3XN has won the competition to design the new Swedbank international headquarters in Stockholm. The new Headquarters will be one of Sweden's most modern and innovative office buildings – focusing on transparency, Scandinavian simplicity and dynamic social environments. Behind the project is the Danish Architect 3XN in collaboration with Humlegården Fastigheter, representing the property owner Länsförsäkringar Liv. The Headquarters is designed by the Danish studio 3XN with direct reference to Swedbank's core values; openness, simplicity, care and durability.

The construction of Swedbank's new head office is expected to be finished by the end of 2013.

The building is conceived and designed from the inside out. We have literally translated Swedbank's core values into the creation of a modern and groundbreaking head office. Swedbank has conveyed the importance it places on creating an open social environment, which happens to coincide with 3XNs design beliefs and ideology.  It has been a very interesting process and we look forward to getting to work on the project.

Kim Herforth Nielsen, Principal of 3XN

Swedbank, render courtesy 3XN

+ Project description by 3XN

3XNs winning design for Swedbank's new international headquarters is an innovative interpretation of the core values of the organization; Openness, Simplicity and Care – all materialized in a modern office space with emphasis on transparency, Scandinavian simplicity and a dynamic social environment. The building's folded triple-V structure breaks up the volume, thus creating a welcoming democratic environment for Swedbank's employees and visitors.

Swedbank, render courtesy 3XN

OPENNESS is a central theme in the outer as well as inner organization. Transparent facades help to underline Swedbank's openness towards the surrounding world while highlighting the semi public functions such as restaurant and conference facilities on the lower floors. The sculptural triple-V structure above creates an integrated roof for the main entrance and breaks up the façade in smaller geometric units.

SIMPLICITY is expressed through the building's easy orientation centered around the two spiral staircases. Stairs, bridges and open spaces create visual contact and dynamic variation between the seven upper floors. The trading floor is the very heart of the building and is placed directly above the public areas. The high intensity and condensed interior of the trading floor is contrasted by the high ceilings.

The other floors contain open office spaces with common facilities placed around the central axis, which provides a natural transportation route across the building. Kitchens, wardrobes and lounge areas placed along the axis create areas encouraging informal meetings and exchange of ideas.

Swedbank, render courtesy 3XN

CARE means creating a good social environment with interaction and networking possibilities. 3XNs Trple-V solution reduces the distances between employees and places them in intelligent proximity enabling good internal communication.

The open atria give access to plenty of daylight while the building's compact shape results in low energy consumption.

Swedbank - Exploded axonometric, render courtesy 3XN

+ Project credits / data

Project: Swedbank
Architect: 3XN | http://www.3xn.dk/
Location: Landsvägen, Sundbyberg, Stockholm
Client: Länsförsäkringar Liv Försäkringsaktiebolag for Swedbank
Agent: Humlegården Fastigheter AB
Size: 45,000 m2 (up to 2,500 work stations)
Engineer: P O Andersson Konstruktionsbyrå AB, Ikkab, Hillstatik AB
Project Management: Forsen Projekt AB

Saunders Architecture has designed the six artist studios to be located in various locations on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada. Here are 3 selected studios – The Long Studio, The Tower Studio, The Bridge Studio designed for Shorefast Foundation & The Fogo Island Arts Corporation.

The idea behind the forms of the various studios was to create a bold geometric structure to starkly contrast, yet lay silently in the striking natural environment. The main concept behind the layout of the artist studios was to observe the surrounding environment during its transition through the various seasons in which the studios will be in use: spring, summer and fall.

Saunders Architecture

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

+ Project description by Saunders Architecture & Shorefast Foundation

Fogo Island Artist Studios - Location plan, drawing courtesy Saunders Architecture

Fogo Island lies outside of Newfoundland, Canada and is home to a gentle, independent people who have lived for centuries between wind and waves in pursuit of fish. Fogo Islanders live in the untamed landscape of the North Atlantic. The people are subtle and unpretentious yet have seen their traditional way of life by threatened by forces largely beyond their control.

Fogo Island is an elemental place of subtle and abiding beauty – a place where time is not obliterated by the circulation of everything. Its people are inextricably bound to this place where they belong. They are a culturally rich and resourceful people who live in close connection with each other and with their people who have come before.

The Shorefast Foundation works with the people of Fogo Island to find ways to preserve this special place and this special culture. We have chosen to find new paths by leading with the arts. We want to create structures that respect where we've come from and dignify this landscape that is so fragile yet so fearsome. We want structures that touch our imaginations and help maintain a connection between our past and our future.

Fogo Island Artist Studios - Floor plan, drawing courtesy Saunders Architecture

Fogo Island Artist Studios - Section, drawing courtesy Saunders Architecture

MAIN TEXT:
The following 3 buildings are a selection of six artist studios we have designed for the Shorefast Foundation on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada. The project is the basis for an Arts Residency Program starting in 2010. Studios will be built in remote settings on Fogo Island and traditional Newfoundland homes in various communities will be restored to become artists’ residences. Artists will come from around the world to live and work in the area for months at a time.

