At Jägersro in Malmö, a new district will be built with room for 5000 homes, workplaces, shops, schools and preschools. FOJAB now presents its proposal for a healthy, urban neighborhood with historical elements in a modern style. 

FOJAB is one of three architectural offices that have been commissioned to develop an overall structure for how the future Jägersro will be designed.

The urban design concept in FOJAB's proposal is based on an easily oriented structure with three streets that are connected to the surrounding city and meet in a large central park. The district is characterized by generous elements of greenery and water, including an eco-pool that can be swum in - an attraction that can attract Malmö residents from other parts of the city.

The urban street becomes the commercial hub of the district with entrance squares for shops, services, bazaars and flea markets. The public spaces are elaborate and welcoming.

Historical structures

Jägersro is a neighborhood that many Malmö residents have a connection to and memories of. In FOJAB's proposal, several of the historical structures are preserved, but they are given a new interesting content and thus help to shape the identity and history of the new district.

For example, the iconic grandstand building can be preserved and transformed into the district's Green Terrace. The so-called Activity Loop is reminiscent of the former racetrack, but has been developed into a movement path with a focus on public health and with generous areas for exercise in various forms. The judge's tower in the center of the area is converted into a teahouse.

Urban villages

- We want to create a nice homey feeling with room for many meetings in the district. We do this through neighborhood units, urban villages, with great opportunities for a local community," explains Magdalena Hedman, commissioned architect at FOJAB.

The urban village is characterized by a coherent building typology, a unifying urban green and a rich internal environment of bustling alleys and greenery. In the urban village there are clear boundaries between public and private spaces.

Sustainable

In FOJAB's proposal, the blue-green Jägerspark is a climate netural neighborhood built to withstand both 100-year rainfall and an increase in average temperature. Greenery on the doorstep encourages sustainable choices. Sharing of box bikes makes it easy to leave your car behind and bring goods from the delivery pool to yourself and your neighbor. The greenhouse can be combined with a study and work hub where it is easy to study or work from home and network across generations. The schools in the district are located next to the park or natural area to the east, providing attractive, quiet and safe environments.

The three proposals are now being reviewed by an evaluation group consisting of the client SMT Malmö Expoatering AB, the City of Malmö and experts. Architects Sweden is leading the evaluation process. A final idea will be presented at the end of the year.

In the heart of Barkarbystaden, a stylish city block will be built with a grand facade and details inspired by the area's old airplane hangars. FOJAB has designed the winning proposal for Wallenstam after parallel assignments.

Barkarbystaden is emerging as a new regional city center in the metropolitan area. The residential block with premises on the ground floor that FOJAB has designed for Wallenstam is one of the most central. It will be the first to greet travelers from the metro.

- It should feel like coming out of the metro in Paris or the U-bahn in Berlin. You should be greeted by a city," says Jens Larsson, responsible architect at FOJAB.

This feeling has set the tone for one half of the block, which faces the square. Here the building is characterized by an urban character, with representative facades and recessed balconies that provide a pleasant rhythm and contribute to the life and movement of the square.

The high plinth floor contains shops and the residential entrances are influenced by Barkarby Airport in the form of hangar-shaped arches. The shape reappears in the crown, but then upside down.

- In FOJAB's proposal, the plinth, body and crown come out very well, which was also a request from the municipality. The three elevated buildings look good in the neighborhood and adapt nicely to the site," says Julia Jakobsson, project developer at Wallenstam.

The second half of the block is characterized by a small scale with simpler facades in warm plaster colours. The two different design characters are held together by a coherent form that is accentuated in two of the corners and in the middle of the square.

The apartments, both rental and condominium, are efficiently planned with furnishings, views and large balconies.

- A good combination of good design and practicality," says Julia Jakobsson of Wallenstam.

Construction is planned to start in the fall of 2022.

From 19th century laboratory to 21st century housing - one of Lund's oldest institutional buildings has been respectfully redesigned by FOJAB. The sale of the apartments, where extremely high demands have been placed on the transformation, is now starting.

In the middle of the Culture Quadrant in Lund, a stone's throw from the Cathedral, is the historic Maria Magle block. In the 13th century there was a church here, for several hundred years after the church was demolished there was a cemetery on the site and in 1863 the Department of Chemistry was built. In 1959 the building was handed over to the Department of History but since 2014 it has been empty.

Sustainable use of resources
- There is not much new construction in central Lund, so this is a fantastic opportunity. A project that takes advantage of the building's potential both in terms of history and location. Not least, it is a sustainable use of resources," says Stefan Andersson, project developer at Midroc, client and developer.

