Closely connected - reaching new heights

With its eleven storeys, Fyrtornet – which means „lighthouse“ in English – is Sweden’s tallest wooden office building.

The new building rising in the south of Malmö was developed by Granitor Projects AB and is a central component of the sustainable urban district development Embassy of Sharing in the Hyllie neighborhood. Here, it embodies the principles of sustainability, resource efficiency, and circular economy – setting new benchmarks for future-oriented construction in Scandinavia.

Sheltered by an overhanging roof, the entrance area of this flagship project by Wingårdh Architects leads on the ground floor into a public foyer with communal spaces. One floor above houses the district library, followed by office levels that feature triple-height glazed terraces. The building is topped by a communal rooftop garden offering views over the Öresund Strait.

Structure and construction - efficient and innovative

Structurally, the new building combines a solid timber construction with two closed façades clad in red cedar shingles and two glazed façades featuring integrated solar panels. The glass façades are designed as double-skin façades, with an inclined outer layer and a vertical inner layer. This configuration not only makes the timber structure visible from the outside, but also creates sheltered, recessed social spaces that can be used as winter gardens or green retreats

The irregular floor plans of Fyrtornet – shaped by small office units, open communal areas, and a recessed ground floor – posed a structural challenge. The solid timber construction must safely absorb both high vertical and horizontal loads. A wind tunnel-based structural analysis formed the basis for a cost-effective and efficient bracing concept. From this, a system was developed consisting of glulam (glue-laminated timber) diagonals spanning up to three floors, as well as an internal cross-laminated timber (CLT) core containing two elevator shafts and a staircase. The columns and beams are made of glulam (BSH), while the floor slabs are constructed from cross-laminated timber (CLT/BBS).

Glass facades on the ground floor - quick and precise installation

To minimize the assembly time of the office tower, all connections of the solid timber components were largely prefabricated by the timber supplier. For the fast and secure attachment of the glass façades on the ground and upper floors, the façade contractor UBA also used RICON® EA single connectors and RICON® double connectors.

The short tightening and insertion path of the identical connector parts facilitates hooking in and enables a flush, precise installation of the components with optimal screw spacing. This further reduced the installation effort. Additionally, the RICON connectors can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled, offering a time-saving advantage if a façade panel ever needs to be replaced.

Projektdaten:

• Year of construction: 2024
• Timber Construction: Binderholz
• Architect: Wingårdhs Architekten
• General Contractor: Byggnadsfirman Otto Magnusson
• Facade: UBA Glas & Fasad AB
• Client: Granitor Property Development
• Construction Method: Modern Wood Curtain Walls
• Connectors: RICON® 80/40 EA and RICON® 80/40 DA

Photos: Wingårdhs Architekten