Spaciousness on a human scale: 38,000 sqm office space

Working on behalf of Apotea, Marge Arkitekter has developed a concept for the company’s new logistics centre in Morgongåva. The assignment included site and programme analysis, overall exterior design and tenant adaptation of staff areas and office space.

The building measures 150 x 250 metres and produces as much energy as it consumes. Built on uncultivated land, it relates, in its unadorned simplicity, to its surroundings – the woodland, the sky, the horizon. We therefore favoured a pared-down, simplified design in Aluzinc, where the façade reflects the changing light and the surroundings. With its triangular jagged appearance, the roof-mounted photovoltaic system renders the building’s rooftop profile reminiscent of industrial buildings from the early 20th century.

Despite its function as a large-scale logistics centre, the building should nevertheless appear welcoming to visitors and employees up close. By supplementing the staff areas with a large lunch terrace, a defined, covered entrance is created. The design of the extension helps make the presence of the building known to passers-by, while Apotea’s bikes have a natural parking space under the roof. The scale of the building is thus broken down in the area where it greets visitors and employees.

When fully completed, 250 people will come in and out at every shift. In order to cope with the influx, the spatial sequence has been carefully studied based on flow and time analyses, and the positioning of particularly important points (e.g. toilets, and fridges for storage of lunch boxes) has been adapted accordingly. The generous space of the premises is enhanced by placing areas where privacy is required – such as changing rooms – in closed boxes flanked by open, social spaces. The offices and canteen are infused with natural light, while the lighting in the other rooms is instead cosily subdued. Between them runs the Apotea-red glass section, visible from all parts of the mezzanine.