"Kuggen" Shows that Green Architecture Can Be Red

Earlier this fall, the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona presented its awards to a number of international architecture projects that represented excellence according to this year’s theme “Less Does More” (previously on Bustler). One project that has been awarded with a high commendation in Barcelona is “Kuggen”, the low-energy office building project for Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden by Swedish firm WingÃ¥rdhs.

This is the second international acknowledgement for Kuggen. The sustainable qualities of this futuristic project have previously been awarded at Mipim. Kuggen is a low energy office project especially adapted to the local conditions. The triangular windows that bring maximum daylight to the core with a minimal waste energy are just one feature in the progressive design of Kuggen.

Here is a description from the architects:

Green architecture can be red. The skin is made of six different shades of red and a one green. It is executed in glazed terracotta, a permanent skin (think Babylon bricks).

”Kuggen” is circular to minimize the ratio between skin and area. Every floor level adds two bays making the building grow in size for every added floor.

The center of each circle is shifted so the southern elevation gets the longest shadow. A movable sunscreen tracks the sun and adds to the shade to the two top floors. (Existent buildings cast their shadows on the lower levels).

The windows are triangular allowing daylight to follow the ceiling deep into the building while staying at a low ratio (30%) of the elevation surface. The result is a building aiming at an energy consumption of 60kW/y/sqm well below what is considered a green building, while providing state of the art comfort (temperature within individual offices range between 22-26 degrees Celsius). The building goes beyond state of the art solutions for ventilation, lighting, heating and cooling.

”Kuggen” is a building offering 192 bays. This translates into 192 conform office units surrounding open, flexible space. The users are scientist working within at Chalmers University of Technology setting up their start-up firms. The connecting bridges are into the academy and into the market exemplified by nearby offices used by ie Ericsson.

”Kuggen” is the energy efficient future.

Images: Wingårdhs