The laminate surface is extremely scratch resistant compared to a plywood surface, which increases its lifespan. Having birch plywood as a core, on the other hand, is very impact resistant, so plywood combined with laminate provides robustness while keeping the furniture looking nice even after wear and tear.”

Are there any specific design principles or guidelines that you have followed when designing the range?

“Yes, we want to create “room in the room” by using wall panels for the bed and desk. We have also chosen to launch two series with different expressions, to create choice but also to allow for variation within the same institution, or between institutions in different locations. The choice of walnut laminate is partly because preferences for colour and wood types differ across the world. Many people in institutional care have a cultural or ethnic background from other countries, such as the Middle East.”

Can you give some examples of how flexibility and adaptability have been taken into account when selecting parts of the range?

“We have both right- and left-hand parts for more freedom of choice in how the furniture is placed. There are two different bedside tables that provide flexibility through innovative shape. The furniture pieces are also designed not to take up more room volume than necessary, for example we have two different heights of wardrobes.”

Which security features or characteristics have been prioritised?

“A tight fitting to the wall, where a design with a back at the bottom allows you to saw away material where the skirting board protrudes. The tightness of the furniture against the wall and floor is important to prevent the hiding of, for example, drugs, phones or weapons, but also for hygienic reasons. Fixed furniture is also more difficult to break as it is more stable.”

Can you describe how each specific item in your range has been designed to maximise safety for users?

“The sides of the bed go all the way to the floor to prevent hiding yourself or things underneath. It is also impossible to scribble and leave messages. The bed panel creates security/care but also prevents graffiti at that height (but of course not on the wall above).

The desk is neat and doesn’t take up too much space. The sides of the desk go down to the floor for stability, so it’s not just the wall that can take the strain. The panelling creates care and prevents graffiti.

The wardrobe provides just the right amount of storage. We have no drawers or doors as hinges are always a weak point and pose a risk. It also makes it difficult to search. The compartments are relatively shallow to facilitate searching and the shelves are deliberately spaced so that it is not possible to squeeze a large book or anything else between the shelves and create a snare.

The small bedside table, the cube, is designed to take up little space but provide storage for a book, DVD player or anything else you want next to the bed. The small compartment provides just the right amount of storage but should still be easy to search. The cube also becomes an extension of the bed which gives a clear characteristic design expression. The bedside table has more storage space and follows the characteristic design expression of the series.

The wall shelf is neat so as not to take up too much volume in the room. The angle between the two shelves is open, i.e. the shelves are not parallel, but the front edge of the top shelf is angled a couple of degrees upwards. This is to avoid the risk of pinching an object, such as a book, so that a noose can be attached to it.”

How have you balanced safety with design to create a pleasant and normalized environment for users?

“It’s not necessarily a contradiction, and we believe that our fixed interior is a contribution to showing that you do not need to do a trade-off on any of the factors. One can think of our interior, for example, like the interior of a cabin on a sailboat or ship where there are also design choices made with safety in mind.”