The idea behind the forms of the various studios was to create a bold geometric structure to starkly contrast, yet lay silently in the striking natural environment. The main concept behind the layout of the artist studios was to observe the surrounding environment during its transition through the various seasons in which the studios will be in use: spring, summer and fall.

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

The studios are all oriented towards the sea and elevated above the ground to provide the resident artist with a feeling of being unobstructed and unbound.  The materials and construction methods chosen reflect that of the local architecture of Fogo Island. The environment will leave its marks on the studios by weathering the structures over time.  All studio are 100% off-the-grid and produce their own power and recycle of of their own waste.

The following presentation includes the 3 studios: 1) The Long Studio, 2) The Tower Studio, and 3) The Bridge Studio all to be located on various dramatic sites.

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

The Long Studio – 120m2
The concept of the long studio responds to the transition of the seasons. The studio is organized in a linear from that consists of three different spaces. An open but covered area representing the spring marks the entrance to the studio and the beginning of the seasonal activity. The central portion is left open and mostly exposed to be fully immersed in all that is offered by the long summer days on Fogo Island. The end and main body of the studio is fully enclosed to provide an area of protection and solitude from the outside environment while still providing a connection to the landscape through a strategically framed view of the dramatic surrounding.

Fogo Island Artist Studios, image courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg

The long linear structure of this artist studio maximizes the amount of open wall and floor space. Large windows at either end and a skylight on the roof of the studio allows the maximum amount of natural light to flood the space. We have made one of the walls 1m deep to house storage, toilets and washbasins, with doors that are flush to the wall, thus avoiding any visual distraction inside the space.

The studios are placed on pillars at the end towards the sea, while the entrance area has a small concrete foundation for anchoring the construction to the landscape. With this type of construction, the studios can be placed in almost any place on the island. In addition, this allows for the studios to be pre-fabricated in a local workshop during the winter months, and then placed in the landscape in the spring.

Fogo Island Artist Studios - Tower studio, render courtesy Saunders Architecture

The Tower Studio – 80m2
This one studio is a vertical icon in an otherwise horizontal landscape. Often the best way to accentuate a landscape is to set in an object that is in complete contrast to its surroundings. Here we wish to make a 3-story studio.

The general impression of the building is an object standing tall and proud in this often-harsh landscape. The form is composed of twisting planes reminiscent of brain-teasing origami. All four facades are different. The tower will always appear tall; yet will look different from all directions.

The lower floor is a simple storage area or extra studio space. One climbs a stair to enter a double height room that goes over two floors. A large window is on the north and wraps around the western façade. The view is to the north and towards the sea, thus providing the diffused daylight preferred by most artists.

There is a sculptural-looking stair that goes up 6 metres and opens onto the roof terrace. The roof terrace is an excellent place for an artist to work when there are warm days in the later spring until the early Fall. This vantage point allows for spectacular 360-degree views of the dramatic surrounding landscapes.

Fogo Island Artist Studios - Bridge studio, render courtesy Saunders Architecture

The Bridge Studio – 20m2
The small one room studio is a place for contemplation. The studio is a small enclosure with little disturbance that allows one to concentrate on the art of writing. We have decided to disconnect the studio with the land and place it on pilings in the water thus creating its own "island". A long plank walkway leaves the land to continue over a stretch of water to the actual studio. The exterior form is a simple box tilted upwards toward the view of the ocean. The interior is divided into two areas. The upper level is a wide and deep desk and is situated towards the view of the sea. To the right of the desk are small shelves where a writer can have their immediate material close at hand.

On the lower level we have made a small intimate library. A place where one can retreat from the "working space" and relax in a comfortable chair to read, day-dream, procrastinate and perhaps even enjoy a glass of whiskey. Here the writer can have their own library, and the space can be supplemented with books on Fogo Island and Newfoundland.

The Fogo Island Arts Corporation
The specially designed contemporary spaces along with the renovated traditional buildings will house two parallel programs run by the Fogo Island Arts Corporation. First, The Residency program will be open to international contemporary artists of various disciplines that will be invited to spend some months living and working in the communities around Fogo Island.

Second, the Production program will organize workshops, art projects, seminars and exhibits in partnership with professionals of different backgrounds.  The two programs will interact on all levels and work in close dialogue with each other.  Both programs will focus on locally rooted and site-specific themes inspired by this unique place and it's people as well as reach out to the International Contemporary Art Scene.

Contemporary artist and innovators will be invited on a temporary basis to make this quality design and unique location their own.  Fogo Island will be used as reference for their creations of meaningful glimpses into what was and what is – and whatever there is to come.

