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Mojang

Mojang - geek friendly and familiar office
Interior Design
Offices
Client: Microsoft
Year of commission: 2017-2018
Type of project: Office
Location: Stockholm
Qualifications: Interior design

Exploration, combined with wanderlust, defines the game Minecraft. The same spirit shapes the new office of Mojang.

Here, Tengbom’s interior architects, in close collaboration with Mojang, have created a “geek friendly” atmosphere and workplace, rather than a stereotypical “sci-fi laser” place. The not-so-tech savvy of you may be wondering, what does that mean? Well, a familiar, safe place that you can be yourself in, and that is not too rigid.

Geek friendly” atmosphere and workplace, rather than a stereotypical “sci-fi laser”.

On behalf of Microsoft, Tengbom has been involved in this mission from the very beginning and even helped Mojang to find a location. The choice fell on Münchenbryggeriet, where three floors were designed and adapted to become an optimal workplace for Mojang’s more than 140 employees. The process has been very much a collaborative process, with around 20 people from Mojang participating and making decisions.

The first impression as you enter is just ‘recognition’. Here you will find a large mosaic in the Minecraft motif, a so-called selfie wall, for fans and visitors. The room grows into a general area with bar, kitchen, games, and relaxation for guests and employees. A prominent staircase leads up to the top floor which is dominated by desks and meeting rooms. An internal staircase leads down to the middle floor with even more work stations. Here, Mojang sits in different teams and a lot of focus has been on planning the work stations so that colleagues should not disturb each other by passing through, for example.

MojangMojangMojang Mojang

Mojang fills their office with humor. They created playful names for the meeting rooms and designed the graphics themselves. Hidden monsters, toilet humor, and etiquette add to the fun. Their creativity shines through every detail, and we truly love working with them.

Mojang
Mojang
Hey from Mojang.

Contact person

Kristina Jonasson

Studio Manager Interior Design
+46 708 23 14 33

Internetstiftelsen GoTo10

Office at the digital forefront
Interior Design
Offices
Client: Internetstiftelsen
Years of commission:: 2015-2017
Partners: Ciceron projekt (projektledning), Idé design & snickeri
LOA: Internetstiftelsen ca 2 400 m² Goto10 ca 940 m²
Photography: Mathias Nero

An inclusive collaboration and rational, unique solutions have created a dynamic office environment that facilitates the Internet Foundation’s (IIS) mission to promote the development of the internet. Interior architecture at its best.

Tengbom was commissioned to create a site plan for the Internet Foundation (Internetstiftelsen), IIS, where advice on a possible move was not only fundamental, but crucial. When a new site emerged, it was not only that business development of the company was made possible, but also space for the start-up hub GoTo10, Stockholm’s first meeting place for internet innovation.

“New sites were the key to the change they were looking for. They wanted better logistics and flows, with built-in flexibility for future changes,” says Johanna Garheden.

IISIISIISIIS Internetstiftelsen

Through regular workshops with the Internet Foundation the needs of the business became clear. It was then possible to agree on creative and customised solutions. Most employees sit in permanent places in an open landscape. Some have their own rooms, but the design is flexible and prepared to be able to be adapted in the future. In addition, there are lounges, touch down places, and meeting areas for other types of work.

Innovative in its simplicity

The premises exude “digital”, one example is the specially designed ceiling with circuit board pattern. Some furniture is also recycled. The colour scale was created through workshops and the palette that is repeated in all meeting rooms is CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black.

Focus on ideas

The start-up hub GoTo10 is located on the first and second floors. There are rooms and workplaces available to everyone through free membership. Other features include a café, seminar space, and street level mingling area. On the second floor there is a space for start-ups to hire. To meet the ambition of a unique meeting place, the interior is specially adapted with simple and cost-effective materials. An active flow of entrepreneurial ideas requires a dynamic workplace.

Internetstiftelsen

“It was about creating a great variety of meeting and work places in a small area. The hub is a little more playfully designed than the office, with a raw and urban feel with technical materiality”, says Linn Sylvan.

