Grøn facade på Willemoesgade

Aarhus

Willemoesgade

A modern office in a historical setting

Architects and engineers come together in Sweco’s new joint office. The Willemoesgade complex is an old factory complex located centrally at Trøjborg in northern Aarhus with Risskov, Aarhus Bay and the vibrant Tordenskjoldsgade as its nearest neighbours.

Sweco’s future joint office in Aarhus is a transformation of a historical building from 1899, which got its distinctive sawtooth roof in 1959. The complex has housed the united breweries, served as a warehouse for Otto Mønsted’s paper workshop and Aarhus University, and Sweco’s occupation of the premises adds yet another chapter to the story.

Location
Aarhus
Year
2020
Developer
Sweco
Area
3.000 m²
Sustainability
UN Sustainability Goals 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 17
Swecos kontor i Willemoesgade
Indretning på Swecos kontor i Willemoesgade

The UN Sustainable Development Goals as a design tool

An overriding vision for the transformation is to minimise the carbon footprint. That is why we have incorporated sustainability everywhere possible in the building – e.g. the UN SDGs have been applied actively in the transformation, recycling is the focus of the interior design, and the general office operation will be environmentally friendly as regards lighting and water consumption.

Outwardly, the existing façades of yellow tiles with red façade bands have been preserved. The distinctive sawtooth roof has also been preserved, creating a contrasting industrial expression against the green vegetation.  In other words, the building will be updated without losing the spirit that anchors it in local history.

Loungeområde i Swecos kontor i Willemoesgade

“Overall, the transformation of the new office is in itself sustainable, as an existing building is being renovated. In this way, we recycle many resources and reduce our carbon footprint. In addition, the project team has worked extensively with the UN SDGs, using them as a design tool in the process. Several of the SDGs have been translated into specific solutions,”

Brian Højbjerre Sørensen, Sustainability Consultant