Tham & Videgård . photos: © Åke Eson Lindman . + archdaily
The new office buildings in Solna Strand were developed around the idea that the most sustainable buildings are those which remain in use the longest. Robustness is crucial to longevity, so solid and reliable construction methods are fundamental for a sustainable architecture.
The scale, orientation and materiality of the new buildings were designed as a response to the diverse character of the neighbourhood, a semi-urban context of large scale developments at the edge of the city, where brick buildings from different periods, and of varying sizes, dominate. Dividing each building into three smaller volumes provides flexibility of use for the interior and allows proximity to daylight. Subdivision of the plan creates multiple corner rooms with open views oriented to the sun. Exterior spaces at street level are sheltered from the wind. Stepping the building heights creates green roof terraces, a valuable amenity directly accessible from the offices in the upper parts of the building.
The aim is to provide inviting, dynamic rooms through spatial complexity and rational, state of the art construction. Regular, load-bearing frame and facades minimize the need for internal structure, ensuring maximum flexibility of the office layout. The deep floorplans and compact volumes produce high overall energy efficiency. Generous windows ensure plenty of daylight into each floor level, while the in-situ brick facade lend the new buildings a timeless character that relate to the carefully made brick architecture of the nearby train depots. At street level, there are additional locations for entrances where shops, showrooms, restaurants and other public functions may be established in over time.
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