FOJAB project wins international real estate award

In March 2014, MAX IV in Lund won the Best Futura Project category at the international real estate fair MIPIM. FOJAB arkitekter was present in Cannes to receive the prestigious award. There were also representatives from Lund Municipality, Lund University and the developer Fastighets AB ML4.

- We are very proud and happy that the project has received this award, says Daniel Nord, CEO of FOJAB. Not least because the category was Future Projects. MAX IV houses cutting-edge technology and will be a workplace for researchers from all over the world.

In the facility, electrons are accelerated to near the speed of light. When their orbit is broken, radiation, called synchrotron light, is released, which is used to investigate material properties at the molecular level. The process requires precision and places great demands on the structure. Above ground, the building appears as a large, unbroken ring of smooth matt-brushed metal with a bridged, shimmering white office volume. This, in combination with the green roofs and the rolling landscape, will be a hallmark of MAX IV.

- It is important for us that the building has a strong architectural expression and a clear anchorage on the site, says Daniel Nord. "It is therefore particularly pleasing that we have succeeded in communicating the building's qualities to an international audience of experts in a tough competition.

The journey began with a parallel assignment in 2010, where FOJAB was commissioned to continue working on the design of the building together with Snøhetta, which was given responsibility for designing the landscape. This was followed by the design of construction documents for a building with unusually high technical requirements. With a total area of 50,000 square meters, the buildings are expected to be ready for use in 2015.

MAX IV - A design challenge (Youtube)
MAX IV - Environmental perspective (Youtube)
MAX IV - Staff perspective (Youtube)