Solheim + Jacobsen arkitekter as | Profilbygget

The future project ”The Profile Building” is an office building located at Fornebu, a peninsula where the main airport of Oslo used to be located. Through the last decade, the area has been developed into a high technology business centre, where some of the country´s leading companies such as Statoil, Telenor and Aker Solutions have their headquarters. The area is characterized by an open, flat landscape with parks and green fields along the seaside. The buildings are mostly large, freestanding structures with strong identities and iconic designs. Originally, this site was reserved for a petrol station. To exploit the site, it was decided to build 3 floors on top of this. The site is highly visible and the building is going to represent the whole area. Therefore the design had to have a strong identity.

Concept

Two overall purposes have dominated the development of the concept: strong architectural qualities and an ambitious environmental profile. The architectural concept consists of five elements. First is the petrol station, which is the base of the building. Second is the folded “sheet” which defines the shape of the building. It directs you into the building from the street into an entrance hall, it guides you into the office levels, and it embraces them and creates the roof. It separates the petrol station and the rest of the building, and it works as plaza, entrance floor, office floor, rear wall and roof. Third is the inner thermal envelope – the office areas. Fourth element is “The green curtain”, a vegetation filter in the double façade, and the final element, the glass façade, the double façade’s outer layer.

These elements are put together in an overall shape and all have their own expression and material. The design gives the building a distinct direction and creates a frontal motive clearly exposed to visitors driving on to the peninsula. The folded sheet has a precise, readable edge that gives the building its character. By extending the double façade, a spacious entrance hall is created. In this space the freestanding lift and a sculptural staircase creates the vertical communication for the building.

Materials

The folded “sheet” will be covered with fibre concrete. The entire “sheet” will have the same thickness, surface and color regardless whether it serves as roof, wall, floor or plaza. The inner box is covered with wooden panelling. This gives a warm and refined expression that could be associated with a piece of furniture.

Sustainability

With consideration for the future, the building is planned to have low energy consumption and optimal working conditions. The building aims be classified with the best category for energy (A), which is challenging, considering the Norwegian climate. The energy supply in “Profilbygget” is provided by electricity and district heating. Only materials that does not give waste gas and that are not dangerous to health, are used. This creates a healthy indoor climate and also reduces the requirement for ventilation.

Green curtain

Climbing plants grow in the space between inner and outer façade. It is well known that this has a relaxing impact on people working on the premises. The sunlight will be filtered through the curtain and gives a beautiful play of light. The green curtain also signalizes environmental engagement to the passersby.

Double façade

The two-level façade functions like a buffer zone in the winter and gives a pleasant indoor climate. In the summer, when the heating from the sun is notably higher, it will be ventilated out of the building before reaching the workspaces.

Lighting

We have given daylight high priority to give optimal lighting conditions in the office spaces. Therefore the electric lighting is automatically adjusted by the daylight outside. In this way energy consumption is reduced. To avoid glare and reflections from direct sunlight, blinds are provided on the inner façade.

Compact shape

Due to the shape of the building, there is a minimum of heat loss.. The surface, compared to the volume, is relatively small. This keeps energy consumption low. Only materials that does not give waste gas and that are not dangerous to health, are used. This creates a healthy indoor climate and also reduces the requirement for ventilation.

Thermal mass

By storing heat in the concrete layers during the day and releasing this heat at night, the temperature differences are leveled out between day and night.