- We chose to work with FOJAB because they have experience of similar projects. It has also been valuable for the project to have the same architect all the way, from the early detailed planning stage to future construction documents.

The building occupies the entire block and is built around a green courtyard. With its yellow brick facade from Lomma Tegelbruk and sandstone plinth from Hardeberga quarry, the building is architecturally representative of the 19th century. The handmade bricks, the regular windows and the tin roof are still there, as are the unusually large number of chimneys, which are reminiscent of a business where ventilation was particularly important.

Proceed with caution
In order for the house to last for another hundred years, a thorough review of the masonry has been carried out, windows have been carefully opened up to window doors and period attributes are being recreated with respect to what the house and the Cultural Quadrant represent. Andreas Blomberg, responsible architect at FOJAB, talks about the work:

- The house has a stripped-down and simple design, which is why it has held up so well over time. We have proceeded carefully and worked with the house on its own terms. The frame is intact and the existing high level of materiality is matched or enhanced.

- For cultural and historical reasons, we do not touch what does not need to be touched. The patina on the bricks can remain, the oxidized surface is both nice to look at and protects the stone. We complete damaged joints with the same ridge joint as originally. Windows are preserved and we supplement with new gates and doors, and glass doors of the same quality and expression.

Elegant forging
The main architectural addition to the exterior is the new exterior balconies, entrance stairs, railings and attic walkway, which are made of elegant black-painted wrought iron.

To enhance the visual and tactile experience inside, the interior is complemented by beautiful original details while adding new modern materials and details of high architectural and material quality.

Components from cultural layers
Josephine Philipsen, landscape architect at FOJAB, is responsible for the outdoor environment:

- We have picked up components from various cultural layers on the site, which return in a new form. For example, there used to be a well in the courtyard, which will be picked up and redesigned as a water mirror. The traces of a church wall will be visible as a coarser line in the pavement. The paving stones will be reused in a new set of stones inspired by motifs on the flooring of the church, solar crosses, found during a previous archaeological survey. The solar cross also appears in the plantings.

Project: Kv Maria Magle, Lund.
Status: Estimated occupation in winter 2022.
Client: Midroc
Architect: FOJAB
Project group FOJAB: Andreas Blomberg, Nina Torstensson, Mirelle Landerberg, Josephine Philipsen.

FOJAB has developed a new concept for designing learning environments. The first primary school to be built entirely according to this approach is Mörrum's new school with exciting architecture on a child's scale and learning environments literally in every corner.

The Knowledge Environments competence area at FOJAB works with schools and learning environments for children, young people and adults. Charlotte Kristensson is responsible for a team with both breadth and expertise that is able to take on projects from the very first phase all the way to the final design.

Participation and anchoring
Being involved early in the process is one of the success factors for building a really good school, says Charlotte Kristensson. In the case of Mörrum, she was involved from the very first idea stage. She investigated Karlshamn municipality's need for premises in a longer perspective, and could then conclude that a completely new school was needed in Mörrum that was better adapted to the business, instead of the many small ones that existed at the time.

FOJAB was awarded the contract and right from the start the team worked closely with politicians, officials, educators and the pupils themselves - another key factor. Building schools is a complex process with many stakeholders and FOJAB's school team works with various process tools for idea development, participation and anchoring.

- We put a lot of effort into developing a project vision that everyone can support. When we present the proposal, everyone is on board," explains Charlotte.

No corridors
FOJAB anchors the design in research on learning and development. In Mörrum, workshops were held with the teachers, where, among other things, knowledge about safe corners was captured. It is about the fact that corners are often appreciated areas in the school, they feel safe, but if they are disturbed by doors where people run in and out, they function less well as a learning environment.

- Architecture matters. The physical built environment is an educational tool and a catalyst for learning and development.

The FOJAB team strives to maximize what Charlotte calls the learning environment factor, making the best use of square meters. "Building houses is expensive, so it's important to minimize any space used for non-essentials.

- Mörrum's new school is the first school we have built completely without corridors! There is a minimum of communication areas, almost everything is a learning environment.

Adapt the space to the activity
The issue of space is not straightforward. A school has to satisfy many needs and often the organization has a long wish list of what the new building should contain. It is not always easy to draw the line, to say what is necessary and what is not. But then FOJAB's architects can help. FOJAB has developed a tool for calculating the need for premises based on the business needs.