Internetstiftelsen
Internetstiftelsen.
Internetstiftelsen

Contact person

Kristina Jonasson

Studio Manager Interior Design
+46 708 23 14 33

Färs & Frosta Bank

A rich history inspires a modern office
Cultural Heritage, Interior Design
Offices, Renovation & Transformation
Client: Färs & Frosta Savings Bank Foundation
Location: Sjöbo
Years of Commission: 2015–2016
Type of project: Office
Contractor: Byggom AB
Competences: Interior Design, Concept development, Lighting, Building preservation

When the Banking foundation Färs & Frosta in Sjöbo were about to move into new premises with dark wood and brown carpets from the 1970s, there was an urgent need for a new start. Our interior designers created a modern interpretation of the foundation’s venerable activity in a palace environment.

The Sparbank foundation is faithful to the Sjöbo area and supports youth activities, sports and culture in the area. The foundation has its roots in the two Scania regions Färs and Frosta, with a direct connection to the castles Övedskloster in Sjöbo and Fulltofta in Hörby. A rich and varied history that has inspired our interior architects in their work on the premises of the Sparbank foundation.

Inspired by the salon of the castle

FärsFrosta_Tengbom

The offices have room for four employees and a board of 16 people. There is an office, a boardroom, a kitchenette and a lounge. Out went the brown fitted carpets, the dark-stained wood materials and plastic mats. Instead, we made a colour scheme of blue and grey, inspired by the Blue salon at the castle at Övedskloster, and tried and tested materials such as un-tanned leather – a nod to the rustic leather covers and horse husbandry of the old castle environment. Brass and copper details bring warmth and contrast to the rooms.

Sparbanksstiftelsen

The project

Patrik has a personal connection to the area. He knows the castles and farms that shape the foundation’s history.

Photographer: Felix Gerlach

“We have received great trust from the Sparbank Foundation Färs & Frosta,” he says. “Our task is to preserve something historic while making it modern, representative, and functional. I am very proud of the results.”

Contact person

Josefin Klein

Practice Director Skåne
+46 40 641 31 18

Telia Company HQ

An office of the new generation
Photographer: Per Ranung
Interior Design
Offices
Client:
Location: Stockholm (Arenastaden)
Years of commission: 2014–2016
Type of project: Interior Design, Office
Partners: Input Interiör, Tenant & Partner
Competences: Interior Design, Program work

How do you design and communicate the soul and identity of a company – particularly when it’s a name as well known as Telia Company? With curiosity, energy, and courage – and of course, a big dose of architecture.

Telia Company HQ
Photographer: Per Ranung

When the move to a new building on top of the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna was planned in 2014, Telia took the opportunity to not only acquire new facilities, but also to use the project as part of the plan to become a “new generation Telco”.

“The highest level executives were there listening and engaging. Telia was an enthusiastic client who constantly pushed us to be better. ‘We don’t want what we already know you can do. We want you to find new solutions,’ they said,” according to project architect Torbjörn Höeg.

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“This is a new office for a new Telia. The main function is to be a place of cooperation and a place of inspiration and energy. Where they sit together, see each other, and are seen. They did a lot of work with branding at the same time as we worked on the interior design, and our efforts dovetailed. They tell the same story but with different “dialects”,” he continues.

A dizzying undertaking

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Telia has 3,800 employees and its headquarters measure in at 47,000 square metres. What’s more, they needed to begin with the move as soon as possible. After winning the competition, the challenge began for our interior architects.

“During the first six weeks after the holidays in 2014, we did program work and planned solutions for the main part of the buildings. There were only four of us architects. That wasn’t supposed to work, but it did,” said Torbjörn Höeg.

“We had just finished working on Swedbank’s new headquarters, which was on the same scale, and we had taken away a lot of lessons from that experience. Along with the courage to dare,” says Linn Sylvan.

