Head Quarter with the X factor

When designing the new head quarters of the law firm of Horten in Hellerup, Copenhagen, the architects 3XN did their best to challenge Pihl. The project is now completed and the residents have moved in.

’The result of our new head office has exceeded our expectations. The building is in line with our strategy and wishes for a balance between traditional values and a progressive approach to knowledge sharing and cooperation.

Our strong wishes for the house to signal life and hospitality have certainly been met, and we are already experiencing how the building inspires to knowledge sharing and casual encounters. We are very proud of our new head office – it is full of light and offers a nice atmosphere,’ says Jens Jakob Bugge, partner and internal project manager on the building project in Horten.

 
The large building covering an area of almost 8,800 m2 on the historic Tuborg site in Hellerup near the harbour of Hellerup, Copenhagen, is constructed as an X with a large atrium in each end of the building. Both atria rise all the way up through the building’s six stories, one of them accommodating the law firm's canteen from where there is a beautiful view of the channel. The x-shaped building enables the residents to follow the life in most of the building no matter where they are, and from the roof terrace they can enjoy the view of Oresund and the towers of Copenhagen.

Geometrical challenge
Not only the shape of the building is unique; also the faceted façade with travertine and the built-in glass bays are very special. The bay is placed in such a way as to ensure a controlled view and to screen off against the sun which gives the façade an unusual three-dimensional shape.

The construction has been a challenging task which Pihl and Skandinaviska Glassystem AB have performed together by making the façade elements of fibre glass on which travertine and glass have been placed mechanically and by the use of silicone.

Award winner
The special shape of the façade gives two entirely different impressions, depending from where you look at the building. Viewed from one side, the building appears to have a façade that is basically a glass wall. Viewed from the opposite side, it appears to be completely finished in travertine. The effect is quite unique, and Skandinaviska Glassystem AB has been awarded the JEC Paris 2009 Innovation Award for a façade with an innovative modular system using to a large extent sandwich composites to support both glass and marble elements.

Out-of-the-way corners and telescope linkages
The geometrical challenges continue inside the building where the front-hanged wall cladding has the same shape as the façade. Due to deformation of the facades when subjected to large wind loads, it has, for the window recesses, been necessary to develop and install a telescope linkage between the façade and the front-hanged wall cladding allowing the façade to work independently of the interior walls.

Focus has also been on solutions for the vapour barriers in the walls’ many out-of-the-way corners and joints. We have carried out quality control tests on a regular basis and partial blower door test early in the execution phase in order to achieve a good level of airtightness of the building in accordance with the building regulations.

Throughout the design and execution phases we really have had to put on our thinking cap in order to find solutions and new methods, and the carpenters from Lindner, who have carried out most of the interior installation works, have used their rulers more than usual.

Conference room suspended from the room in steel bars
Another challenge is the building's largest conference room of 125 m 2 located at the fifth floor. The room is suspended from the roof in eight steel bars, about 20 metres above the ground - and allowing a view of the canal and the coast, it certainly meets the requirements of a room in a building with the X factor.

20,000 tubes of silicone
183 concrete pillars, 334 concrete walls, 393 facade elements, 20,000 tubes of silicone and 150 – 250 skilled craftsmen are some of the constituents of the mix for the unique building, which was handed over after a building period of only 17 months. Pihl has built the house as turnkey contractor for Carlsberg Properties with Rambøll as consulting engineer.

See the unique building from the topping-out ceremony to completion

November 23, 2009