- It is a way to optimize the space based on the curriculum and the calculation is usually welcomed by the client.

Safe havens and spatial diversity
Mörrum's new school is a primary school for grades F-6, with room for 550 students. One challenge was that the school should not feel too big. The solution was to break up the large building body into six smaller building volumes with several entrances and dormitories. From the dormitories, you move on to the common areas - in the sock drawer because everything is connected.

- Schools today are often built with a single large main entrance. This makes it a long way for students to get to their homes, and they have to go in and out several times a day. Our slogan was 'When you open the door, you are there'. This provides an immediate proximity between outside and inside, and a much safer environment.

In the traditional school, all rooms are the same size, but in Mörrum there is a wide variety that better meets today's educational needs.

Flexible use of premises is always an important parameter for FOJAB and an important aspect of sustainability. A facility that can be used by several different activities at different times is both economically and climatically smart. In Mörrum, the common premises, such as workshops, kitchen lab and canteen, are located so that they can easily be rented out to associations and other municipal activities in Mörrum.

- Knowledge environments are important meeting places that also contribute to the social sustainability of society.

Joy of movement the starting point
FOJAB is not only designing the school building in Mörrum but is also responsible for the interior design and outdoor environment. The children have drawn, built models and made films that have served as a basis for the landscape architects' work on the schoolyard. Joy of movement is the starting point and is based on research showing that learning is supported by movement. The movement factor, a tool developed by FOJAB together with the Swedish Sports Confederation, is used in the design.

- We always think about the complete learning environment. Mörrum's school is a fine example of the end result when we can work according to all the steps of the process. With cooperation and participation from start to finish, with collaborative solutions for increased sustainability and an experiential architecture that contributes to the children's learning. This will be the jewel in the crown," says Charlotte Kristensson.

Would you like to know more? Feel free to contact
Charlotte Kristensson
charlotte.kristensson@fojab.se, tel +46 727 18 88 44

With high architectural qualities and strong sustainability elements that contribute to community development, FOJAB won the land allocation competition for Mellbystrand's center. The proposal connects to the history of the town and breathes joy and playfulness in both volumes and color scheme.
- We want to bring out the summer feeling all year round," says architect Anders Lundin.

Mellbystrand in Halland was once a thriving seaside resort. The community is built around holiday homes from the turn of the century, with Strandhotellet from 1927 as the social center. But Mellbystrand has recently lost service functions and visitors to neighboring towns and the center is largely undeveloped today.

In 2020, Laholm municipality announced a land allocation competition with a focus on increasing long-term attractiveness and creating environments that add value to the community. The proposal from FOJAB arkitekter and Hamiltone Fastigheter AB received the highest score for both sustainability and design.

- This has been requested for a long time and will lift Mellbystrand back to what it once was, in terms of attractiveness and reputation. New types of housing make it possible for more people to settle in beautiful Mellbystrand, which is very positive," says Mikael Lennung, land and development strategist in Laholm Municipality.

- It's too often said that something is unique, but it's very unusual to be involved in shaping a completely new city center structure. It has been inspiring to work with FOJAB to identify what once set the tone for the site and what can become the new Mellbystrand," says Elijah Hamilton, client and contractor.

FOJAB's proposal Strandparken is based on Mellbystrand's identity as a seaside resort with small-scale detached buildings. The neighborhood is well connected but has a broken structure with offsets towards the main street that provide space for outdoor seating and meeting places. The houses vary in height, volume and color - a playful wooden architecture in a color scale that associates both with history and with summer, sun and sea.

- We were inspired by coastal communities in Denmark and on the west coast to bring out the lively, cheerful and varied character," says Anders Lundin, architect in charge at FOJAB.

Gaps between the houses create visual and physical links to the park below and provide a sense of alleyways as in older small coastal towns. An adjacent square becomes an important part of the connection between the beach, the old beach hotel and the park.

The idea of sustainability is consistent throughout Strandparken. The proposed materials - wooden facades and eco-concrete frames - are durable and hard-wearing, eco-labeled and preferably locally produced. The roofs are equipped with solar cells. Both housing and business premises are flexible for changing future needs. Social sustainability is strengthened by housing in different scales and designs that attract residents of different ages and economic conditions.

In small communal sheds, which mimic the design of the beach's bathing huts, there is space for workshops, greenhouses or bicycle storage, for example, creating opportunities for socializing, sharing and reuse. A path with a wetland for stormwater management makes the neighborhood resilient to potential flooding.

