Nykredit’s Floating Office Building

In order to improve the transparency and openness of mortgage bank Nykredit, Schmidt Hammer Lassen designed its new headquarters next to Copenhagen’s harbor. The bank’s brand-new HQ, one of the largest corporate buildings in Denmark, consists of a ten-storey glass structure with an atrium flooded with natural light. The combination of glass and light does not only create a relation between the departments, but it also creates a strong link between the city and the water.

The Crystal is not only impressive from the outside but also from the inside. The building’s most impressive feature is its open atrium that contains several floating cubes that are suspended 50 feet above the ground floor, enabling people outside the building to see what activities take place in the building. Additionally, employees are able to see what happens on the water and in the city. The mutual accessibility provides a lively office and environment. Several international artists took care of the building’s decoration, including painter Olav Christopher and sculptors Per Kirkeby and Anita Jørgensen.

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