ByggVesta’s “TestaVesta” apartment gives employees the opportunity to live in a newly built home and experience everyday life from a resident’s point of view. The experience provides concrete insights that strengthen both property management and development.
When Employees Move In
In Kista Äng, at the top of one of ByggVesta’s newly built buildings, there is a fully furnished three‑bedroom apartment used in an unusual way. The apartment, called TestaVesta, is available for employees who stay for a few days to live in the environment they normally work with at a distance through drawings, project meetings, or management routines.
The purpose of TestaVesta is to create a tangible understanding of how a home actually works in practice. The apartment is equipped like a regular home with bedding, kitchenware, textiles, and everything needed for both everyday life and work, making the experience as close as possible to a real move‑in. Booking is handled through the same calendar function used for meeting rooms, and stays range from a single workday to several nights. Afterwards, employees submit voluntary feedback so their experiences don’t remain personal impressions but instead benefit the whole organization.
Everyday Living Reveals New Insights
Reading through the evaluations, one is struck by how many observations concern things that never show up in a project presentation but matter greatly in day‑to‑day life. The feedback often describes the home as comfortable and functional, and many highlight how practical the location feels. At the same time, comments point to details that can be difficult to anticipate before a building is occupied: the placement of particular outlets, how the furniture works in the rooms, or the absence of certain standard features that would have created a more complete experience. Some mentioned an entrance that feels somewhat anonymous, or a courtyard that could benefit from more color and variation, yet also noted that the home as a whole works well and that the area feels calm.
The chance to use the home in different everyday situations allows employees to quickly get close to the real needs of the residents who move in. No matter how carefully a project is planned, it is difficult to fully predict how people will use the space. In Kista, for example, it became clear that the courtyard did not provide enough play areas for children. It was an insight that led to the addition of more play equipment.
These kinds of everyday observations are hard to capture through surveys or service requests but easy to notice when living in the environment and using it for real. The result is a more nuanced picture of how the home is experienced, not just how it performs on paper.
– By living in TestaVesta, I got a clearer picture of what we’re actually creating. It’s not just an apartment, it’s a daily life that needs to work for someone else,” one employee explained.
A Method That Deepens the Understanding of Housing Quality
In an industry where many processes are divided between different departments, TestaVesta serves as a shared reference point. The fact that employees from many parts of the organization have stayed in the apartment has also strengthened internal connection. But above all, it is a tool for continuous improvement. The insights generated are concrete, relevant, and directly applicable to future projects and to the development of shared spaces, standard levels, and overall housing quality.
– At first, some felt the idea was unusual, but once someone tried staying a night, interest grew quickly. Several employees even brought their children and turned the stay into a fun outing, which also added new perspectives,” says Andreas Siltberg, Head of Property Management.
From Test Apartment to a Home in the Queue
The project is now completed, and the apartment is moving into ByggVesta’s regular housing queue. The opportunity to sign a lease was raffled, giving everyone the same chance regardless of their queue time. The resident who won the lottery and signed the lease also gets to keep all the furniture and décor, which now become their personal property.
– The TestaVesta project was a success and provided valuable insights that strengthened both management and development. It became a much‑appreciated initiative and may inspire similar approaches in future projects,” Andreas concludes.
