Forsyning Helsingør

A unifying cube

“From the beginning there has been a clear visual idea with the project, which both harmonizes with the other geometric shapes of our works here on Energivej - and gives a raw and technical expression - that fits with the everyday life in the supply industry. At the same time, we’ve wanted to give the construction a sustainable profile. Both as low-energy building - but also used in the architecture, for example in the form of maintenance-free rust-red facade panels, the use of daylight as a partial heat source and recycling of buildings from the old biogas plant.”
Says Claus Bo Frederiksen, Planning and Project Manager at Forsyning Helsingør.

The design for Forsyning Helsingør’s new HQ supports the narrative about the municipality’s supply technologies – from wastewater treatment to energy and waste handling. The project comprises the Cube and Operating Facilities, two buildings that will stand adjacent to the power plant with its distinctive architecture. The facility forms a protective shield around the central working area while screening the surroundings from noise. The Cube is a rusty-red building clad in corteen steel that corresponds with the colours of the surroundings. Inside the building opens a space for interdisciplinary collaboration. The ground floor houses a customer centre, and an exhibition area, organised around an atrium, where daylight flow from large skylights. From the customer centre on the ground floor, there are views to the entire building. On a balcony above the customer centre, there is a lounge and canteen, while offices are placed on the top floors. The Operating Facilities house all operations and has simple lean-to roofs for garages, here the storage areas are built around an open courtyard.

A third dimension to architecture

We have designed Forsyning Helsingør as a learning environment, integrating learning hotspots throughout the building. An example is the Engineering Room that displays real time information about energy production and energy supply from around the municipality in a central spot, open to citizens and employees alike – we call this concept of learning integrated into architecture, The Third Dimension. The Third Dimension provides school classes insight into the production and consumption of energy, waste management, water supply and heat through visual and tactile experiences that enhance learning. The concept extends into the surrounding landscape with an integrated path around the site called the Learning Loop.

Integrated architecture and sustainability

The new HQ for Forsyning Helsingør is an ambitious project. The project is designed according to Danish energy standards for 2020 and the design is based on Passiv House principles, placing the building at the site to optimize daylight without having direct sunlight overheating the building and adding need for shading. Solar panels generate renewable energy for the center. The center receives excess heat from the neighboring wood-fired power plant, and rainwater is recycled for toilet flushing and washing of machines. All choices we have incorporated into the architecture to ensure a reduced energy footprint. In addition, the materials are resilient and has a low maintenance requirements and the concept is based on cradle to cradle principles focused on sustainable disposal in case of deconstruction.

How Forsyning Helsingør addresses the Sustainable Development Goals

In the project we have worked with issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the project was not designed to address the global goals, as it was created before the goals were adopted by the UN. We have worked with issues related to: SDG 3: Health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 8: Decent jobs and economic growth and SDG 17: Partnerships for goals.

Client

Helsingør Supply & Administration

Area

6000 m²

Year

2018

Location

Helsingør, DK

Collaborators

Tredje Natur Landscape, Artelia

Images

Niels Nygaard