2021-11-09
Portal building in Karlskrona's new district inaugurated
Karlskrona's World Trade Center, the portal building in the new central district of Pottholmen, is now being inaugurated. A five-storey office building with a facade of folded corten steel, alluding to the area's industrial history.
Pottholmen is in the process of being transformed from a closed railway yard area to Karlskrona's new entrance. With the World Trade Center, designed by FOJAB in collaboration with property owner OBOS Kärnhem, the city will have a new meeting point in a strategic location next to the travel center and railway square.
- "I am proud that OBOS Kärnhem can contribute to creating a hub for business in the region and WTC Karlskrona will be a symbol of the region's innovative thinking and forward thinking. Together with FOJAB, we have created a modern and flexible office building with a strong environmental focus," says Malin Svensson, CEO of OBOS Kärnhem.
The main architectural elements are drawn from the surroundings: the shipyard, military history and the archipelago. The building takes the form of a classic city block with simple volumes around a leafy courtyard. The composition of the façade borrows from Karlskrona's historic street scenes, while a band of low windows creates bright, comfortable rooms.
- We want to take advantage of the view of the sea and the greenery. The deeply folded facade shades itself, so there is no need for shutters. At the same time, there is a beautiful shadow effect on the facade that makes it come alive," says Stefan Johannson, responsible architect at FOJAB.
The rustic and robust corten steel anchors the building to the site, alluding both to Falu's red color and the city's history of boat building and shipbuilding.
- The steel withstands the coastal climate well and will only get more beautiful over the years," says Stefan Johansson.
