Team spirit across eight locations: Sitowise Ltd Landscape wins the Forerunners Award

Back in 2008, the landscape architecture team consisted of around ten people – now, it is one of Sitowise’s largest divisions. In 2018, Sitowise acquired the landscape architecture practice MA-Arkkitehdit, which raised the number of staff to above 30 and inspired the landscape architecture team to draw up a division-specific strategy that factored in not just sales and marketing but also well-being at work and stress management.

”We brainstormed about how we could make our basic processes more efficient and what would be the best ways of working. For example, all our projects end with a debriefing where we review what went well and look for areas where we still have room to improve and how. We also actively learn from each other otherwise: recent graduates give presentations based on their master’s theses, and we have a channel called Ammattikysymykset (‘Professional Q&A’) in our Teams environment, which is a lightning-fast way to get help with technical questions”, explains Ismo Häkkinen, Leading Consultant and Project Manager at Sitowise Ltd Landscape.

”In addition, we make sure that our own ways of working and time management do not cause delays that could inconvenience others. Everyone’s time is just as valuable and should be respected. These kinds of attitudes help to build a sense of togetherness and team spirit, although a lot of us like to work remotely from home.”

The team speak fluent Finnish and Swedish and also includes reinforcements from Italy and Japan. Sitowise Ltd Landscape has offices in Espoo, Kuopio, Turku, Tampere, Joensuu, Pori, Oulu and Rovaniemi.

”Team bonding tends to be especially strong in landscape architecture projects, as they require a group of individuals to come together and work intensively with each other for set periods of time. The length of projects ranges from six months to five years. People who gel in a team usually want to work together on future projects as well and joining a team like that is the best way for new entrants to the industry to learn”, Häkkinen explains.

”Completed projects are often celebrated with coffee and cake in the office or a glass of bubbly in a bar after work. We also share our successes openly to others.”

The services provided by Sitowise Ltd Landscape include master planning, landscape resource management and garden design, among others. Each assignment is approached from a specific perspective, such as maximising green space in an urban setting, preserving landscape heritage or increasing biodiversity in a built environment.

”We design public spaces, such as streets, squares, playgrounds and outdoor gyms. We also produce plans for renovating historic sites of significance and design garden features and green roofs for large complex urban developments. Sustainable nature-based storm-water management solutions are prioritised in all our designs.”

The award jury praised Sitowise Ltd Landscape for its commitment to continuous improvement and its active role in the industry.

”Several of our team are members of the Finnish Association of Landscape Architects, act as part-time teachers or researchers at the University of Helsinki or Aalto University and write articles for landscape architecture journals. We have close ties with other landscape architecture practices which allows us to contribute professional development, promote innovation, share know-how and foster healthy competition”, says Häkkinen.

A positive atmosphere at work also boosts performance.

”Sitowise has grown into one of Finland’s largest landscape architecture practices. Our most notable clients are the municipalities of the Helsinki capital region, the cities of Turku and Tampere, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency as well as several large construction firms and green energy companies. The turnover of Sitowise Ltd Landscape has quadrupled in 17 years.”

What next?

”We usually organise an afternoon outing in early summer. Last year, we went to the beach in Matinkylä, where our Italian colleague, Federico, had set up a portable pizza oven and baked fresh pizza for everyone. First, however, we need to do something to celebrate winning this Forerunners Award.”