An office environment designed for well-being
Employees who thrive perform better. This is Eminent’s philosophy and also why its offices were designed to promote the well-being of users, making it the first WELL-certified office building in the Nordic region. Eminent is also Gold-certified by the Sweden Green Building Council.
Air, water, sound, light, nourishment, fitness and comfort. These are the seven main ingredients in Eminent’s office building, which was designed to be certified according to the sustainable WELL standard.
Among other things, the offices boast locally produced food, partly grown on the roof terrace, art and design to entice people to take the stairs, well-equipped underground bicycle parking, a nearby fitness centre, light therapy and stress-relieving music. These are all elements that are rarely allowed to weigh as heavily on the drawing board as the factors traditionally known to promote a healthy working environment and indoor climate.
Kanozi Arkitekter are the designers behind Eminent, and architect SAR/MSA Åsa Jentsch says about the project:
– The WELL certification incorporates softer values which are very much in line with what we as architects wish to bring into the projects. By working with WELL throughout the design process, we created a new framework for talking about things like natural lighting, a strong connection between the indoor and outdoor environments and sculptural, prominent stairs. The entire team of architects, engineers, contractors and builders suddenly started discussing and appreciating the human aspects of the building and its design.
Welcoming ground floor
A special feature of the building is that Eminent invites its surroundings inside with an open and spacious ground floor. Here, anyone can stop by for a cup of freshly brewed coffee in the ‘coffice’, a half coffee shop, half office café area, whether they visit the offices on business or happen to be passing by the building.
– Eminent embraces its surroundings and invites everyone to explore the interior spaces and elements of the building. We have very deliberately created a transparent ground floor with warm and welcoming elements to make the large building a pleasant sanctuary in the cityscape, says Åsa Jentsch.
Acoustics and well-being
Among other things, the team has focused on how the materials and acoustic environment affect the experience of entering the building. They have chosen a wide palette of materials to provide visual variation, a common denominator in the choice of materials being tactile surfaces and density. For the ‘coffice’, Troldtekt acoustic ceilings have been selected.
– A healthy acoustic environment is very important for a good first impression, and a tranquil atmosphere is essential for the people who work at Eminent. It makes it easier to concentrate. The WELL guidebook provides tools to help create a healthy soundscape, so it is definitely something we have worked consciously with, says Åsa Jentsch.
– The philosophy is that it affects people positively if they don’t have to deal with unwanted information reaching them through sound while working and socialising. In this context, Troldtekt contributes to the acoustic environment, but being made of wood, the acoustic panels also add a nostalgic dimension in a Swedish context, she continues.
Eminent is located in Hyllie between Malmö in Sweden and the Øresund Bridge. It is the first WELL-certified building in the Nordic region. The office building is also Gold-certified by the Sweden Green Building Council, which is the highest environmental class for buildings in Sweden.
