As a result of Finnish-Russian design and construction collaboration, Functional Home St.Petersburg, the first showroom and training environment for products and technology for the well-being sector, was opened in St. Petersburg in April 16, 2009. The assembly process of the concept was linked to the Regional Centre Programme for the Joensuu Region for the years 2004-2010. ISAK was in charge of the implementation of the programme. The City of St. Petersburg was in charge of the needed construction engineering for the Functional Home model environment, which is located within the grounds of the Vocational Rehabilitation Centre of St. Petersburg on the Vasily Island. The City of St. Petersburg allocated c. 300 000 € for the renovation of the premises.

Functional Home comprises the model apartment and the attached showroom and training environment. The total area is approximately 400 square metres, of which the apartment takes 107 square metres. The model apartment is equipped with products, tools and technology delivered by mainly Finnish companies. The concept provides for the companies a chance to exhibit their products and guide users in their use in a genuine application environment.

Finnish companies and their retail dealers use the premises of the Functional Home for promotion and for presenting products and technology. In addition, the environment is used for the training of expert groups in technology enhancing independent living so that they may apply it in customer sites. We have trained, for example, professionals in social services and health care and designers or architects dealing with the enhancement of accessibility and the use of technology in practice. From the point of view of both end users and specialists, essential in the concept is to find and share knowledge and solutions.

Students in different fields of study also use Functional Home application environment as a multi-field training and development environment.