A land allocation agreement and detailed planning work are now pending. Construction is planned for 2023-2024, with occupancy in 2024.

84 apartments and hardly any two are the same. The last apartments in Aromalund, a new residential neighborhood in central Lund designed by FOJAB, are now being occupied. Head of Architecture Joachim Lundquist talks about one of the most exciting residential areas in Lund right now:

- This is a housing project where FOJAB's architectural philosophy - Place, People, Form - has had a major impact. In Aromalund, unpretentiousness, team spirit and great creative freedom have been success factors. And a shared desire to create something out of the ordinary. And the residents have been involved in the idea all the way from the detailed plan to the finished home.

The residential area is located next to King Oscar's Bridge, right where the stone city in the center meets the green residential neighborhoods in the west and where there was once an apple orchard. 67 of the 84 apartments are completely unique in their design. 22 are on one floor and several have a loft. All (except one studio) have at least one balcony or patio. The design of the homes is based on four different characters, based on four different ideas of living:

• Family function contains functional city apartments with large bright entrances.
• Stylish conviviality with large, elegant living areas.
• Classical composition is based on a turn-of-the-century penthouse.
• Creative concept are innovative apartments with a townhouse feel.

Each character has been applied to each of the five different buildings, and is reflected in everything from floor plans and stairwells to patios and the street environment. The neighborhood is varied, but is held together by the fact that the houses go tone in tone, in color and material.

- Working with a strong form is very important for us to create a clear identity. The form should also reflect the content and be based on a clear idea. We see this not least at Aromalund where the exterior and interior interact naturally and where both materials and feelings follow a common thread from the outside in," says Joachim Lundquist.

The first sod was recently turned for the new court building in Jönköping, which will house the Göta Court of Appeal and the Administrative Court of Appeal. After winning a competition, FOJAB has further developed the design.

- A prestigious assignment we are very proud of. Based on a strong idea, we have designed a building with clear character and architectural excellence," says Kjell Adamsson, responsible architect at FOJAB.

The new court building on Slottskajen will accommodate ten courtrooms and around 180 workplaces. The building volume is constructed in different scales and will connect the development along the western shore of Lake Munksjön, where the district court, administrative court and police station will be the closest neighbors.

- The new court will communicate respect and dignity, values that also characterize the existing court building from the 17th century. Through careful design, volume processing and choice of materials, the building is anchored in its local environment," says Kjell Adamsson.

Built to last over time
The façade is designed with light sand-colored ceramic elements. The depth and clear verticality of the facade creates an interesting shadow effect and contributes to the building's sun protection, and the vertical elements also regulate the degree of transparency and privacy. The project has high ambitions in terms of sustainability - the idea is that the court building will last for at least 400 years, just like its predecessor.

- With few, noble and sustainable materials that age beautifully over time, we give the building a long-term perspective and a materiality that is worthy of the important social function of the courts," says Jonas Ruthblad, supervising architect at FOJAB.

A public space with room for privacy
Based on the site's conditions and high demands on safety, function, environment and quality, the building will have a modern design that is well connected to the long history of judicial activities in Jönköping.

- There is a challenging contrast in its desire to be a public function in the city on the one hand and to meet people's need for privacy on the other. The aim has been to create a safe and calming environment for people who find themselves in a situation that can be difficult and stressful. A modern court as a representative of a healthy being requires that the design balances respect and dignity with openness and humility," concludes Kjell Adamsson.

Read more about Göta Hovrätt and the Court of Appeal

Jägersro trotting and racetrack will be transformed into a sustainable and integrated neighborhood, a place for people who value community and proximity to both urban life and nature. FOJAB is one of three architectural teams commissioned to produce the development proposals.

- We are really looking forward to being involved in developing the Malmö of the future," says Magdalena Hedman, commissioned architect at FOJAB.

In 1907, Sweden's first trotting and racing track was inaugurated at Jägersro in Malmö. As time has passed, the needs have changed and in 2018 Skånska travsällskapet decided to build a completely new facility east of the current one. The land was sold to SMT Malmö Exploatering AB, whose vision is to develop the most sustainable district in the Öresund region on the site.

At the beginning of the year, SMT invited a number of architectural firms to analyze the structure of the area and three have been selected. FOJAB, Mandaworks and Kanozi will work in parallel to further develop their proposals.

- The project is a unique opportunity to weave the same southeastern Malmö through new integrating structures such as safe routes and places, attractive buildings and sustainable green and blue structures," says Magdalena.

