Bagsværd
Indoor lighting in Novo Nordisk’s campus
Award-winning indoor lighting in Novo Nordisk’s new campus
Light underscores spaces, shapes and materials. The nature of light – its hue, intensity and direction – have a major impact on how people experience their surroundings, and hence on how they perceive the spaces they are in.
This has been taken into account in Novo Nordisk’s campus in Bagsværd, where the light has been strategically integrated so that it underscores the architecture, supports Novo Nordisk’s identity and creates visual comfort and well-being. The light accentuates materials, spaces and flows through the building, creating a natural visual experience of the surroundings, while also following the rhythms of the day and year. The lighting has been integrated and implemented elegantly and effectively, and the project was awarded the Danish Light Prize in 2014.
- Location
- Bagsværd
- Year
- 2014
- Developer
- Novo Nordisk A/S
- Services
- Lighting design
- Role
- Lighting designer
- Partners
- Alectia A/S
- Architect
- Henning Larsen Architects
- Interior Architect
- Tegnestuen Vibeke Brinck Aps
Lighting in NN1
Novo Nordisk’s new campus in Bagsværd consists of two office buildings, NN1 and NN2. It was important in both buildings that the lighting be incorporated in a natural and discreet way, so that the architecture was accentuated without the light fixtures attracting attention.
The two buildings each have a large atrium at the centre of the many offices and meeting rooms. The architecture is particularly showcased in both atriums, and it was therefore very important that Sweco’s lighting designers integrated the lighting in a way that both supported and became part of the architecture.
To achieve this, Sweco’s lighting designer worked proactively to find the perfect locations for the various fixtures. There was also exceptionally good teamwork between the developer, the project’s other consultants and Sweco’s lighting designer. The result is that the light has became an integral part of the building, and underscores the architecture and space without being intrusive, while creating an inviting and interesting atmosphere.
For NN1, which houses offices, meeting rooms, a library and canteen, the lighting design has accentuated the architectural vision of dynamic settings where people can meet. The lighting meets Novo Nordisk’s functional and visual needs, while accentuating the iconic value and identity of the building. The building’s appearance and functionality during the day, evening and night hours are underlined in the overall lighting strategy, and there is also a focus on movement and flow through the building. The strategy also ensures sustainable lighting through its focus on lighting levels, location and management.
Lighting in NN2
NN2 also involved a combination of natural and artificial light. A special lighting concept was developed for the atrium skylights, such that the artificial light is adjusted and changes hue and intensity, inspired by the natural light. The challenge was to work with the hues and rhythm of the artificial light in combination with the changing natural light. Fifty skylights bring daylight into the room, with an organic, dynamic and poetic appearance, depending on the weather conditions. The shape and direction of the skylights in relation to the compass points has an impact on the play of the light and shadow that unfolds during the day and year.
The artificial lighting frames the characteristic shape of the skylights, and is particularly dominant during the hours of darkness and the winter season, when there is limited daylight. At these times, the skylights serve as a canvas for the dynamic artificial lighting. The lighting is based on 10 lighting scenarios, each with a programme of dynamic light flow. The scenarios are programmed to match the rhythm of daylight, working hours and special days.
The lighting design has created a poetic and natural experience of the surroundings, with great benefits to social sustainability and employee well-being and efficiency. The strong connection between architecture, functions, lighting and building users has been a key reason why Novo Nordisk campus won the Danish Light Prize in 2014.
