Daylight factor
The daylight factor (the ratio between interior illuminance measured at a workplane height – to the exterior illuminance under overcast sky conditions) is normally used to evaluate if there is sufficient daylight in a room (for a given visual task). An average daylight factor (DF) of 5% or more will ensure that an interior looks substantially daylit (according to the British Lighting Guide, CIBSE 1997). The horizontal illuminance simulations done for the Kolding Company House showed that all 3 floors would be having plenty of daylight.
The DF values obtained through the simulations ranged from 6% to 20% near the openings, and from 2% to 6% in the middle of the open space floors. The ground floor and second floor were the ones with the highest values. The daylight factor value spread on the floors shows interesting variations in values, promoting an environment with high visual interest.
Daylight factor
The daylight factor (the ratio between interior illuminance measured at a workplane height – to the exterior illuminance under overcast sky conditions) is normally used to evaluate if there is sufficient daylight in a room (for a given visual task). An average daylight factor (DF) of 5% or more will ensure that an interior looks substantially daylit (according to the British Lighting Guide, CIBSE 1997). The horizontal illuminance simulations done for the Kolding Company House showed that all 3 floors would be having plenty of daylight.
The DF values obtained through the simulations ranged from 6% to 20% near the openings, and from 2% to 6% in the middle of the open space floors. The ground floor and second floor were the ones with the highest values. The daylight factor value spread on the floors shows interesting variations in values, promoting an environment with high visual interest.
Modern offices demand daylight
In a new office building, daylight is an essential requirement for work areas – together with a good indoor climate and architecture that is a bit different.
Company House is the name of a new kind of commercial building where many large companies rent space and share such advantages as a canteen, large conference rooms and waiting areas in a building in which architectural quality and flexibility are at the top of the agenda. In such a situation a company can often grow and expand merely by renting another floor. NCC Property Development A/S has developed the concept in Denmark and a similar property has been built in the new Copenhagen suburb of Ørestaden.
VELUX became a Company House tenant early on in the project and has thus had the opportunity to collaborate with the architecture firm Arkitema. Architect Torben Lodberg recalls the way things went: “When VELUX became one the players in the design elaboration of Company House, a final wing was added to the building, giving it not only more square metres but also a stronger identity. VELUX placed considerable demands for the working conditions of its employees but has ended up with a wing that offers many architectural experiences.”
Office in a park
Co mpany House is the second building to be completed in the planned Company Park in northern Kolding in Jutland.
Its location is ideal – it is highly visible and close to the motorway network and the airport. The area, which has been earmarked for commercial property development, is one of great scenic beauty that has been preserved and accentuated with the phased development. An existing moraine hill has been emphasised by the creation of two lakes at its foot. On the approach road, Vejlevej, the complex will stand out – as Company House does – as a well-composed and striking island of urbanity in the country landscape. Behind the facade, the rest of the building will be lower and more spread out, with parking spaces and recreational areas for all employees in the complex. The next building is already in the planning stages.
Modern architecture firm at the helm
The series of domiciles and ‘commercial communes’ has been carefully pieced together from an overall development plan for the area and a manual of materials to be used has been produced to ensure continuity throughout a long construction period. With the first two buildings, AON Danmark A/S and Company House, Arkitema has set a style, with zinc and white plastered brick surfaces as the predominant material. This choice has already proven itself in terms of architectural flexibility. Arkitema is one of the largest architecture firms in Denmark, with weighty experience in planning and office building. The company designed its own office building in Århus, a well-functioning and transparent open-plan office environment. The firm always encourages an open working process that for VELUX in particular has granted considerable influence and enriched the project as a whole.
Shared space with three floors
The 280 or so employees working at Company House share access to the building. Immediately obvious is the clear structure that concludes the open thoroughfare that forms the entrance hall. There is easy access to the three wings – extending east, west and north. The entrance hall faces south, opening up onto a terraced area for everyone’s use. The ‘main street’ is three storeys high and is the traffic hub of the entire building.