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New office – new opportunities

The office consists of five buildings, four of which are clustered around three large atriums. The assignment was to create a well-functioning, activity-based office for a modern media company. The challenges were many. The enormous scale, of course, was one, but also the variations that were needed. Certain departments required special technical solutions while others, such as customer service, had quite different needs.

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The atriums help the employees see each other and be seen in a completely different way than in the closed corridors. This building is a place for meeting and communication.

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“Early on, we found a basic structure that worked. We wanted to give Telia a sense of speed, agility and energy. It was important to instil this active feeling, while making sure the office functions as a whole. Now when we pop in for a visit, we see that people have made those different spaces their own,” says Linn Sylvan.

“The atriums help the employees see each other and be seen in a completely different way than in the closed corridors. This building is a place for meeting and communication. There is conversation everywhere,” concludes Torbjörn Höeg.

telia-typplan-typologier

The interior concept

For the interior design, we developed a concept called Spectrum/Speed of Light, which reflects the brand and the company’s digital operations. The interior breathes with a sense of speed and action, inviting activity and movement, as well as providing energy through a wide spectrum of colours with strong accents. The concept, along with Telia’s core values Dare, Care and Simplify – and a major focus on sustainability – were the leitmotifs of this project.

Contact person

Kristina Jonasson

Studio Manager Interior Design
+46 708 23 14 33

Tengbom by Slussen

Test lab & creative workshop
Interior Design
Offices
Client: Tengbom
Location: Stockholm
Years of Commission: March 2015–May 2016
Contractor: TL Bygg
Landlord: Atrium Ljungberg
Competences: Office, Interior design, Product design, Project managment, Accessibility

Tengbom by Slussen became the creative home for our Stockholm office when we moved into a newly designed space on Katarinavägen in spring 2016. Geographically, it was just a few floors up in the same building. Mentally, it sparked the beginning of a transformative journey that continues today. We remained at this address until March 2023, when we relocated to Hagastaden.

Tengbom by Slussen

We say (perhaps a little dramatically) that the Tengbom HQ office is never going to be finished. That doesn’t mean that pipes are dangerously dangling from the ceiling and that every other corner is stacked with unpacked boxes. Rather, it’s an attitude that our offices should never look stagnant; they should be cutting-edge and evolving.

“In this project, we got to try on the role of the client, which is perhaps the hardest thing to do as an architect. But it has been a very educational process. We’ve learned a lot of lessons that will hopefully make us better architects and partners,” says Johanna Munck af Rosenschöld, previous Practice Director in Stockholm.

Many felt that it was a disaster waiting to happen.

A journey of change at Tengbom

Tengbom is expanding and developing its services at a rapid clip. This made it very clear to us one day that we had outgrown our premises and had many new needs to be addressed. This was the start of a journey of change we all were to embark on: a process of a clear direction but less-clear goals, led by change leader and Tengbom architect Torbjorn Höeg.

“Many felt that it was a disaster waiting to happen, but I never saw it that way. Rather, I see my role as being the one who helps ask the questions, rather than providing the answers,” he says.

Tengbom by Slussen

The whole office was involved in workshops to find and identify our needs and new ways of working. A number of complex studies, including area and efficiency studies, allowed us to free up space for meetings and creativity by doing away with loads of storage.

A workshop

Regardless of our address, we see the office as a workshop—a creative hub for our core business. It’s a melting pot where ideas are born, and spontaneous encounters spark innovation.

Tengbom by Slussen

“The goal has been a creative workshop where nothing is stopping us from working, getting materials out and making a mess. We want our colleagues to display the projects they are working on, to debate and learn from each other. We have focused a lot on making the interior facilitate this. Therefor we have had to let go of the guide rails and look at reality,” says Mark Humphreys, Practice Director.

Tengbom by Slussen

“We don’t want it to be finished! We don’t call it activity based, but ‘innovation based’. That’s the next step,“ says Johanna Munck af Rosenschöld.