+ Project credits / data

Project: Fogo Island Artist Studios
Location: Various locations on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada
Designed: 2008/2009
Construction: 2009/2011

Client: Shorefast Foundation & The Fogo Island Arts Corporation
Architect: Saunders Architecture | http://www.saunders.no/
Principal Architect: Todd Saunders.  Assistants: Ryan Jørgensen, Attila Béres, Colin Hertberger, Cristina Maier, Olivier Bourgeois, Pål Storsveen, & Nick Herder
Prime Consultant: Sheppard Case Architects, St.John´s Newfoundland,  HYPERLINK
On-site supervisor: Dave Torraville
Builders: Arthur Payne & Edward Waterman
Structural Engineer: DBA Consulting Engineers
Mechanincal & Electrical Engineer:  Core Engineering Inc.
Text: Saunders Architecture & Shorefast Foundation
Photography: Bent Rene´Synnevåg, Saunders Architecture

+ All images and drawings courtesy Saunders Architecture | Photo by Bent Rene´Synnevåg + Saunders Architecture

+ Selected related project featured on +MOOD

Juvet Landscape Hotel | Jensen & Skodvin Architects

Designed by two architects Todd Saunders & Tommie Wilhelmsen, the 33-metre “diving board” shooting out from the road into thin air above the Aurland Fjord in Norway. This Aurland Lookout project is part of a national program on tourist routes commissioned by the Norwegian Highway Department.

The landscape is so fantastic that it is difficult to improve the place, but at the same time very easy to destroy the atmosphere by inserting too many elements into the site. Even though we have chosen an expressive form, the concept is a form of minimalism, in an attempt to conserve and complement the existing nature.

Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Nils Vik

+ Project description by Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen

The site is above Aurland, a small town in Sogn og Fjordane, one of the larger fjords on the West Coast of Norway. Aurland is three hours drive from Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The client is the Norwegian Highways Department (Statens Vegvesen). We were one of three architecture firms invited to deliver a design proposal for this site. We won first prize and worked on detail drawings for this project together with Engineer, Node Engineers, Bergen. The project was built in Fall 2005 and will have an official opening in June 2006.

The place has attracted people from all over the world. We called our competition entry "640 m over Aurland and 20,120 km from Tokyo", keeping in mind the uniqueness of the place in the bigger picture.

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders

The Place – the Nature
Nature first and architecture second was the guiding principal when we sat down to design this project. It was immediately obvious to us that in such beautiful surroundings one must make the least possible encroachment in the existing landscape and terrain. The landscape is so fantastic that it is difficult to improve the place, but at the same time very easy to destroy the atmosphere by inserting too many elements into the site. Even though we have chosen an expressive form, the concept is a form of minimalism, in an attempt to conserve and complement the existing nature.

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders

Organization
Today there are many people stopping at this site to enjoy the phenomenal views over the fjords. At times the areas gets filled with cars and tour busses. One of the first things we decided to do was to form a small parking area for 2 buses and 10 cars further up the road to help keep the place pure and not to disturb the look out. The construction is a bridge that one can go out onto, as a structure in the air. The structure is 4 m wide, 30 m long, and 9 m high out at the very end.

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders

The Horizon and Dramatization
To make the situation even more dramatic it was important for us to create the experience of leaving the mountainside. We wanted people to come out in the air. The construction creates a distinct horizon; a bridge in the open room of this large fjord. It is imperative that the landscape and the vegetation not altered, but are protected so that one come out from the landscape and experience it from new standpoint.

We have managed to preserve all of the large pine trees on the site. This allows us to create an interaction between the structure and nature. One can walk out into the air through the treetops, helping dramatises the experience of nature and the larger landscape room.

Aurland Lookout, image courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders

Aurland Lookout - Site plan, drawing courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen

Aurland Lookout - Detailed plan, sections & detail, drawing courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen

+ Project credits / data

Project: Aurland Lookout
Client: Norwegian Transport Department
Location: Aurland, Norway (3 hours from Bergen)
Completed: November 2005
Architects: Todd Saunders (http://www.saunders.no) & Tommie Wilhelmsen (http://www.tommie-wilhelmsen.no/)
Structural: Node AS, Bergen
Mechanical: Node AS, Bergen
Electrical: Node AS, Bergen
Landscape: Todd Saunders & Tommie Wilhelmsen
Interiors: Todd Saunders & Tommie Wilhelmsen
Contractor: Veidekke AS, Sogndal
Other specialist consultants: Asplan Viak, road engineers
Budget: 17 million Nkr
Photographer: Todd Saunders + Nils Vik

+ All images, drawings and description courtesy Todd Saunders + Tommie Wilhelmsen | Photo by Todd Saunders + Nils Vik

+ Some other view points featured on +MOOD

Trollstigen National Tourist Route Project | Reiulf Ramstad Architects

Bondi to Bronte Coast Walk Extension | ASPECT Studios