Unboxed: beautiful, modern designs that reimagine modular buildings

Let’s take a look at how good-looking modular buildings can be. Designed to bring people together and support everyday life, they aim to inspire the people who use them, even in temporary settings.

With colour, thoughtful layouts that encourage interaction, and spaces filled with natural light. Here’s our version of a long-overdue conversation about the perceptions vs the realities of modular space solutions, as delivered by Adapteo.  

Helping society thrive 

Adapteo has been in the business of delivering flexible building solutions in Europe for over 40 years. Helping municipalities and corporations alike, we’ve supported needs that accompany population booms, business expansion, community events, global competitions, and even emergency situations. We’ve provided temporary space during planned renovations, too.   

We see ourselves as a trusted partner during moments of change. With solutions that are planned and installed quickly and at scale. Whether in the centre of town or the far reaches of Arctic coastlines. And our modular buildings provide temporary spaces and can be taken down, reused, and repurposed afterwards. 

But there’s an unflattering perception of modular buildings that we’d like to discuss.

Functional with a soul 

Our designs are functional, of course. Additions and stand-alone buildings meet the needs of those who will use the spaces: children, trainees, workers, patients, and residents. Spaces are configured with “effect” in mind, too. Community areas, insulation and lighting on par with permanent construction, noise reduction, and with consideration for accessibility and the user experience overall. 

We pay attention to how people will feel when interacting with our modular buildings. 

Smart, sustainable, circular 

And the designs are smart and sustainable. That part matters. After all, we're Northern Europe's leading provider of outstanding, modular spaces for a more flexible, low-carbon future. Circularity is a core principle in how we work with modular buildings. Instead of tearing down and starting over, we relocate, reuse, and repurpose modular spaces to meet changing needs with less waste and more impact. (Reused modules use 96% less CO2 than new construction.)  

Circularity matters because resources are finite, costs are rising, and buildings account for a third of global emissions. 

Beautiful and modern 

Modular buildings have come a long way. Today, they support spaces that feel human, thoughtful, and well designed. These seven projects from across our markets show what that looks like in practice.

We invite you to visit each project for more detail, so you can see the beauty we see, for yourself.  

• In Germany, inspiring students with a colorful school was the aim. Careful attention was paid to creating a modern, inviting exterior with play areas and light, airy classrooms optimised for learning.

• In the Netherlands, stringent heritage zoning rules were met beautifully for Edith Stein College, allowing the temporary space to blend seamlessly with the historic neighborhood's look and feel.  
• In Sweden, the need to expand officer training quickly resulted in sleek, smooth, and uplifting accommodations that were installed on time. With respect to military punctuality and timeframes. 
  

• In Germany, a school received "the green treatment" with a wood facade and a grass-covered roof that helped the structure blend in with the surrounding nature. The result: progressive, clean, inviting. 
• In the Netherlands, a hip IT Hub was built to attract tech talent and create an atmosphere having an undeniable “Wow factor”. Inside and outside, the space screamed "modern!"

• In Sweden, a school for 450 students was built with a fresh, inviting look and layout while the mould-damaged school undergoes renovation. This was a transition project with a soul! 
• In Finland, when the community needed additional space for elderly care, modern design and a “social” layout was designed and installed to make residents truly feel at home. 

Modular buildings reimagined

If there’s one thing these cases show, it’s that modular buildings can spark joy, connection, and pride just as much as any permanent structure. They’re places where people learn, work, heal, and gather, wrapped in designs that look good and feel even better.

At Adapteo, we’re proud to show what modular really looks like today: thoughtful, modern, and built to support communities through every kind of change. And there's more to come. We hope these examples help shift the conversation, because beauty absolutely belongs in temporary spaces.

And we’re here to keep proving that, one project at a time.