Anders Berensson Architects

Anders Berensson Architects, together with Wallensteen & Co, has designed the interior renovation of a 1960s office building in central Stockholm for the Swiss cleantech company Cavotec.

The design concept for the project is a mix of drawing inspiration from and continuing the building’s 1960s modernist architecture, as well as enhancing Cavotec as a cleantech company by displaying the company’s innovations and products within the office space.

The building was designed by modernist architect Lars-Erik Lallerstedt. Although the building is only 12 stories high, it evokes the feeling of being in a modernist skyscraper, mostly due to its rational plan and aluminum curtain wall façade, cladded on both the inside and outside, but also due to its location next to the central station in Stockholm. We wish to further enhance this sensation by upgrading the interior surfaces from mundane white walls and standard carpeting to a more premium atmosphere with dark wood, marble, and metal interiors.

To foster a warmer atmosphere, wall-to-wall carpets were replaced with genuine oak mosaic flooring in the lounge and office areas, and with thick, high-quality carpeting in the office and meeting rooms. Previously covered concrete columns were revealed to show the brutalist structure that supports the building. Being committed to designing environmentally conscious projects, we avoid unnecessary demolition or removal of well-functioning architectural elements. Therefore, we reused several interior glass walls and doors, as well as kept already functioning parts, such as the kitchen and existing lighting. Walls oriented in a north-south direction were clad with walnut wood and custom-made walnut cabinets and shelves to give the space a stronger direction, as well as showcasing Cavotec’s products in a few selected spots. Freestanding, custom-made furniture, such as tables and cabinets, follows the building’s material palette of wood, fabric, and metal, often combined within the same piece to create a coherent atmosphere with the building.