The assignment will be presented in mid-May, and the proposals will be evaluated by representatives of SMT and the City of Malmö, as well as experts.

- We have put together a hugely competent team with specialists in urban planning, traffic, climate and green issues, a team that is at the forefront of sustainability and urban planning. We will work creatively, idea-based and with a strong focus on the future to create the most sustainable district in Öresund," says Magdalena.

FACTS PROJECT JÄGERSRO

Location: Jägersro trotting track and the parking lot outside.
Area: 40 hectares
Construction start: 2024/2025
Completed: 2040-2050
Content: 4,000-5,000 homes + commercial and public service premises

An undulating sheet metal facade that evokes a frozen, rippled water surface and a vibrant ground floor with a café and gym. The Dockan parking garage in Västerås challenges the standard image of what a parking garage is and should be, and has earned FOJAB a finalist position in the PLATE AWARD 2021.

- It's really great fun, but also a bit unexpected. Traditionally, parking garages are probably not associated with good architecture and are not often seen as inviting and welcoming. We have worked actively to create a vibrant ground floor and a lovely facade - perhaps Dockan can become the natural meeting place of the neighborhood," says Anders Eriksson Modin, responsible architect at FOJAB.

Innovative technology, developed in FOJABlab
The PLATE AWARD 2021 is awarded to an architectural firm that in 2020 completed a building where the possibilities of the sheet metal facade are utilized and maximized based on form, function, innovation and environment. The facade of the Dockan parking garage consists of bent metal cassettes in an undulating pattern. The technique of bending along a curve is a new technique, developed in FOJABlab.

- The idea arose during an internal workshop where we tested bending paper along curves. In close cooperation with a sheet metal company, FOJAB has developed the technology and a digital simulation of the bending process. The result is a three-dimensional, varied and interesting surface. The facade sheet in Dockan is also unpainted, which gives it fantastic reflectivity. "Daylight causes the facade to change from blue and white to a deep dark red at sunset," says Petra Jenning, architect at FOJAB with design responsibility for the metal facade.

Sheet metal bent in place
Sustainability has been one of the guiding principles of the project. In addition to the parking garage offering green electricity charging and encouraging residents in the area to share cars in a collective car pool, the construction process has also focused on sustainable solutions. For example, the plates were delivered in flat packages and bent into their current shape on site, saving many transportation miles.

- Our goal was to create a sustainable building that ages beautifully and withstands wear and tear. A living building that gives something back to the city," says Anders.

Read more about the Dockan car park in Västerås.

"Falkenberg has a new landmark that exudes urbanity and well-studied entrance spaces", the jury concludes and awards Argus, Falkenberg's new knowledge and cultural center, the Architects Sweden Halland Prize 2020. We are of course both proud and happy about the award, says Charlotte Kristensson, Head of Knowledge Environments at FOJAB.

-We have created a living building with room for creativity, curiosity and discovery. The buildings are designed in such a way that there are good conditions for collaboration. Building community properties is an extensive investment, but through collaboration it becomes profitable," says Charlotte Kristensson, responsible architect for knowledge environments at FOJAB.

-"We took a holistic approach to the entire gigantic block in order to establish contact with the central city center and create the city park that Falkenberg residents have lacked until now," says Kjell Adamsson, vice president of FOJAB, who was the commissioned architect.

Sustainable, distinctive and timeless
In the design, FOJAB has placed great emphasis on creating a sustainable and architecturally strong character, a building that is both distinctive and timeless. The sustainability aspect is also emphasized in the jury's motivation: "The building's materials, both exterior and interior, are solid and durable and will stand the test of time. Argus is a welcoming meeting place for all ages that manifests the place of knowledge and culture in Falkenberg.."

Read more about Argus

A new, modern and stately city quarter that opens up and invites. The consultation period for Hornsberg 10 ended on January 25. In Castellum's neighborhood on western Kungsholmen, a major transformation is planned with attractive workplaces, public areas and an open ground floor with space for cafés, restaurants and shops.

- Our ambition is to create a natural destination, a place that attracts visitors. Today, Hornsberg is a rather motley neighborhood that is characterized by extensive alterations, additions and extensions. The ground floor is also completely enclosed. The new building will heal the neighborhood and create a coherent city block with mixed functions and a public ground floor - a new whole," says Jens Larsson, responsible architect at FOJAB.

