The office building Kuggen in Gothenburg by Gert Wingårdh

The architectural studio Wingårdh Arkitektkontor has completed an office building in Gothenburg that is a remarkably eco-friendly design. The building's name 'Kuggen' translates to 'cog' in Swedish. The color and shape of the design significantly differentiate it from surrounding buildings in Gothenburg's industrial district of Lindholmen. The expressive character of the building can be justified in several ways: the first of which is its remarkable energy efficiency. Each of the five floors is slightly cantilevered over the one below it. On the southern side, the cantilever is somewhat larger than on the northern side, achieving almost uniform shading. The highest floor has sunshades mounted on the facade, supplemented by solar collectors on the southern side. Throughout the day, the object appears a little different each time. Another advantage of the chosen shape is the maximization of office floor space relative to the facade area. The chosen window shape is also based on the desire for maximum energy efficiency. The triangular windows that open upwards allow daylight into the interior where it makes the most sense: near the ceiling, where it can penetrate as deep as possible into the building. The material used for the facade – glazed terracotta tiles in various shades of red – was chosen for its extremely long lifespan. However, the designers had not only ecology and durability in mind but also the health of the users: the entire building has only one elevator so that the staircase is used as the main communication element to enhance social contacts and the health of the building's users.