On Monday mornings, Susanna Nipuli wakes up in Heinola with her partner and their one-year-old child. A few hours later, she is in Tampere, stepping into her role as business director at Finland Events and a member of the management team at Tampereen Messut.
By Friday evening, the family returns home again.
Living between two cities was not part of a long-term plan. It was a consequence of careers, timing, and life unfolding faster than traditional housing models allow.
A workable home for modern professional life
At one point, the family explored staying in hotels during the week. Logistically, it worked. In reality, it didn’t.
“Hotels aren’t designed for everyday life, especially not with a small child,” Nipuli explains. “There’s nowhere to settle in, to keep things, to build routines. And financially, it didn’t make sense.”
A long-term lease felt equally misaligned. The work itself was clearly defined, but the family was in transition. Committing to a new permanent address, or another house, felt premature.
What they needed was flexible living that supported real life as it is now, not as it might look in five years.
That was when they moved into UNITY in Tampere.
Susanna Nipuli at UNITY in Tampere, photographed by Eino Ansio.
A place that accommodates real life
The apartment was ready from day one. Fully furnished. Calm. Functional.
There was space to cook, do laundry, and live at a normal pace, without turning housing into another project to manage. A dishwasher and washing machine simplified daily routines. The gym was open 24/7. The sauna was just steps away, with the lake close enough for a quick swim when time and weather allowed.
Besides its Tampere location, UNITY operates the same hybrid concept in Helsinki, Stockholm, and Malmö, combining a hotel, coworking space, and serviced apartment under one roof. The model is designed for professionals, families, and teams moving between cities or assignments.
“With work, a child, and two careers, ease matters,” Nipuli says. “You don’t want housing to become something you need to optimize.”
The initial plan was to stay for three months. Then they extended for another three.
What surprised them most was how well the apartment suited family life. It was quiet, child-friendly, and thoughtfully designed for everyday living rather than short stays.
Shared living without intrusion
UNITY is often described as community living, but not in a way that demands participation.
Shared spaces bring together people in similar life phases, even if their reasons for moving in differ. One morning over breakfast, Nipuli spoke with another resident who had temporarily relocated due to a plumbing renovation.
“Different reasons, same need,” she says.
It’s a low-key form of community. Conversations happen naturally. Recommendations are exchanged. And everyone returns to their own schedules.
When time allows, the family enjoys the neighborhood. Walks by the water, a nearby gym, and the occasional pizza at Mad Finn. When work calls, co-working spaces and meeting rooms are close at hand, making it easy to shift between family life and professional focus without friction.
Susanna Nipuli can even schedule meetings at the community space in UNITY. Photographer: Eino Ansio.
Living between chapters
Practical considerations, including cost, naturally play a role, especially when compared to extended hotel stays. But for Nipuli, the real value went beyond numbers.
“It fit this phase of life,” she says. “We didn’t need to decide everything at once. We could focus on work, family, and being present.”
For professionals navigating hybrid work, dual-city careers, or transitional life stages, that balance is becoming essential.
UNITY is not about settling forever, nor about living out of suitcases.
Sometimes, where you live needs to be a temporary solution that still feels like home.
UNITY is designed exactly for that.
UNITY is not for people who have everything figured out. It’s for all of us who are in the middle of it; cities, decisions, chapters, and want a place that feels like home.
