The original idea was to build in steel and concrete, but after the project got underway Electrolux decided that the material should be wood. The goal was to reduce CO2 emissions and climate impact.
“By building mainly in wood, we can meet requirements for the new building certification ZeroCO2. Our long-term ambition is for the company to be climate neutral by 2050,” says Ulrika Kågström, property manager at Electrolux, who is responsible for the Greenhouse Sthlm development.
For Mårten Bäckman of architectural practice Archus, this suddenly presented new conditions. Drawings had already been prepared and presented to the working group, but now a rethink was needed.
“The most important question was: How do we present the Electrolux Group and all the fantastic people that work there? Can we remove the facade and replace it with glass, so passers-by can see all the way in to the company?”
So that’s what he did; a glass facade with supporting timber frames rising 28 metres into the air. A statement that the extension of Electrolux’s headquarters is about so much more than additional square metres.
“I think the glass facade is amazing. Instead of our employees working behind the scenes, they are now centre stage,” enthuses Kågström.
But tall timber frames presented a challenge. The initial idea was to find a supplier that could manufacture the frame in a single piece of timber. However, this proved difficult. The solution was to splice the frames in the middle. Cabinetwork on an enormous scale.
A city within the city
The renovation and extension is the first stage of Greenhouse Sthlm, a mixed development of offices, housing, retail and services. When completed, this little city within a city will create life and movement in a district that has been relatively deserted outside office hours. In the first stage, the Electrolux Group is expanding its headquarters by 8,000 square metres. A new cooperative housing association will also create 114 new homes.
Ulrika Kågström and Mårten Bäckman give us the grand tour, beginning with the new main entrance, a bright and spacious addition that exudes calm.
“This is the hub of the building. It lives up to the vision of being visible and transparent. We will also communicate with the street,” says Bäckman, pointing to a gigantic television screen through which the Electrolux Group can convey its vision of sustainability, health and a simpler everyday life to passers-by.
Inspiration from nature and visible wood in the constructions
The large foyer clearly draws inspiration from nature. One wall is clad in birch bark, while other materials include spruce and oak. Timber is visible in every structure and in every painstaking detail. One detail that Bäckman is especially pleased with is the round fittings supporting the beams, which are made of wood rather than steel.
“They are specially sawn to achieve the rounded, soft, organic shape. However, we weren’t certain that it was possible; we had many discussions with design engineers to satisfy ourselves that they could cope with the load,” he says.
Stairs in cross-laminated timber and glulam
Another source of pride is the staircase that winds up to a lounge and café, a space in which to meet with customers or simply to relax.
“The staircase that rises through the ten storeys is built entirely from wood and, as far as I’m aware, is unique. The cross-laminated timber and glulam are super-strong materials that are comparable with steel and concrete,” says Bäckman, who adds that Ulrika deserves the credit for the fact that the staircase is spiral rather than straight.
“Yes, I had to fight for that,” laughs Kågström,” but I really wanted that ‘wow’ factor.” She is also keen to highlight the green elements of the architecture, such as the planter boxes situated both inside and out, and the curved balcony boxes inside the glass facade.
One challenge during the construction period has been that the 1,500 employees have continued to work as normal. However, this went surprisingly well and there have been very few complaints.
“This is largely thanks to the fact that timber is so much better to build with than concrete. You avoid much of the clatter and noise, and wood even smells good. Another bonus is that it’s quick,” says Kågström.
We continue, climbing another wooden staircase to the communal kitchen of the cooperative housing association. The apartments themselves are relatively small and this provides space for tenants to entertain on a larger scale. The beautiful tiles are yet another way to reflect nature. The white tiles at the bottom represent snow, the green in the middle the forest, and the dark blue at the top the night sky. This time, it was Bäckman who had to fight for his idea.
“It was killed off on three occasions by different people. But I’m extremely satisfied and everyone now thinks it’s great,” he says with a grin.
Cooperative apartments entirely in timber
The cooperative apartments are also built entirely in timber. Even the hand basins and toilets are made from wood-based composite panels and are fully biodegradable.
While living space is relatively small – 28 square metres for a one room plus kitchen apartment and 44–65 square metres for two rooms plus kitchen – there are also common areas such as a top-floor pool and fitness room, a roof garden, outdoor gym, boules pitch and allotments.
There is also a restaurant offering room service if one should be so inclined. The mixed development of offices and housing is an important part of the vision of creating a vibrant city district.
“It’s amazing that we’ve come this far. We’ve worked hard for a long time. And a lot has happened along the way. We’ve had to find solutions that didn’t even exist when we began building,” says Kågström.
Bäckman agrees – and admits to being somewhat tired of the building from time to time.
“Sometimes its felt like an endlessly demanding baby. But it has turned out fantastic and everyone is delighted. So, now I’ve fallen in love with it all over again.”
Text: Susanne Glennegård Foto: Johan Bergmark, Skanska