wingårdh arkitektkontor: kuggen

‘kuggen’ by wingårdh arkitektkontor in gothenburg, sweden all images courtesy wingårdh arkitektkontor

swedish practice wingårdh arkitektkontor has completed ‘kuggen (the cog)’, a sustainable office building in gothenburg, sweden. circular in layout, the skewed form is influenced by the saw-toothed edge of a tree leaf and features an offset, three-dimensional facade treatment.

saw-tooth edge

consisting of repetitive cut-out levels, each floor is slightly off center to the south to provide shading to the storey-below. the result is an overall building form that expands by 1500 mm at each layer, lending an impression of movement and dynamism. each floor accommodates optimal office units that benefit from the triangular windows that revolve around the entire circular form.

photovoltaic screen

largely finished in bold shades of red, the building holds a bold presence on site. a secondary screen integrates a mesh-like system of photovoltaic cells that provide additional shade as well as electricity as it moves around the outer surface. on the roof, sun collectors minimize extraneous energy spent on heating tap water. further consideration for passive ventilation, lighting, heating and cooling limit the operational energy consumption at 60 kWh/m2 per year.

detail

interior view of office space

construction view