The new Habitare Build Lab brings together innovations, materials and the skilled professionals behind the projects
There is always something previously unseen in Habitare’s program. Next autumn, a new concept will be introduced: Habitare Build Lab — an area that presents companies and service providers in a new way, through realised, practical solutions. Innovations, materials and working methods are showcased in a tangible, hands-on format that makes them easy to explore.
Habitare Build Lab is both visually compelling and firmly professional in character. It offers new insights for builders, renovators and industry professionals alike. At its core are knowledge-sharing, collaboration and the visible demonstration of professional expertise.
The area brings together a wide range of renovation and construction expertise. Participants include specialists in HVAC systems, electrical and lighting design, carpentry workshops and traditional building methods. Visitors gain direct access to this collective expertise and can address their own construction-related challenges with the support of professionals.
Alongside companies and service providers, Habitare Build Lab also serves as a platform for materials, products and technologies. Each year, new solutions enter the market, and Habitare offers an accessible way to discover them. The exhibition also highlights the essential elements without which construction or renovation cannot take place: electrical fittings, smart home technologies, surface treatment products and installation solutions.
“With Build Lab, I want to honour the knowledge and craftsmanship we have in Finland — We have so much wisdom in our industry. Build Lab brings together skilled makers and the most innovative and aesthetic products, materials and building solutions,” says interior designer Laura Seppänen of LS Design Agency, who developed the concept.
“The concept grew out of a realisation of how rarely the people behind a building or renovation, the practical solutions involved, or the technology essential to the final result are brought into view. Build Lab celebrates all of this,” Seppänen continues. “Designers are often mentioned, but execution is just as important as design. A successful outcome is created when designers and makers work together. And now, at Habitare, there is also an area where visitors can find a professional for their project or advice for a specific challenge. Expertise in sustainable and traditional building is also on display, a theme that is becoming ever more important.”
Knowledge and workshops: practical solutions for everyday challenges
At the centre of Habitare Build Lab is an event area hosting short, informative talks throughout the fair, focusing on construction and renovation. The program also includes participatory workshops, offering visitors the opportunity to try different surface treatment methods themselves, from traditional products to new material innovations.
“The construction sector has faced significant challenges in recent years. We are particularly pleased, at this moment, to introduce Habitare Build Lab as a meaningful and engaging addition to Habitare. Our collaboration with Laura Seppänen enables a carefully curated, high-quality experience for visitors, while creating a new kind of commercial meeting point for companies,” says Tanja Pasila, Business Manager of Habitare.
Further information:
Tanja Pasila, Business Manager, Habitare
Tel. +358 50 387 0024 | tanja.pasila@messukeskus.com
Christa Vuorinen, Marketing & Communications, Habitare
Tel. +358 50 577 6522 | ext-christa.vuorinen@messukeskus.com
Habitare, the leading furniture, design and interior event in the Nordics, will next be held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 2–6 September 2026.
habitare.fi | @habitarefair | @habitaremessut | #habitare2026
