Groendalsvej (2009)
Schmidt Hammer Lassen - SHL
Facts:
Architect
schmidt hammer lassen architects
Client
Municipality of Aarhus
Area
6,000 m²
Competition
2009, 1st prize in design & Build competition
Status
Construction period 2010 - 2012
Engineer
Grontmij Carl Bro
Contractor
E. Pihl & Son
Landscape architect
GHB Landscape Architects
Description:
The environmental ambitions of the municipality of Aarhus have been the key drivers for the project which is a zero-energy office building, the first of its kind in Denmark. The building has 1,100 square metres of solar cells for the production of electricity, 420 square metres of solar thermal panels for absorption cooling and water heating and rainwater harvesting for reuse in lavatories and for watering.
The project is a genuine sustainable solution. For instance, schmidt hammer lassen architects’ has designed slender façades made of highly insulated materials which, along with the location of the building complex and an effective lay-out with windows for all workstations, ensure that the daylight is exploited to the maximum. Recycled glass has been used for the façades and 96 percent of the materials from the demolished building on site will be reused.
The new building complex for 240 staff and their clients will be built as an extension to the existing administration office of the municipality dating from 1965. It has been crucial to keep the design on a human scale to offer the best possible physical conditions to the employees and visitors. The complex will be situated on a hillside in the southern part of the city and be highly visible from the passing intercity road.
The access to the new building will go through an existing alley of unique and beautiful plane trees. The project builds on the qualities of the old buildings and the charming garden areas worthy of preservation. Even before it is built, the new complex will be equipped with garden spaces, trees and plants that it would otherwise take decennials to grow.
The complex will appear as a fully integrated classic modern composition. The new extension is an independent unit consisting of two parallel wings of two-three-storey buildings connected by towers containing stairs, elevators, lavatories and washrooms. Consequently, the office areas are free from functional units and are flexible to any sort of organisation. Three gardens are placed between the two wings to draw nature into the building and enable the employees to follow the seasons from their desks.
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