One important space for this kind of meetings and workshops is the area in the heart of the office. We call it the Arena. Here, we created a place that is equally well suited for lots of small, spontaneous meetings and large lectures and exhibitions. A place for knowledge sharing, basically.

Tengbom by Slussen

Tengbom by Slussen – a hub for collaboration and co-creation

One of the major goals of the office is that it should promote and support collaboration across competence boundaries. Therefor we have plenty of open space and fewer dedicated areas. We think that seeing what someone is doing is a stepping-stone toward contact and engagement. We also have rooms with specific functions to facilitate co-creation with our clients and partners. And there are rooms that are especially suited for idea generation, video conferencing, and quiet, focused work.

Tengbom by Slussen

What you see is what you get within Tengbom by Slussen

We take a transparent approach to our Tengbom HQ office. We don’t decorate or pose things just for the sake of it. And we aren’t trying to be something we are not. Our employees stand for creativity here. That’s why we like to say that the office should be like a blank canvas. It’s up to each and every one of us to fill it.

Satisfied, but never finished

Shortly after moving in to our new offices, we found that the trip went surprisingly well. The the change that followed has had positive effects. For example, we have been able to do away with even more storage to free up the teams’ energy. Having said that, we are not finished or complacent. We continue to push the boundaries of what an office can be, with ourselves in the centre as test subjects in a living lab.

“It takes courage to have fewer desks than employees, like we do. Especially in a time when the office is growing fast. All the decisions we made are backed up by the surveys we did on internal needs. And we now have a number of alternative workplaces instead. We feel confident in our decisions at the same time, as we are not afraid of new solutions or changes in the future. The most important thing is a vibrant and enthusiastic work place,” states Johanna Munck af Rosenschöld.

At the end om March 2023, we set off for new adventures as we packed up Tengbom by Slussen and moved to Hälsingegatan 49 in Hagastaden.

Tengbom by Slussen

Photographer: Joakim Johansson

Contact person

Mark Humphreys

Practice Director Stockholm
+46 8 412 53 43

MAX IV laboratory

Giant laboratory to attract international scientists
Interior Design
Life Science, Offices
Client:
Location: Lund
Years of commission: 2011-2016
Type of project: Laboratory
Comptences: Interior Design

In 2012, we were given the extremely exciting task by Lund’s university to do the interior architecture of MAX IV, a giant laboratory that will play host to approximately 1,000 scientists from the entire world every year. Here, we have developed everything from customized solutions in the lab environments to representative spaces for international guests and a good working environment for the employees.

The MAX IV laboratory is a national facility at Lund’s university as a world university. The laboratory’s accelerators produce X-rays of very high intensity and quality. Each year, 1,000 scientists from around the world use them for scientific research. The vision for MAX IV is that the facility will be a world leader of its kind.

MAX IV
Photo: Felix Gerlach (Fojab & Snøhetta are exterior architects)

Lund University’s face to the world

The 35,000 square meter large building houses wet and dry laboratory environments with linear accelerators and  storage rings, a larger number of offices as well as representative spaces as conference facilities, auditoriums, refectory, café and lounge.

In the facility, research takes place using so called synchrotron radiation, a very strong X-ray light that makes it possible to study material structures down to the atomic level. MAX IV will be the next generation synchrotron radiation laboratory and a giant investment for Lund university, not least for the purpose of attracting these international scientists.

“We have a solid experience and expertise when it comes to creating customized working environments. In this project, function has been extremely important. The equipment is very expensive and requires rational and thoughtful solutions that offer as much flexibility as possible,” says Patrik Haglund. Patrik is Studio Manager of Interior Design at Tengbom in Malmö.

MAX IV
Photo: Felix Gerlach

An good working environment as focus

We are deeply committed to designing a functional and representative working environment for everyone at the lab, especially the researchers. This exciting challenge demands great precision to ensure that all equipment functions seamlessly. We have customized the surfaces to support particle cleaning, carried out by specially trained personnel.

