Danish architecture firm 3XN has won a design competition for Kvarter 15 (District 15), a new office that will revitalize Stockholm’s Östra Hagastaden neighborhood with eye-catching architecture, public spaces and an elevated pedestrian and cyclist pathway that will connect the city with the nature-rich Hagaparken and Brunnsviken. Conceived as both a destination and an experience for the surrounding community, the mixed-use building will offer flexible office spaces for tenants and new attractions and amenities for the public. Moreover, the building will be engineered to protect the adjacent park from the noise and environmental pollution from the nearby highway. Green roofs will help retain rainwater as well.
Developed for Swedish real estate company Atrium Ljungberg, Kvarter 15 will occupy a long, wedge-shaped plot and provide a new connection to Stockholm’s northern city gate from the old “quarry” to the public Hagaparken park and lake Brunnsviken. The adjacent Hagaparken shaped the design of the building, which features an undulating profile and terraced levels along its east facade for a smooth visual transition between the building and the park. The lower terraces will connect to the elevated pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, and portions of the roof will be landscaped and possibly topped with solarpanels. In contrast, its western facade that faces the city more strongly resembles its urban neighbors.
The undulating facade has also been engineered to allow for numerous flexible office spaces optimized for natural light and views of Hagaparken and Brunnsviken. Ground-level retail, restaurants, cafes, new urban spaces and landscaped plazas will activate the streetscape to aid in the urban revitalization of Östra Hagastaden. The offices will be designed to encourage “social synergies” and collaboration between the building tenants.
”There is a need to create spaces that stimulate people’s imagination and creativity,” said Jan Ammundsen, 3XN’s senior partner in charge of the project. “In a complex building with many tenants, it’s crucial to provide options for knowledge sharing and inspiration across the various organizations and people.”
3XN’s green-roofed offices to sport an elevated cycling path in Stockholm [Inhabitat]