Länsförsäkringar Halland Office building | Fredblad Arkitekter

In the middle of a 20th century courtyard lies this extension and new build, providing much needed office space for a banking and insurance company located in Halmstad, Sweden. Taking full advantage of its prominent location, the new build creates a striking landmark. 

The commission was born from the need to spatially expand, and not wanting to relocate. Building regulations and height restrictions on the site shaped the end result, whilst preserving the site's existing qualities.

Through careful analysis of potential site opportunities, the studio was able to maximize the space on site whilst developing an architectural language which complement the surrounding context. This in combination of the challenge of bringing together the new build within a shared environment upon a site heavily constrained by its existing footprint. The new office building is designed to appeal to the modern occupier’s desire for maximum volume and provides quality accommodation in the heart of Halmstad.

From the outset, our vision was to create a sustainable building that is made to age over time and with dignity together with existing properties. Therefore, a proven, traditional solution with a brick façade was proposed.

The building has two floors where the upper floor is recessed and linked with the existing building. For fire safety reasons, the entire façade facing the neighboring property consists of brick. The façade opens up with large window openings towards the older office property.

Designed sympathetically within the historic courtyard, the contemporary façade uses a traditional palette of brick, wood, and glass within a modern construction. The façade features handmade woodwork together with bricks produced at the Petersen Tegl factory in Denmark which create a timeless and valuable addition to the site. Through close collaboration with a local carpenter, the exterior achieves an almost furniture like finish on the large façade sections, entirely made of wood and glass. In the large glass surfaces, the beautiful neighboring buildings are reflected, while the new façade helps to create a familiarity with the older brick context.

An important part of the narrative was to consider the structure as a furniture carefully placed in the courtyard. For this project, the decision was made to use a pine core frame of highest quality, which is visible in its natural form in the interior. These were joined and covered with wooden moldings made from Accoya®, an acetylated softwood. The same type of wood is used throughout the project but with different treatments.

Internally, salvaged bricks from an old, demolished garage building onsite was reused as a feature, linking the storeys with a brick wall along the staircase. These draw together the inside and outside into a single unifying arrangement, whilst the project adds visual balance and beauty to the site as well as facilitating a modern working space.