For the Norwegian SpareBank, the architects of Helen & Hard and SAAHA have designed one of the largest office buildings made of wood in Northern Europe: Bjergsted Financial Park in Stavanger, Norway.
Next to the light beech wood, glass is the dominant building material. The architects’ goal was to use natural materials to create a sustainable workplace that is both healthy and inspiring. Last but not least, the choice of materials also took into account the wish to reduce the emissions generated during construction. The result was an impressive yet welcoming architecture for Norway’s second-largest banking group.
At the centre of the seven-story building is the light-flooded atrium. The light-diffusing Glas Trösch’s OKALUX K 3-pane insulating glass with a capillary plate installed in the space between the panes ensures uniform and shadow-free illumination with daylight deep into the room. This not only puts the impressive wooden structure in the right light. The diverse work and meeting possibilities in the atrium are also provided with a pleasant atmosphere. The sculptural wooden staircase, which winds up floor by floor, is the form-giving element here.