Anders Berensson Architects

Anders Berensson Architects in collaboration with interior designer Pelle Rickberg and Wild Windows has designed the retrofitting of an old barn ”Vinkelladan” in Norra Djurgården, Stockholm. The barn is programmed to do two things. The first is to host conferences and events, the second is to educate Fjällräven ambassadors from all over Europe in the company’s philosophy, products and retail. The second purpose formed the concept for this design by asking the question: Do we need architecture to solve this or can we do it with outdoor clothes and new customs? This question has led us to find simple solutions to complicated problems by looking towards the outdoor industry and local customs rather than doing complicated and costly building designs.

The design is based on the schedule of a normal guest and what they will experience and learn during some intense days in Sweden. The architecture should assist the ongoing education in bringing the visitor into a calm, focused and adoptive mindset. Therefor we decided to write the architecture like a manuscript focusing on the state of mind of a visitor before making drawings. People are usually quite susceptible when arriving to a new country. We decided to take advantage of that and introduce a sportier, sober and focused Sweden. A Sweden where one go out hiking instead of drinking alcohol in a hotel lobby, a Sweden that changes into slippers while studying retail, a Sweden that loves sleeping in super modern tents. This introduction to local customs and outdoor activities saved us from building hotel rooms, bad hangovers, and cost for cleaning and sound absorbing plates. But most of all gave the visitor a more focused and instructive education. Below you can read the manuscript translated into drawings, customs, slippers, tents, benches, tables plus much more.

The Entrance

When entering Vinkelladan the guest have been flying for hours across Europe. To take off your shoes when entering a building is a Swedish custom. As a guest it is a liberation for the feet to change from shoes into wool moccasins. The wool moccasins does more than making your feet comfortable, it is also a transit gesture and a mood changer. On a more pragmatic level it also keeps Vinkelladan clean from dirt and reduces sharp sounds from shoes creating a calm and focused learning environment.

The Tipis

As a visitor you get access to your personal Tipi. The tent is the home away from home where one can store personal belongings but also rest and gain focus in between meetings and lectures. The tent is made out of merino wool that is nontoxic, highly sound absorbing, and fire proof. The tent has a small shelf in the back for storage of personal things but are primarily designed for resting. Each tent has a thick wool carpet to rest on.

The Lounge Sofas

The reviled part of the wooden truss system is one of the most characteristic parts of the barn. The trusses creates small spaces between themselves. This space is used for custom made sofas. The space between each truss varies but it’s just enough to fit two people sitting. You are also able to lie down behind the trusses if you are alone in the sofa. The trusses combined with the sofa creates a smaller intimate space that are much needed in a big room. The sofas are made of Swedish pine tree.

The Tables

The dinner tables was built by the previous owner of the barn, they are made in glass fiber. The tables are light but look heavy and looks great. These tables has been equipped with some nice wood carpentry to make them more useful and blend in better with the rest of the interior.

The Lounge tables are made from a locally harvest Elm Tree. A disease called “The Elm Tree disease” has forced the harvesting of many beautifully elm trees to stop the disease from spreading. One of these trees where cut down just right next to Vinkelladan. This tree was gigantic and we wanted to display its size by cutting it in a horizontal direction and making tables out of it. At the evening when turning on the lights the lamps projects traditional board games such as chess, tic tac toe, Chinese checkers and backgammon. The massive elm trees takes about a year to dry. Right now they’re standing under the entrance roof waiting to come inside.

The Office and Test Store

The education also offer a full scale test store. The store is built with Fjällrävens latest interior profile. The shop is a full scale learning experience where people learn in a real environ how to display items and much more.

Kitchen

The kitchen is designed to feel like your own kitchen where you can open the fridge and grab something to eat or take a coffee without having to order it from someone. The food is made in the nearby Fiskartorpet kitchen and prepared on site. Vinkelladan don’t serve alcohol. When leaving the barn you should feel fresh, not hungover.

Sleep

Since Vinkelladan is all about an outdoor experience, Vinkelladan doesn’t offer traditional hotel rooms. Vinkelladan offers a tent camp in the middle of the royal forest. The tents are the best Fjällräven tents filled with outdoor equipment’s for camping. In the morning you get a cup of coffee or tea and there are outdoor showers for those who want. Breakfast is served when back at the barn.