KOJA | Kristian Talvitie

Polestar, the Swedish electric performance car brand, is reimagining sustainable travel with KOJA*, a micro space tree house designed by Finnish designer Kristian Talvitie.

Built in the village of Fiskars, an art and design hub in southwestern Finland, KOJA is the first submission from the Polestar Design Contest to be realised in full-scale. KOJA is part of the ‘House by an Architect’ exhibition during the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale, open from May to September 2022.

A response to the 2021 Polestar Design Contest theme of “progress”, KOJA redefines sustainable travel by reducing the need for travel in the first place, yet still brings people closer to nature. Attached to a tree trunk just below the canopy, the design maximises the treetop view with a panoramic glazed façade. A rich, immersive experience in a natural environment. KOJA connects to the growing micro space trend and this tree house is accessible for people who would otherwise take a much longer trip to experience the wilderness. KOJA encapsulates both Polestar design language and sustainability values, minimising the use of material and energy while maximising the experience. 

To translate the design into reality, Kristian Talvitie has been working closely with the Polestar Design team in Gothenburg, Sweden, and with colleagues at Finnish design agency Ultra. Created from sustainable and durable materials such as locally sourced wood and wool, KOJA blends in with its natural environment and at the same time creates an eye-catching contrast – much like Polestar’s cars.

*Koja [kåj`a], noun. A Swedish word meaning “hut” or “den”. Shares the definition across multiple languages, from the German “Koje” to the Japanese “こや” (same pronunciation).