International students test out furniture made of cardboard and plywood in their temporary accommodation. It is believed that there are many uses for easy-to-assemble and light furniture.
How well does a cardboard bed withstand a week’s sleep?
The pop-up hostel, built in two classrooms on the premises of the LAB University of Applied Sciences, has, among other things, cardboard single beds, stackable plywood bunk beds as well as room dividers, dining groups and shelves.
The furniture will be put to the real test when 30 international students spend the night at the premises of the LAB University of Applied Sciences in Lahti for a week. The students are in Lahti for an intensive period and come from partner universities in Finland and abroad.
– Women and men have their own sides in the hostel. Social facilities and cooking facilities can be found in the same building, LAB University of Applied Sciences lecturer Taina Orpana says.
User experiences now for the first time
Originally intended for humanitarian purposes and emergency accommodation, Rehome furniture has been developed since 2017, but it is only now that they can be tested and receive information from users.
It is believed that the furniture can be used in many ways. However, they require dry spaces around them, for example cardboard furniture is not suitable for tent accommodation.
Experiences are collected from both students and the event organizer.
– We hope for feedback from the users, especially about how the beds are suitable for sleeping. On the other hand, we get information from the organizers about, among other things, how long it takes to assemble the furniture, dismantle it and build the hostel.
First the home country, then the world
The quickly built temporary accommodation is believed to work, for example, in connection with events to supplement the accommodation capacity at peak times of congestion.
– A super year of events is underway in Lahti. There are many summer events, camps and courses elsewhere in Finland. Accommodation and beds are also needed for seasonal workers, Katriina Mäenpää says.
Confessions have been made with the city of Lahti and a few other operators about the next steps of the pop-up hostel.
– I can’t reveal more than that yet, but one contact is related to the premises of the Trio department store and the summer time, lecturer Taina Orpana hints.
Katariina Mäenpää believes that furniture that can be easily assembled and moved will also be of interest outside Finland’s borders.
– For example, the space available for living in cities with millions is even more limited than here in Finland. The lightness of the furniture is something that might appeal there as well, he believes.