Bio
Sini Saarimaa is an architect (M.Sc) working as a doctoral researcher at Tampere University, School ofArchitecture. She has published and lectured on a variety of topics connected with urban housing. Her research focuses on user-centric housing solutions and modularity in industrial housing production. Earlier, as a project manager, she was responsible for implementing development and research projects which operated in between academia and practice. Currently, her ongoing doctoral study aims to enrich the understanding of design characteristics of adaptive apartments in order to support person-environment fit. Novel factors of her research include e.g. using architectural design as a tool for knowledge creation. She has worked in several architectural offices alongside academic work during the last ten years, designing mainly apartment buildings and urban neighbourhoods. She also has experience in organizing and teaching university-level architectural courses and international workshops, along with developing and implementing co-creative practices and research methods in the area of housing design.

LinkedIn

Projects
  • Researcher in Miksi Turkuun? Kaupunkiasumisen houkuttelevuus asukkaan  näkökulmasta. Miksi Turkuun?  project seeks a multidimensional understanding of housing aspirations through the process where five dweller focus groups are involved in two different ways. The project is funded by the Turku Urban Research Programme.
  • Contributing researcher in DAC, ‘Dwellers in Agile Cities’. The DAC project recognized future living needs and created measures and models for improving urban housing and development. Project defined the dweller as a key driver of urban development and change. Project was funded by the Academy of Finland.
  • Organizer and teacher of international architectural workshop EmpatiAInternational. EmpatiA workshop examined the idea of empathy in architecture with special emphasis on accessibility and inclusiveness of built environment. The workshop was part of European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP).
  • Project manager and researcher in ModCons: ‘Development of Modular Construction for Sustainable Design, Stability and Seismic Applications‘. ModCons project aimed at extending the use of modular construction in the residential building sector in Europe. The project was supported with funding from the European Commission.
  • Project manager and researcher in ModuLakea: ‘Asukaslähtöiset ratkaisut Lakea Oy:nmodulaarisessa asuntorakentamisessa‘ ModuLakea project aimed to develop modular multi-storey housing construction in Finland using CLT-framed modules. The architectural limitations and possibilities of CLT modules were examined in multiple ways. ModuLakea project was funded and implemented with Lakea Oy.
  • Project manager and researcher in Concells: ‘Innovative Modular Cell Design for Residential andRenovation Applications‘. Concells project examined the prospects of steel cell structured modules in the context of the Finnish multi-storey housing construction and renovation.I t was a joint project between Business Finland, companies and Tampere University of Technology.
  • Researcher in RYM Indoor Environment project’s work package on ‘User-centric indoor environment‘. The Indoor Environment Program of RYM Oy aimed to gather together forerunners of indoor environment development. Saarimaa was part of a subproject concerning user-­centric environments, cooperating especially with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Aalto University’s BES research group

Publications 
Activities and selected presentations
 
  • Invited interviewee in Suomen Kiinteistölehti 1/2019: ”Large, small or flexible apartments?” / ”Isoja, pieniä vai joustavia asuntoja” (In Finnish)
  • Invited interviewee in Ilkka -newspaper 25.9.2018, “Dwellers first”/“Asukas edellä eteenpäin” (In Finnish)
  • Invited speaker in the seminar of Kiinteistöliitto, The Finnish Real Estate Federation FREF, "Looking to the future of urban dwelling"/"Katse kaupunkiasumisen tulevaisuuksiin" (In Finnish), September 2018, Finland
  • Invited contributor to the 14th International Alvar Aalto Symposium, New housing solutions for cities in change, "Exploring urban apartments’ potential" (In English), Aug 2018, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the Puusta parempaa -seminar, "Using wood for industrial housing construction"/"Puu teollisen asuntorakentamisen käytössä" (In Finnish), Aug 2018, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the international BUILDIt 2018 -conference, ”Architects’ Vision for Modular Multi-Storey Buildings” (In English), April 2018, Estonia
  • Invited interviewee in Valkeakoski Housing Fair, ”Changing homes and freedom of planning”/”Muuntuva koti ja kaavoittamisen vapaus” (In Finnish), Aug 2017, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the TamSafa’s (Finnish Association of Architects, Tampere organization) seminar Kaupunkiasumisen uudet tuulet, Tampere “Development of urban housing?”/”Kehitystä kaupunkiasumiseen?” (In Finnish), April 2017, Finland
  • Invited interviewee in PuuInfo’s Puheenvuoroja puusta -series, “Researcher: Modular Wooden Construction Renews Housing Production"/”Tutkija: Puuelementtirakentaminen uudistaa asuntotuotantoa”/" (In Finnish), 2015
  • Invited speaker in the Puupäivä, Annual Wood Day,"Design of a wooden modular apartment building"/,”Asuinkerrostalon suunnittelu massiivipuutilaelementeistä”, (In Finnish), Nov 2015, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the Rakennusinsinöörit ja -arkkitehdit RIA’s Tulevaisuuden Arkkitehtuuri, Future Architecture conference, ”Kerrostalosta monikotitaloon?”/”Development of apartment buildings” (In Finnish), Sept 2015, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the seminar of Elävät Kaupunkikeskustat ry,”The future of dwelling”/”Tulevaisuuden asuminen” (In Finnish), April 2015, Finland
  • Development and implementation of interactive housing design event, “Interactive Housing Design night"/”Vuorovaikutteinen asuntosuunnitteluilta” (In Finnish), March 2015, Finland
  • Invited interviewee in POP Koivunlehti -magazine, ”Koti kuten haluatte”/”Home as you wish” (In Finnish), 4/2014
  • Invited speaker in the Studia Generalia organized by newspaper of Souhwest Finland, “Visions and future of housing construction”/”Asuntorakentamisen tulevaisuus ja visiot”(In Finnish), Dec 2013, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the annual housing seminar ASUNTO2013, "Development and new housing innovations"/”Kehittäminen ja uuden ajan asuntoinnovaatiot” (In Finnish), Sept 2013, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the city of Oulu’s land use Implementation Programme seminar (MATO 2014-2018), “Future challenges and visions of urban and housing construction”/“Tulevaisuuden asuntorakentamisen haasteita ja visioita”(In Finnish), April 2013, Finland
  • Invited speaker in the FCG Finnish Consulting Group’s training for housing professionals, “Resident-oriented solutions in housing production and other development prospects” /”Asukaslähtöiset ratkaisut asuntotuotannossa ja muita asumisen kehitysnäkymiä”(In Finnish), Feb 2013, Finland
  • Invited contributor to the Asta Rakentaja – building and housing fair,“Infill and complementary construction”/“Täydennysrakentaminen” (In Finnish), Feb 2012, Finland