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PROJECT REPORT: ADAPTIVE REUSE
“What attracted us was the opportunity to challenge the assumption that demolition was the only viable option” Anders Tväråna, White Arkitekter
addition of three new fl oors. Strengthening the foundations “was not an option,” so the architects had to fi nd another solution. The original load-bearing concrete facade was replaced with a lighter structural system, and the three new fl oors were constructed using lightweight materials – namely lightweight steel and cross-laminated timber (CLT). Lightening the existing load on the foundations meant they were able to construct the new fl oors while keeping the overall load roughly the same, “making the transformation both technically viable and resource effi cient,” Tväråna adds. Coordination and collaboration between White Arkitekter, Vasakronan, the engineers and building managers were essential in ensuring the success of the project. “The structural engineer played an especially important role, helping us understand the building’s constraints and identify solutions that made it possible to preserve and adapt the existing building,” Tväråna says. As well as retaining and reusing the entire foundation structure, approximately 80% of the frame was saved. The team reused as much as possible that could realistically be retained or recycled. This included 70% of the sheet aluminium from the old roof, processed and “woven into the surface of the lift tower wall in the atrium,” over acoustic material, explains the architect. In
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addition, 105 tonnes of plasterboard were dismantled and reinstalled. Bricks, cabinets, 563 interior doors, and 383 glass partitions were also carefully dismantled to be reconditioned and reused, as were 446 radiators, electrical boxes and other technical equipment. Carpet tiles throughout the building are either recycled or reused, thanks to a partnership with Tarkett. While the original building’s fl ooring wasn’t good enough for reuse, the manufacturer sourced carpet tiles that were due to be torn up in other projects, fresh enough to be reconditioned. Overall, the fi nal carbon footprint of the building is approximately half that of a new timber framed house on the site – a decrease of 3,700 tonnes of CO2
emissions.
While determining how much of the buildings could be saved, recycled and repurposed was highly important, so too was redesigning and reconfi guring the site in order for it to meet modern standards and requirements. “Our solution was to turn the inward-facing complex inside out, replacing its single entrance with a shared atrium that connects all three buildings,” explains Tväråna. “Placing the new entrance within the atrium, alongside a central staircase, new lifts and bridges linking directly to the offi ce fl oors resolved the logistical challenges and created a space
ADF OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2026
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