Attractive workplaces and roof terrace for workouts
According to the proposal, two buildings on the property will be replaced by a new office volume that in scale connects to the other blocks on western Kungsholmen. Here, attractive, modern office environments will coexist with a generous range of services on the ground floor. The public areas will create added value for both the residents of the area and those who work in the property. On the roof terrace, outdoor workplaces with magnificent views are planned.

- In the design, we have taken inspiration from older industrial architecture that existed on the site and we continue to work with the brick tradition that exists in the area, for example in Hornberg's brewery. We also recreate a grand main entrance towards Lindhagensgatan and open up the ground floor with generous glass sections, which makes the neighborhood accessible in a completely new way," says Jens. 

FOJAB has signed an agreement with Stena Fastigheter to rent office space in the existing property Trikåfabriken at Möllevången in Malmö. An inspiring and creative environment with the opportunity to create sustainable architecture with a strong character and identity has guided the choice of the new premises. The property will undergo an extensive renovation and redevelopment.

For some time now, FOJAB has been looking for new premises for the Malmö office with the aim of taking the company to the next stage in the development of its architecture and brand.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to create our future office in Stena's property. Our new premises are designed with a focus on creating an inspiring and creative environment where we will develop our way of working and create a place where employees, clients and partners thrive. We look forward to continuing to deliver architecture in future assignments that is based on strong ideas with the aim of strengthening our clients' business," says Daniel Nord, CEO of FOJAB.

Trikåfabriken is a building with exciting architecture that we will preserve and enhance as much as possible. FOJAB will be responsible for the design and layout in connection with the development and reconstruction of the entire property. The area around Bergsgatan/Friisgatan is in an exciting development with many creative industries. We at FOJAB, together with Stena, will be involved in driving this development.

"Moving to this part of Malmö feels just right. There is a spirit of progress and innovation in the entire district and I am convinced that the premises will contribute to continued success. The location also offers very good communications and proximity to services and culture. We see these as important elements in a sustainable working life," continues Carl Kylberg, office manager at FOJAB in Malmö and Helsingborg.

- We look forward to a long-term collaboration and are very pleased that FOJAB has chosen our property for their new office in Malmö. The building has an exciting history in an attractive location and I am convinced that FOJAB together with us will create a sustainable office, which many people can enjoy," says Unni Sollbe, CEO of Stena Fastigheter.

FOJAB's current office is located in Dockan in Malmö. Moving into the new premises is expected to take place at the turn of the year 2021/2022.

FOJAB in Stockholm is strengthening its expertise in interior design and is investing in building an interior design group. Märta Friman has been recruited as an assignment manager responsible for building up the competence area in Stockholm.

Märta Friman is an interior designer and has previously held key positions at both White Arkitekter and Studio Stockholm. She most recently served as CEO of HV-Textil.

- We are very happy to have recruited Märta for this role. She has a broad base in interior design and architecture and great experience in building teams. We are making this investment because we see an increased demand for interior design services," says Jens Larsson, office manager at FOJAB in Stockholm.

Märta is a trained interior architect and furniture designer at Konstfack. 2007-2015 Märta was partner and responsible for White Stockholm's interior design department. In 2016 she was Studio Manager and commissioned interior designer at Studio Stockholm.

- The interior design industry faces many complex but exciting challenges ahead. How will we want and be able to work, live and move with our new experiences? I believe that the role of the interior designer is important now and I very much look forward to exploring these questions with my new colleagues at FOJAB," says Märta Friman.

Ms. Märta will start on 1 December.

FOJAB has designed Axis' new office in Lund, which will be a workplace for 1300 people. The building has a strong identity and character and is designed according to the company's needs and wishes. The block will be an exciting new meeting place where sustainable working life is at the center.

Axis' new office in Lund will be the face of the company and consists of a continuous building that is divided into several building bodies of varying heights that interact with each other. The main entrance is located in the corner of the block facing the Ideon area and inside there is a large, bright common entrance square with space for exhibitions, meetings and mingling. A generous staircase leads to the Axis restaurant and further up to the common, green courtyard. The crowning glory is a skylounge and a spacious roof terrace with a 360-degree view of the Scanian landscape.

The façade consists of a heavy natural stone clad base with light glass facades with white, angled slats on top. Once inside the building, visitors and employees are greeted by light, which is a recurring theme, while natural materials such as limestone and wood provide a warm and cozy feel. The office spaces are tailored to Axis' needs with both traditional cellular offices and open office landscapes with plenty of light. The office is designed with several different spatialities to suit different types of meetings and create conditions for creativity and innovation - important core values in Axis' corporate culture.

