Docks

At the entrance to the harbor, Docks, Malmö's new landmark, is being built. Two slender structures that from certain angles seem to merge together. Glazed balconies float above the dock like the control cabins of the cranes once seen at the Kockum shipyard.

The characteristic feature of the Docks is the two tapered towers that relate to their surroundings in shape and height. In the east towards the harbor basin, the building is at its highest, 26 floors. Towards Dockplatsen and the guest harbor, it steps down to 18 floors, ending in a 5-story base that connects to the surrounding buildings and Isberg Street.

The new building closes the Dock Square to the east, creating a sheltered space where the folded and stepped shape of the Dock dampens the winds from the sea. The towers angle themselves to meet different urban spaces, and at the same time mark the eastern and western gates of the block.

The ground floor contains public spaces for services, shops and restaurants. An atrium accessed from all commercial spaces becomes the heart and focal point of the building. The upper section contains wood-clad galleries leading to residential, guest apartments and community spaces.

The house bodies are clad with balconies that have a weatherproof and robust facade of hot-dip galvanized sheet metal. Galvanization provides a crystalline coating that protects the metal underneath while providing subtle shifts in tone and shine. The joints of the sheet metal play with the rhythm of the balcony edges and on the northern facades the sheet metal folds like salt crystals. The expression is sharp, nuanced and rooted in the history of the site.

There will be a total of 157 homes in the building and a garden with terraces shared by the residents will be built on the roof of the base. A southwest-facing sun shelf is created with plenty of shelter and a lush beach landscape. Seating areas, winding paths and wooden bridges intertwine the terraces.

Exterior and interior are markedly different in Docks. Inside the cool metal facade, residents and visitors are greeted by warm lighting and wood. Here, too, the association is with shipping and the many ships once built at the Kockum shipyard, whose metal hulls concealed cozy wooden cabins.