Foster + Partners Breaks Ground on a Sleek Office Building in Copenhagen—That Looks Like a Spaceship
Construction is under way on Ferring Pharmaceuticals’ sleek new Copenhagen headquarters, designed by London-based Foster + Partners. Situated near the Copenhagen International Airport on a prime waterfront location alongside the Øresund strait, the eye-catching glass building will offer views across the water to Sweden’s coastline and the city of Malmö, where Ferring was founded in the early 1950s. Foster + Partners devised the building to take full advantage of its site and picturesque vistas, from its triangular footprint and inverted pyramid shape to its horizontal profile and glass façade—which, from above, appears to take the form of a spaceship. Anchoring the structure is a large stone plinth, which not only provides a heavy contrast to the otherwise lightweight edifice but also acts as a first line of defense against floods. “We wanted to create a very strong base that directly connects to and celebrates this unique waterside location and lifts the building above that level—so that there are uninterrupted views from the ground floor to the strait and the surrounding harbor,” Foster + Partners’ Grant Brooker said in a statement.
The interiors, meanwhile, were tailored to Ferring’s specific work environment. Encompassing more than 400,000 square feet, the building features a soaring light-filled atrium with an entrance lobby, café, and break area; conferences facilities and spaces for social events are also on the ground level. On the floors above, offices and laboratories are situated on the outer edges, with more collaborative meeting areas in the center, overlooking the atrium. “For such a significant project, it was vital that the building reflected the personality of the organization, and that it would create a collaborative and flexible working environment to carry them through the next century,” Brooker said.
An interior view of the design shows the abundance of natural light.
The building is scheduled for completion in 2019.