The block is part of the city planning office's goal to transform the Ideon Science Park research village in Lund into a city with clear blocks and sunny meeting places for everyone who works, researches or visits Ideon.

The work environment is designed with a sustainable working life in focus, and opportunities for sustainable travel have also been an important prerequisite. Each employee gets their own Axis bike, which can be cycled straight down into a garage with shower and changing rooms, and a gym with a glass roof that connects the gym to the common areas above.

- The idea is that the office should feel a bit like a home at work, with plenty of areas for employees to meet, train together and socialize with each other," says Andreas Jentsch, commissioned architect, FOJAB.

Read more about Axis Grenden

The Foajén office building in Malmö, which we designed for Jernhusen, wins the prestigious Sweden Green Building Award for BREEAM building of the year. 

Motivation of the jury:

"With a central location in Malmö, the property owner's ambition was to create a green and inviting neighborhood with many meeting places where people like to work, live and play. Foajén has been characterized by a committed collaboration between developer and contractor, with a strong focus on jointly building an organization that supports the implementation and follow-up of the certification."

The prize is awarded annually by the Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC) to reward and recognize projects and individuals who have made the best contribution to sustainable building.

- We are really happy about the win and it is a recognition that we, together with all good actors, can contribute to sustainable community building and change in the industry, says Charlotte Kristensson.

Read more about the Foyer

Residenset in Kristianstad is the winner of the Facade of the Year in the Renovation / Restoration category! The prize was awarded at Fasadforum on November 12. Facade of the Year is the construction industry's major prize for Sweden's best house facade. The competition aims to draw attention to construction that contributes to beautiful, interesting, exciting and sustainable houses.

Mattias Hedberg Ek at FOJAB has been appointed house architect for the Kristianstad Residence. On behalf of the National Property Board, the Residence has in recent years been renovated and adapted for new functions and tenants. An extensive facade renovation has been carried out in collaboration with Blasberg Andréasson Arkitekter in Lund, an architectural office specializing in renovations and new buildings in culturally valuable environments, and facade contractor Folkes bygg & byggnadsvård. Drachmann arkitekter has also participated.

Motivation of the jury:
Cultural history well worth preserving. This characterizes all the final nominated entries for the renovation award of the Facade of the Year. Sweden has a fantastic building history. The country is full of urban environments and individual buildings that give us all a sense of belonging both in the present and the past. Preserving and in many cases restoring buildings so that they can continue to enrich our country is invaluable. This year's winners show how crucial it is to have responsible, committed and competent project teams to achieve a top-class end result. Their attention to detail, level of execution and sensitivity to a building's origins have laid the foundation for their success.

Read more about the Residence in Kristianstad

Together with Peab, FOJAB has developed the winning proposal for the land allocation competition for a new neighborhood in Jönköping. The proposal is a residential neighborhood with a strong focus on social sustainability, public activities and invites for life-long living.

In April 2020, Jönköping municipality invited a land allocation competition to develop the Öljetten block in the new Skeppsbron district in Jönköping. The land allocation had a clear objective; a strong and clear idea of socially sustainable urban development and how to let it characterize the block.

The winning proposal, The Secret Garden, will be a residential neighborhood with a strong focus on social sustainability. The ambition of the project has been to create a neighborhood that invites living for a lifetime. The proposal includes different types of housing that are adaptable to the life situation. Special focus has been placed on meeting young people's needs for their own accommodation, security and social meetings. Among other things, the block will have a higher proportion of small apartments than a conventional housing project, with around 45% of the homes being one room. This enables young people to have their own accommodation at a reasonable cost.

- "We are very happy to be involved in creating the Öljetten block together with FOJAB. It is gratifying that Jönköping municipality has such a high level of ambition in terms of social sustainability. Our ambition is to create a safe, socially sustainable and exciting neighborhood that invites residents of all ages. It will be a neighborhood to meet and socialize in. We have a challenge in our industry to find apartment solutions that are more flexible with regard to the different stages of life than the traditional 1s, 2s and 3s. We hope to demonstrate this here," says Annike Thorén, District Manager at Peab.

The Öljetten block is a classic city block based on simple volumes in a robust frame. The block is given different characters, which provides the conditions for ground floors that spill out onto the street and various social functions that are added to urban life. Health, movement and common places for activity have been important aspects of the design proposal. The neighborhood will have many public activities and social functions such as a guest apartment, laundry lounge, coworking and bicycle workshop. In addition, there is "The Secret Garden", the pocket park, which is a lush, green oasis to which Jönköping residents are invited. The private courtyard life is lifted up to the roof where opportunities are provided for cultivation, physical activity and everyday movement.