Contact person

Josefin Klein

Practice Director Skåne
+46 40 641 31 18

Alingsås District Court

A monolith in zinc
Architecture, Interior Design
Offices
Client: Hemfosa, The Swedish National Courts Administration, Serneke
Location: Södra Ringvägen 23, Alingsås
Years of commission: 2014 - 2016
Contractor: Hemfosa
Type of project: Courthouse
Competences: Culture & Sports, Office, Interior Design

We have designed an extension to the Alingsås District Court from 1899, clad entirely in zinc. The jury for the PLÅT prize considered that it was so spectacular and unique that they gave us the award. What do you zinc?

Architect Adrian Crispin Pettersson designed the District Court in Alingsås, a classic brick building from 1899. It stands a few blocks from the town centre, surrounded by large villas and a school from the early twentieth century. In the late 1950s, a brick wing was added. Just over half a century later, Tengbom designed the next extension. Another milestone in Alingsås District Court’s history came in 2016 when we won the PLÅT prize for the new zinc-clad addition. The annual PLÅT seminar is a major event dedicated to metal sheeting and architecture.

Photo: Felix Gerlach

We joined the project after it was already underway, when a brick extension by architect Börje Falemo had been proposed. The District Court, however, wanted to explore alternative facade solutions, giving us the opportunity to present a design based on the existing floor plan. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding buildings with their steep roofs, we proposed a structure with a saddle roof and curved bay windows. With a compact plot and thin walls, it made perfect sense to extend the zinc sheeting from the roof down the facade, creating a sleek, protective outer layer.

“This design gave us both flat and steep roofs, so we needed a material that could handle both — leading us to zinc. The old building has thick, solid walls, while the extension relies on thinner curtain walls. Here, zinc sheeting worked perfectly as exterior cladding. We could wrap the entire building in a single material, making it clear what was new and what was old,” says architect Fritz Olausson.

The result, a monolith in zinc, cannot be ignored. The sheeting accentuates the building’s shape and shows its own annual ring at the same time as it ages with dignity — much like a grey and wise judge.

A contemporary take on traditional craftsmanship

“Zinc is a fine old classic material which was used extensively as roofing during the last century. We simply brought in down onto the facade and it fits beautifully with the granite foundation wall which is a common denominator for both buildings,” says architect Magnus Almung.

Even with its expressive form, the building maintains a restrained volume to avoid crowding the old one.

“The design represents our time, perhaps primarily thinking of the expressive volume. Monolithic buildings are typical these days with the same material for walls and roof. You can even see buildings without eaves. In the same way saddle roofs have come back into fashion in the past few years, something we didn’t see much of previously. The difference is perhaps that this building is constructed using craft techniques that are the same as at the beginning of the twentieth century. All the sheets are put up with great care and precision,” continues Olausson.

A living facade

The roof is clad with standing seam sheeting while the facades are covered with sheets of different widths placed in a set “random pattern” from base to ridge. Variation provides a living facade and by working with four different widths we could work round the predetermined window locations which were dictated by the internal functions. The entrance doors are also clad in zinc and fall into the pattern.

Alingsås District Court
Photo: Tengbom

“Over time the facade will age as beautifully as the adjacent brick buildings. That´s when runnels and patination make their mark on the sheeting,” says Almung.

The team carefully chose the grey zinc sheeting, valuing its robust and confidence-inspiring aesthetic. Alingsås District Court emphasized the need for a dignified environment. Since the Court handles sensitive and serious cases, the surroundings must both show respect and instill confidence in visitors.

Alingsås District Court
Photo: Felix Gerlach

Metaphors and problem solving

Raising the roof wasn’t just a metaphor — it was a real challenge. High ceilings weren’t part of the original plans, but they allowed for two new courtrooms with a height matching the large courtroom in the old building. We refused to compromise on this. Some suggested lowering the ceilings to improve acoustics and recording conditions. Instead, skilled acousticians tackled the challenge together with sound and light engineers. Otherwise, the building’s exterior and interior would have clashed. Something we were determined to avoid.

