flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

‘Floating’ triangular glass building from Foster + Partners breaks ground in Copenhagen

Office Buildings

‘Floating’ triangular glass building from Foster + Partners breaks ground in Copenhagen

The glass building provides the illusion of floating above a stone plinth.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | September 22, 2016

Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners

Ferring Pharmaceuticals’ new headquarters building is being constructed on the urban fringe of Copenhagen in Kastrup. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 39,000 sm glass building consists of six stacked floors and sits above a stone plinth, giving the building the appearance of floating. The plinth also acts as the first line of defense against flooding due to the structures waterside location, according to Foster + Partners.

The firm said they wanted to create a strong base that not only connects the building to its waterside location, but also lifts it above water level to provide the best views possible from the ground floor up to the top level.

From a top down perspective, the building takes the shape of an equilateral triangle with its glass atrium roof on full display right in the center. The atrium includes the entrance lobby, a café, breakout space, catered conference facilities, and space for social events.

Foster + Partners conducted targeted interviews and in-depth studies to best understand how the employees at Ferring worked in order to design a space specifically tailored to their needs. The offices and laboratories, for quiet, individual work, are located on the perimeter of the building in order to take advantage of surrounding views and natural light. All of the more collaborative meeting spaces are located closer to the center of the building and overlook the naturally lit atrium.

The roof canopy and all six floors cantilever out over the stone plinth to enhance surrounding views while also providing the more practical effect of creating self-shaded spaces on each floor. In order to blend in with the surrounding low-rise urban area, the façade of the headquarters building has a horizontal emphasis.

The scheduled completion date for the new Ferring Pharmaceuticals headquarters building is 2019.

 

Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners

 

Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners

Related Stories

Modular Building | Jun 10, 2015

London debuts business complex made from 50 shipping containers

London's newest business complex, Pop Brixton, will support local entrepreneurs, create jobs, and is made entirely of shipping containers.

Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015

Bjarke Ingels unveils stepped design for final WTC tower

The towering "staircase" will rise from St. Paul’s chapel to the skyline, leaning against One World Trade Center.

Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015

Hines planning $300 million office tower for Denver skyline

Designed by Pickard Chilton, the 640,000-sf tower is geared for large-scale tenants, with features like floor-to-ceiling glass, a 5,000-sf fitness center, a tenant lounge, and a series of outdoor terraces. 

Office Buildings | Jun 3, 2015

Tech's influence on the workplace: 4 lessons from the field

Beyond space and programmatic considerations, four tenets highlight today’s tech workplaces: strength of story, design empathy, technology presence, and hackerspace.

Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015

SHoP Architects unveils dual-glass-box scheme for Uber HQ

The plan involves two glass buildings connected with criss-crossing bridges.

Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015

Can you make a new building as cool as a warehouse?

Just as we looked at that boarded up warehouse and thought it could be something other, office towers can be reborn, writes CannonDesign's Robert Benson.

Multifamily Housing | May 28, 2015

Census Bureau: 10 U.S. cities now have one million people or more

California and Texas each have three of the one-million-plus cities.

Retail Centers | May 18, 2015

ULI forecast sees clear skies for real estate over next three years

With asset availability declining in several sectors, rents and transactions should rise.

Office Buildings | May 18, 2015

New ASHRAE standard offers test method to determine heat gain of office equipment

The standard will aid engineers in configuring cooling systems in office buildings.

Office Buildings | May 17, 2015

Mountain View, Calif., denies development rights for Google campus master plan

Despite Google’s offer of new bike paths, wetlands restoration, and other perks, the city of Mountain View, Calif., denied the company the development rights to construct a grand new headquarters.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Sustainable Design and Construction

Northglenn, a Denver suburb, opens a net zero, all-electric city hall with a mass timber structure

Northglenn, Colo., a Denver suburb, has opened the new Northglenn City Hall—a net zero, fully electric building with a mass timber structure. The 32,600-sf, $33.7 million building houses 60 city staffers. Designed by Anderson Mason Dale Architects, Northglenn City Hall is set to become the first municipal building in Colorado, and one of the first in the country, to achieve the Core certification: a green building rating system overseen by the International Living Future Institute.


MFPRO+ News

San Francisco unveils guidelines to streamline office-to-residential conversions

The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection announced a series of new building code guidelines clarifying adaptive reuse code provisions and exceptions for converting office-to-residential buildings. Developed in response to the Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse program established in July 2023, the guidelines aim to increase the viability of converting underutilized office buildings into housing by reducing regulatory barriers in specific zoning districts downtown. 

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021