C.F. Møller's winning design for a new 22-story high-rise set for construction in Västerås is nothing if not unique. The building’s elliptical shape allows for open facades facing in all directions and creates a new silhouette for the city’s skyline.
The building will be constructed as a hybrid of solid wood and concrete. Concrete is the load-bearing construction up to the 15th floor. The remaining seven stories will be framed in solid timber.
A panoramic garden on the 15th floor will act as the demarcation line between the concrete and wood construction. The garden will be a gathering place and common area for the building’s residents and will also be visible from outside the structure, creating a focal point.
Rendering courtesy C.F. Møller.
“Our ambition has been to optimize the synergies between the city, building, and urban greenery,” says Ola Jonsson, architect and associate partner, C.F. Møller, on the firm’s website.
In addition to the 15th-floor garden, urban greenery will be incorporated at the foot of the building in a new square that includes a plant wall and green areas. Additionally, the building’s façade will be covered with undressed wood that is weather-protected by the overlying balconies on each floor. These balconies can be closed and serve as winter gardens to allow for growing seasons to be extended throughout the year.
Tall, thin glass panels will connect the 169,000-sf tower’s balconies. These panels will have integrated lighting to illuminate and highlight the façade even during the night.
Rendering courtesy C.F. Møller.
Rendering courtesy C.F. Møller.
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