As most of the present prison’s product portfolio is aimed to the rural market, a desire of moving to the urban market of RISE Criminal Sanctions Agency meant that a thorough review of its portfolio was required. The team was asked to improve the very wide product portfolio of products made in the prison workshops, create a new line of products and build the first prototypes.

The aim for the project was not to design only an efficient product to fit in the existing portfolio, but also to combine different materials and production methods. This was done to challenge inmate workers and give them a very comprehensive experience and thereby good possibility to increase their skills during their time in prison. This would possibly help them to adapt to the normal life after their sentence, when looking for a job. One of the most crucial aspects to take into consideration was that the products had to be produced within the prison workshop using efficiently the materials provided.

Visiting the Helsinki and Riihimäki prisons and their metal and wood shops and meetings with workshop masters and administration gave the team an idea of the importance of professional education as well as the regular meaningful work for the inmates. The team started exploring similar systems in different countries to provide a broad research background. Then the product portfolio of RISE was explored and it became clear it needed constant care and updating as well. Three categories were prioritized, Urban Picnic, Urban Gardening and Toys. The urban lyfestyle differs from the rural one. Apartments are small, public transportation make it easier than cars to move around, responsively produced goods are highly valued. These things were important drivers during the whole design process of LUSIA products. As an interesting finding we figured out something about the people’s picnic and barbeque habits. Men barely never go to picnic together or at least they do not call it a picnic. In the same way women do not barbeque very often without men. That’s why the both picnic and barbeque products are usually strongly gender polarized in their appearance. The team wanted to make a change – by creating high quality picnic products that are stylish and gender neutral with their sophisticated and minimalistic design.

Usability and easy transportation were the key drivers for Lusia products. The family consists of 4 products: a compacted picnic grill and its bag, a foldable blanket and a rucksack. A strap allows the five elements to be stacked together and move around. The bags that complete this family of products broaden the possibilities of the products to travel with style using bikes, metro or buses. It is made of robust cotton fabric, is easy to clean and washable. The brand is based on the name 'Lusia', which means 'prison' in Finnish slang.

Lusia products are currently under production and they have been exhibited in head office of RISE. They will be exhibited during the Dubai Design Week 2016. Furthermore, in 2016 the picnic grill has been awarded in the design category at the Plootu Fennica competition and will be exhibited at the Metal Fair of Tampere in 2018.