Designed-in stories

Another aspect which the presiding judge liked was a building that told stories. Tengbom has also designed the interior and Carl Olofsson saw an opportunity to incorporate the courthouse’s history in the interior. There was an existing decision that the courtroom doors should be of walnut with elements of oak. Olofsson’s solution was a striped pattern with references to the five key years for the building. At the bottom of the doors is a code with lines that form the year. Tengbom has a frame contract with the Swedish National Courts Administration and designs interiors for courts throughout Sweden. Karin von Geijer designed the interiors of Alingsås District Court.

“We started in both the original and new buildings when we designed the courtroom furniture. The rooms are characterised by wood-panelled walls and floors. We wanted to get a feeling that the tables were growing out of the wooden floor. It was like a jigsaw getting the tables right bearing in mind the mass of technical equipment such as cameras and recording equipment that they contain. The interiors need to be beautiful and dignified since life-changing events will take place here. The rooms must be perceived as neutral as much by the public as by the parties and witnesses,” she says.

Furniture that elevates the space

The generous ceiling height made even higher demands on the technical installation, which influenced the furniture. The courtrooms have a lovely sense of space which must be reinforced, not supressed, by the furniture required. One solution to this, among others, is office chairs with semi-transparent backs which make the back wall behind the Court’s bench visible. The wooden frontals of the furniture have references to the facades in brick and zinc. Another unusual detail in the context of courtrooms is that they have direct daylight. If hearings are in camera then curtains can be drawn across the windows.

Now and then

The jury for the PLÅT prize stressed among other things that Alingsås District Court is “a building that arouses feelings (…) The designers have been insistent in their choice of material which shows a very good understanding for materials. A familiarity which has provided the finest details as well as space for great craftsmanship. Alingsås residents should confidently follow each annual ring on this solid building.”

Alingsås District Court
Photo: Felix Gerlach

The District Court officially opened in September 2016.

Contact person

Kajsa Crona

Practice Director Gothenburg
+46 727 07 79 73

DNB

A bank with a Nordic touch
DNB 2015
Interior Design
Offices
Client: DNB Sverige
Location: Stockholm
Year of commission: 2013–2015
Type of project: Office, Interior Design
Area: A total of 5 000 sqm
Partner: Tenant & Partner Project Management

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.

DNB
Photo: Johan Carlson

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.

DNB 2015
Photo: Johan Carlson

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 colours 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.

Contact person

Kristina Jonasson

Studio Manager Interior Design
+46 708 23 14 33

Swedbank’s new HQ

Activity based life in the Oak
Interior Design
Offices
Client: Swedbank
Location: Sunbyberg, Stockholm
Years of commission: 2010-2014
Type of project: Office interiors
Competences: Interior Design, Office

In 2014, Swedbank’s new head office covering a total of 45,000 m2 was opened in Sundbyberg. During a four-year period, we developed the interior environments of the offices based on the vision of an active and vibrant place for meetings. The interior design in the inspiring and energetic office was to reflect the three basic key words of the bank: open, simple and caring.

The Oak – Swedbank’s symbol for growth and a long term perspective – became the starting point for our design. From the trunk at the ground level to the business floors up in the tree, the concept of ‘life in the Oak’ is the running theme. We have created conditions for meetings, mingling and the exchange of knowledge in an environment where the employees are free to select a work station best suited to that day’s activities. The colours of the interior are based on the natural colours of the trunk, the green of the leaves and the blue of the sky.

Together with Swedbank, we have created an activity based pioneering office

Custom designed furniture as part of the whole

Every detail in the large office in Sundbyberg was carefully designed. To create the right atmosphere, our product designers developed custom-made solutions that balanced function and aesthetics. As the project progressed, several new products took shape. Morgana received the conference table Link, designed to enhance both collaboration and flexibility. Offecct introduced Focus Divider, a sound-absorbing workstation that creates small rooms within the room, improving both privacy and acoustics. Meanwhile, the team designed the light fixture Hätta for Örsjö, adding a warm and inviting touch to the space.

