DNB
A bank with a Nordic touch
New DNB office – new culture
In 2013, DNB faced the challenge of bringing all its’ activities to Stockholm into one common unit with a new culture – and in a new office. The old office spread over five floors with little opportunity for flexibility posed problems when it came to realising the visions of the business. With new premises on Mäster Samuel’s street in central Stockholm, they wanted to create a social and efficient space that would strengthen the collaboration and communication between co-workers and departments. We were given the task of designing the new office. In 2015, it was time for the co-workers to move in.
A lounge for four hundred
Openness and transparency shaped the design of the premises. The focus was on creating spaces that encourage spontaneous meetings and collaboration. At the heart of the office sits the large lounge by the entrance. This shared gathering place for 400 coworkers replaces the many small rest areas of the old office. The goal was to create a true living room—a central spot where everyone would want to spend time. Right next to the lounge, a service desk offers immediate support from administration and IT.
Flexible homes and a focus on privacy
The work surfaces are divided into so called homes within which you work in fixed places and with a clean desk-policy. We also adapted the office so that it will be possible to introduce a more mobile and flexible way of working in the future. The atmosphere in the new homes is calm and peaceful since a lot of the collaboration between the co-workers now can be carried out in the social parts of the office.
We have made great efforts to find natural locations for the bank’s privacy units. Based on natural behaviours, flows and the creation of rooms, we have created discrete boundaries that still signal the vision of openness and transparency through glass and other methods.
Light colours with a Nordic inspiration
DNB’s new office spans three buildings with varying roof heights and window placements. To create a cohesive environment, we opened up the rooms as much as possible, bringing in daylight from two directions. Different floor materials and raised areas define smaller spaces within the larger rooms. A central feature is the staircase connecting the two floors. Designed for openness and playfulness, it creates a natural flow. Light, air, and Scandinavian colors characterize the interiors.
Inspired by the bank’s graphic manual, we developed a Stockholm-specific concept based on the four seasons. The outer lounge represents winter, the inner lounge spring and summer, and the workstations autumn. Norwegian influences, drawn from the head office in Oslo, bring rich materiality and extensive use of wood. Traditional patterns appear throughout, including the herringbone parquet.
