launched using same technology platform in
autumn 2008 for German, French and Finnish markets.
Technology platform brings us the ability to scale up and multiply
our business as new products are finished and new market areas
are opened.
STRATEGIC APROACH TO DESIGN
For PlusArchitects design is a strategic tool for building our company image. Design is deeply integrated in our business. For
PlusArchitects design means not only product design in traditional
sense but integrated development of products and services. On the
other hand design in its more traditional sense has opened us markets and created publicity that we could not have reached in any
other means. The design awards we have won have boosted our
public visibility and sales. All this have made it much easier to find
the right co-operators and build up the network of good partners.
As PlusArchitects design department of Adactive Ltd. was founded
only 2,5 years ago we have only just started our journey into business of design. Ideas and working methods are still under development but all signs indicate that we have chosen a right path to
follow. Our annual turn over has risen constantly and the number
of contacts through our service platform is growing. New products
are now developed and new market areas opened with our co-operators.
Design platform concept helps developing modular mass
customized design products
New product & service develop,ment process (IDDD) is used
to develop and evaluate new products
Service platform concept works as a userface between our
product (design platform), clients and co-operators / partners
Technology platform concept showing multible service / design platforms connected to several co-operators
PlusVilla concept
Industrial production of individual solutions
The PlusVilla collection offers a selection of leisure-time homes
and saunas that the customer can modify and compare in the PlusVilla internet user interface (www.plusarchitects.fi). The customer
can use the user interface to view the layout and perspective of
the model he/she has modified, as well as the factory delivery of
materials and construction costs.
The service concept is complimented by a blog (www.plusarchitects.fi/blog) regarding the houses under construction. The blog
contains construction site journals with photographs and comments entered by the customers themselves and PlusArchitects.
A blog is a more thorough and open way of describing the product
to the customer than a traditional brochure. It displays the entire construction process in all its complexity. Many customers are
first-time builders and the blog offers them a communication link
to other people in the same situation. Possible criticisms from the
customers are displayed uncensored in the blog, which increases
trust in the product.
Screenshots of PlusVilla service platform on the web.
(www.plushuvilat.fi or www.honkatalot.fi/eng/plushuvilat/
index.html)
Top row, from left to right:
Title page with photo gallery.
Service platform with basic modification tools of PlusVillas.
Bottom row
User chooses the PlusVilla for modification and saves modified models for further comparison. Brochures of modified
models can be ordered via mail or email. Clien can also directly contact salesmen and architect vie net for further
help.
Contact:
info@plusarchitects.fi
tel. +358 95301320
fax. +358 95301322
www.plusarchitects.fi
All rights reserved. PlusVilla is a registered trademark of Plusarchitects Ltd. PlusArchitects own design model registration for all PlusVilla models.
Leisure-time home in a changing world
Increasing wealth, remote work possibilities and changes in the
way people work are turning the traditional summer cottage
into a second home which is used year-round. The second home
is expected to be technically well equipped, and as tastes have
changed, a more modern touch is desired from the design. A house
manufacturer is expected to provide an easy and functional solution that can be industrially produced, since do-it-yourself building
is becoming more and more scarce. However, customers want the
result to be unique and tailored to their needs. The PlusVilla concept created by PlusArchitects is a whole that meets these new
challenges.
PlusVillas are manufactured and distributed by Honkatalot Ltd.
(www.honkatalot.fi)