CCI Europe

More pictures from the project

Address: Ringvej Syd / Axel Kiers Vej, DK-8270 Højbjerg
Client: Stibo A/S
Architect: Arkitema
Landscape: Arkitema
Engineers: Carl Bro a/s
Building contractor: Skanska Denmark A/S
Size: 16,300 m²
Construction: 2001
Awards: Concrete Element prize 2002

The building takes the form of a rectangular two-storey plateau, which extends horizontally from the site's highest level across a considerable drop in the terrain, appearing to float above a light, transparent basement floor. The floating aspect is emphasised by the large mirror pool which surrounds the basement's glass facades.
The building's interior is designed to resemble a town, with squares, open spaces, gardens, streets, passages and footbridges, and with both open and more enclosed spaces, public and more private zones. In brief: with all the variation, dynamics and experiential richness that characterises a town.
The building's interior is arranged around two atriums. One of these, the stairway plaza, forms the public and representative space. This takes the form of a gigantic stairway area, in the middle of which a 'monolith' towers up.
The interior of the monolith houses an auditorium with room for 200 persons; meeting rooms are situated on the upper level.
The other atrium is the unroofed 'garden', designed as a Nordic garden with pine and bilberries, and a base covered with blue-grey pebbles.
Around the atriums lie the office workplaces as freely available floors, and when staff move along these levels, they remain in contact with the activities taking place on the stairway plaza and in the garden. The office areas are designed to be flexible and changeable units that can be altered according to the company's way of organising its work, etc.