Updated head office for NCC
An office project characterised by social, economic and environmental sustainability, with the company’s identity reflected by re-use, mindful selection of materials and efficient solutions. Take a look at how furniture has been given a new lease of life at NCC in Copenhagen.
An office project characterised by social, economic and environmental sustainability, with the company’s identity reflected by re-use, mindful selection of materials and efficient solutions. Take a look at how furniture has been given a new lease of life at NCC in Copenhagen.
After more than 10 years in the same building, it was time for a change at NCC. With the aim of optimising use of space, promoting teamwork and reflecting the values of the company, Danielsen Spaceplanning was brought on board to design the new environments. Input interior served as a project partner, handling delivery and re-use of furniture.
“We wanted a more attractive workplace and to promote better collaboration between different business areas. The premises needed to present a professional impression and clearly communicate NCC to all visitors,” says Nana Ejlers, Marketing and Project Director.
From five to three floors and efficient workflows
NCC’s office space initially extended over five floors. However, over time it became clear that all this space was not being fully utilised, and that employees had little social interaction in the workplace. Sensors were installed in the entrance area, meeting rooms and other communal areas in order to map actual usage of areas. As a result, the decision was made to downsize from five to three floors with a view to streamlining workflows. This also led to social interaction becoming a more natural part of day-to-day life for the workforce.
The office is centred around an atrium and stairwell linking together the floors. This is known as the active zone – with coffee machines on the go and employees taking time for a chat.
“You can branch off from here to different parts of the building to escape the noise. The further you go, the quieter it is. The quiet zone at the furthest point is for focused and undisturbed working. We opted for acoustic furnishings here to ensure peace and quiet,” explains Malin Meyer, CEO of Danielsen Spaceplanning.
A green theme throughout
There was a strong desire for sustainable results right from the start. This included the goal of achieving DGNB certification for sustainability, which meant fulfilling specific requirements for social, economic and environmental sustainability.
“In order to satisfy these requirements, re-use was a key element of the project. For example, we worked with Input interior and Montana to update and renew existing furnishings. Where re-use was not possible, we aimed to select products with sustainable materials,” says Rikke Hauerberg, sustainability officer for the project at NCC.
Updating products enabled more than half of NCC’s existing furnishings to be reused for the project. For instance, 300 office chairs and 150 conference-room chairs were refurbished. As a subsidiary project, Montana was commissioned to convert 78 cabinets, which resulted in 312 new storage lockers. Employees can now use these to conveniently store their belongings using their personal access card.
“It is always essential to find a balance in re-use projects. The furniture must match the architect’s design concept and the customer’s requirements and deliver a seamless blend of new and reused. I feel that we have done a great job of fulfilling all the criteria in this project,” says Steen Gudumkjær, Project Sales Manager at Input interior.
A result that exudes NCC
One of the requirements for the new office was that it should reflect the values of the company and the environments should exude NCC. Today, it is quickly apparent to visitors what the business does and what it stands for. It can be seen in everything from mindful selection of materials and re-use to efficient workflows and layout.
“Throughout the premises we see traces of previous furniture: items have been transformed and given a new lease of life. That’s a great feeling and something we can be proud of,” concludes Nana Ejlers.
