K2S Architects, Ltd.

Arctia Headquarters

Arctia Headquarters
Aerial

Arctia Headquarters 

K2S Architects

ARCHITECTS
K2s Architects

MANUFACTURERS
Rmig

AREA
950 m²

YEAR
2013

LOCATION
Helsinki, Finland

CATEGORY
Office Buildings

Text description provided by architect.

Docked icebreakers are an essential part of the Katajanokka-shore environment.

Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen
Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen

The new head-quarters of Arctia Shipping Ltd. will be placed in a floating office building in front of the listed main building of the Finnish ministry of Foreign Affairs which was originally designed by C.L.Engel.

The horizontal massing and customized black steel facades relate to the black hulls of the adjacent ice breaker ships.

Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen
Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman

The headquarters building can be seen as one the vessels. The interior of the black “steel ship” is constructed of lacquered wood which related to earlier ship building traditions. The facades of the building are made of customized wave pattern steel profile.

There is a gradient and abstract pattern perforated on the steel profiles which relates to ice crystals and sailor textile patterns.

Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman
Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman

The building will be completed on a shipyard in western Finland and towed to site. There is a water ballast system which will maintain the floor level of the office building in the same level as the dock.


Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman
Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen
Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman
Arctia Headquarters
© Mika Huisman
Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen
Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen
Arctia Headquarters
© Marko Huttunen


Arctia Headquarters
Plan
Arctia Headquarters
Site Plan


Arctia Headquarters
Detail
Arctia Headquarters
Section


Arctia Headquarters
Elevation
Arctia Headquarters
Elevation
Arctia Headquarters
Elevation
Arctia Headquarters
Elevation

K2S Architects, Ltd.
T +358 9 68313961
K2S Architects, Ltd.
Kalevankatu 31, 00100 Helsinki, Finland