Swedbank's
Foto: Björn Lofterud

All products were manufactured in Sweden. This project brought together Tengbom’s expertise in details, environmental focus, and collaboration. The process required a strong partnership and a shared vision.

“This is one of Tengbom’s largest and most complex interior design projects. And as well as a truly exciting challenge for us,” says Johanna Munck af Rosenschöld. “For four years, we worked intensively with Swedbank to create a pioneering activity-based office. The collaboration was both constructive and inspiring.”

On May 20, 2015, Swedbank’s new office won the prestigious architecture award Good Design is Good Business. Established in 1997 by the American journal Architectural Record, the award recognizes projects where strong design enhances business operations.

Contact person

Kristina Jonasson

Studio Manager Interior Design
+46 708 23 14 33

The Hermod Block

A human scale and tactility at the Hyllie hub
Architecture, Interior Design
Offices
Client: Midroc Property Development
Location: Hyllie, Malmö
Years of commission: 2011-2016
Type of project: Office building & interiors
Contractor: Thage AB
Competences: Office, Interior Design, Landscape

At the corner of Arenagatan – Hyllie Allé in the emerging new community of Hyllie, there is a brand new office building, The Hermod Block, which we have designed. At the end of 2015, our new Malmö office relocated its activities to the building, which was the plan ever since the start.

Midroc’s motto, “People in focus,” shaped our vision for the building. Unlike many of Hyllie’s large-scale structures, we aimed for a more human scale. The design creates a welcoming and easy-to-navigate environment. Visitors enter through a glass cube at the heart of the building. From there, lifts lead out to the yard, connecting to two wing buildings framed by warm brick. Solid, tactile materials define the atmosphere. Concrete, glass, and pine add honest architectural qualities. These elements create experiences, giving the building both presence and directness.

The Hermod Block
Photo: Andreas Svenning

The interior is flexible and can easily be adapted to the way people work. The floors normally house two to three tenants each but can generate up to nine different sizes of rooms. The building is L shaped and a social junction is created inside the glass cube on every floor with the opportunity for an open lounge and meeting area with exposure towards the street. Even the brick shanks are light and airy, designed to take in as much daylight as possible and offer a view of the exterior environments. The boundaries between in and out are erased not least by the entrances where the brick floor sneaks past the glass facade and out into the court yard.

To create a sustainable building both for the environment and for our colleagues has been very important to us and to Midroc.

The Hermod Block
Photo: Felix Gerlach

Sustainability for the environment and colleagues

We prioritized creating a sustainable building—for both the environment and our colleagues. Together with Midroc, we aimed for a BREEAM certification of excellence. The project included several key environmental initiatives. We carefully selected materials, implemented automated climate control, and installed solar cells on the roof. Sedum plantings and birdhouses on the communal roof terrace further enhanced sustainability. These additions help manage stormwater and increase biodiversity.

In a sustainable work environment, the health and well-being of our colleagues is important. In addition to the qualities of the office spaces, every floor level offers a so-called Green Room, which may be used as a balcony with fresh air coming in through the open window in the otherwise climate controlled office. At the basement level there is a sports depot with a bicycle garage and locker rooms for storage and showers. For anyone who does not get to the office using public transport and Hyllie station, located just around the corner.

To develop Hyllie and to develop there together

Hyllie is a crossroads in the expansive Öresund region. Also it is an important international meeting place where architecture and town development issues are high on the agenda. Tengbom Malmö’s establishment in the neighbourhood of The Hermod Block is an investment in the development of Hyllie as a vibrant and sustainable community On our own offices, we want to highlight and inspire both future architecture and innovative working methods. The interior design concept reflect the different services that we offer, interpreted in a variety of colour schemes and materials in the different areas and becomes a living arena where we develop together.

Contact person

Josefin Klein

Practice Director Skåne
+46 40 641 31 18