Motivation of the jury:
"The Secret Garden is a very elaborate and fine proposal that has many basic qualities in structure, design and housing and that fits in well with the idea of what Skeppsbron should be in the future. The strength of the winning proposal in the issue of social sustainability is primarily about the focus on young people's housing and the desire to involve young people in the design of the neighborhood's common environments. There is also an exciting focus on health and movement in the proposal, also a key issue in a time of increased sedentary behavior among young people."

Daniel Nord, CEO of FOJAB, becomes a new board member of Innovationsföretagen, the industry and employer organization that represents innovative companies in the architecture and engineering industry.

At the extraordinary general meeting held on October 15, Daniel Nord was elected to the board of Innovationsföretagen. Daniel is a partner and CEO at FOJAB and has worked in the company since 1998, both as an architect and since 2010 as CEO. Daniel has extensive experience as an assignment manager for large architectural assignments, strategic management issues and business development. In recent years, he has driven issues in sustainability, digitization and skills development. FOJAB is southern Sweden's largest architectural office with offices in Malmö, Stockholm and Helsingborg. The company is owner-led.

- I am delighted with the confidence placed in me and look forward, as a board member, to being involved in driving and developing our conditions. I am very interested in conditions, values and changes in the industry. We have many future challenges in digitalization and sustainability but also structural changes in the industry where I hope to be able to contribute with my experience and the regional perspective, says Daniel Nord.

Innovationsföretagen represents more than 720 member companies with nearly 40 000 employees in the knowledge-intensive service sector. The association works to create the best possible conditions for a world-leading architecture and engineering industry.

Studenternas in Uppsala is a mythical place, historically the home of Sirius and host of the Swedish Championship final in bandy. The area is beautifully situated along the Fyrisån river and the site is established in the city. Here, FOJAB has designed the football stadium, new parts of the bandy arena, two new squares - together it has become a completely new meeting place in central Uppsala.

Studenternas is part of the work to develop the southern riverside area. The aim is to create a more attractive, well-attended and safer arena area while giving the arena access to more services. The central location of the Studenternas makes it important to integrate the area into the city and make it a year-round meeting place.

The idea has been to embrace the open values of the surrounding park and thus become a natural part of Uppsala. The goal is an active arena area that is never closed. An arena area with strong appeal that can be used in everyday life and is only partially closed on match days. In addition to the arena, which can accommodate up to 10,500 spectators at all-Swedish matches, there is also a café/restaurant, gym, shops, health care, conference facilities and offices. The artificial grass pitch makes it possible to use the arena more frequently, this is utilized and today the arena is used as a home arena for three elite teams (Sirius, IK Uppsala and Dalkurd) both for matches and training.

The football stadium is connected to an office building that makes the facility flexible. The main stand is integrated into the higher office volume located along Sjukhusvägen on the west side of the stadium. This connection provides a natural division between the hot and cold public areas of football. Football's VIP rooms are located in the warm areas of the main stand, with their own terrace in the upper stand and a view of the pitch. Premises located on the ground floor towards the entrance square on Sjukhusvägen and the arena square towards the park, are outward-looking to create attractive environments around the arena.

The stadium space is dense and enveloping to achieve proximity to the pitch for a better football experience from the stands. The foyers on the north and west sides are positioned so that the audience never loses contact with the football in the inner court. They have been placed at the level of the entrance square on Sjukhusvägen so that the foyer area can also function as a meeting place in everyday life.

On the eastern side towards the river, the building heights are kept lower for a more human scale towards the park. Arenatorget is an open gathering place that works for large crowds at matches and for various everyday activities. Arenatorget forms the link to Stadsträdgården and becomes part of the park and the places along the river. The arena is more urban in its choice of materials towards Sjukhusvägen where the facades, ground treatment and main stands are built in processed concrete with glass facades. The lower stands with roofs that are more in a park environment are built in wood, which fits better in this calmer environment. Kiosks, toilets and restaurant facades have been given a high-pressure laminate board in wood color as a facade material, these volumes become visible and keep the identity of the facility together.

It has been important to preserve and enhance the quality of the park adjacent to the new football stadium. By allowing the park and its character to spill over into the slightly more urban environment at the football stadium, the park path is widened and provides a more generous green environment around the stadium. The spaces between the buildings are also enhanced by designing them for different activities so that they can be included in the park path in a natural way.