A new commercial building in Stockholm is defined by its carefully detailed facades of Nordic Brass Weathered pre-oxidised copper alloy from Aurubis.In the Nattugglan neighbourhood, developer Vasakronan has replaced an inefficient and outdated office block with a new, ‘LEED Platinum’ certified modern building. The Folkungagatan 44 project provides 22,000 m2 of space, largely for offices but also including conference spaces, plus retail outlets and a restaurant on the open, street-facing ground floor. Equator Stockholm Architects’ design comprises a five-storey block with two further storeys, each stepping back to generate ‘living roof’ gardens. The building’s strong presence is defined by its almost classically structured facades of fenestration and Nordic Brass Weathered cladding. Carefully detailed and executed flat panels, ‘fluted’ mullions and horizontal mouldings between windows, copings and other details align clearly expressed vertical joints throughout.
The Nordic Brass Weathered copper alloy provides a rich, naturally varied brown surface with a high quality, timeless character. The surface is created by burnishing at the Aurubis copper mill, providing straightaway the same oxidised brown surface that otherwise develops over time in the environment. The Nordic Copper alloy cladding also adds to the building’s ‘LEED Platinum’ certified sustainability agenda. Nordic Copper architectural products and alloys are manufactured using 100% recycled raw-material, and copper’s ability to be recycled repeatedly – without any loss in performance – is an important sustainability benefit.