Sotera Team
Sotera research group
Pirjo Sanaksenaho
pirjo.sanaksenaho@aalto.fi
Pirjo is the Professor of Building Design at Aalto University and director of SOTERA. Pirjo’s 2017 dissertation was titled ‘Moderni Koti’ (Modern Home).
Ira Verma
ira.verma@aalto.fi
Ira is a senior scientist (D.Sc. in Architecture) in SOTERA. Her research focus is on the housing and living environments for older adults, Universal Design, and inclusive user-centered design. The topic of her doctoral dissertation was “Housing Design for All – The challenges of ageing in urban planning and housing design”.
Collaborating Researchers
Laura Arpiainen
laura.arpiainen@aalto.fi
Laura is the specialist in Wellbeing Architecture. She was professor of practice at Aalto and leader of Sotera team from 2018 to 2026. Her interests lie in diversity, wellbeing, integrated and human-centered care, and the effects of the built environment on health.
Freja Ståhlberg-Aalto
freja.stahlberg-aalto@aalto.fi
Freja has been a visiting researcher at SOTERA. Her 2020 dissertation was titled ‘The Aesthetics and Architecture of Care Environment.
Doctoral Researchers
Architect Sofia Juntunen is a doctoral researcher in the Sotera research group focusing on the psychological accessibility and mental health in architecture. Her Master's thesis topic was a psychologically accessible safehouse for suicidal people.