An elegant staircase leads directly up to each rented area and bridges between the wings facilitate access between them. The bridges were also planned to act as ‘pause zones’ and bring life to the large open space that is equipped with café furniture and plants at ground floor level. The ‘main street’ grants access to the large shared canteen and the conference rooms that contain every kind of modern AV aid, making the space suitable for training courses. The street is an airy and comfortable space that manages to create a positive atmosphere of traffic and interconnectedness. With large glass surfaces facing south and with the entrance area and roof windows, the ‘street’ is also a space that changes with the seasons and time of day. The three wings are organised with a whitewashed ‘ridge’ facing the ‘street’ with windows that open up onto the large, light room. Apart from the fact that the employees enjoy the light flooding in from the central thoroughfare, the windows also break up the high, smooth surfaces and allow a glimpse into the offices.
Masses of daylight
At VELUX in Company House Kolding, great consideration has been given to the well-being of the employees. To optimise light conditions and help create spatial variation, a further element was added to the VELUX wing – the ‘cut’, which admits daylight into the office along its entire length. It is like a nerve running through the wing that brings light – and life – to the floors. VELUX has carried out a special analysis of the light in the premises, taking into account the geographical location and the path of the sun throughout the day and the year. It shows that the employees work in a comfortable and even level of daylight.
From the closed ridge, with its utility functions, you move along the link bridges to the office areas. Like the spacious ‘street’, the bridges bring their own dynamics and variation in the experience of the place. At the top of this internal street, windows ensure the natural ventilation that was an integral part of the design from the very beginning. From windows positioned at the top of the facade, fresh air streams in, flows along the ‘cut’ and upwards. The VELUX windows in the sloping roof surface can be operated either manually or automatically with the new technology io-homecontrol®.
Fruitful collaboration
The project is an example of the fact that it pays off to work together and set the focus on the important requirements of a place of work, such as daylight, comfortable indoor climate and an architectural experience.
At the same time, the companies, including VELUX, enjoy the advantages of sharing the building – both the practical assets, like the canteen, and the benefits of being in a building designed for flexibility and appropriate use of resources. A synergy effect will arise between the companies in Company House that will be of benefit to them all. The building has a great deal to offer architecturally that will enhance the positive long-term experience. Architect Torben Lodberg of Arkitema is delighted with the open process that made it possible for VELUX to make its mark not just on its own square metres but also on the building as a whole – “the project shows that when you have the ambition and the will, you can create visible results that turn out to be a good investment”.
Masses of daylight
At VELUX in Company House Kolding, great consideration has been given to the well-being of the employees. To optimise light conditions and help create spatial variation, a further element was added to the VELUX wing – the ‘cut’, which admits daylight into the office along its entire length. It is like a nerve running through the wing that brings light – and life – to the floors. VELUX has carried out a special analysis of the light in the premises, taking into account the geographical location and the path of the sun throughout the day and the year. It shows that the employees work in a comfortable and even level of daylight.
From the closed ridge, with its utility functions, you move along the link bridges to the office areas. Like the spacious ‘street’, the bridges bring their own dynamics and variation in the experience of the place. At the top of this internal street, windows ensure the natural ventilation that was an integral part of the design from the very beginning. From windows positioned at the top of the facade, fresh air streams in, flows along the ‘cut’ and upwards. The VELUX windows in the sloping roof surface can be operated either manually or automatically with the new technology io-homecontrol®.
Fruitful collaboration
The project is an example of the fact that it pays off to work together and set the focus on the important requirements of a place of work, such as daylight, comfortable indoor climate and an architectural experience.
At the same time, the companies, including VELUX, enjoy the advantages of sharing the building – both the practical assets, like the canteen, and the benefits of being in a building designed for flexibility and appropriate use of resources. A synergy effect will arise between the companies in Company House that will be of benefit to them all. The building has a great deal to offer architecturally that will enhance the positive long-term experience. Architect Torben Lodberg of Arkitema is delighted with the open process that made it possible for VELUX to make its mark not just on its own square metres but also on the building as a whole – “the project shows that when you have the ambition and the will, you can create visible results that turn out to be a good investment”.
Masses of daylight
At VELUX in Company House Kolding, great consideration has been given to the well-being of the employees. To optimise light conditions and help create spatial variation, a further element was added to the VELUX wing – the ‘cut’, which admits daylight into the office along its entire length. It is like a nerve running through the wing that brings light – and life – to the floors. VELUX has carried out a special analysis of the light in the premises, taking into account the geographical location and the path of the sun throughout the day and the year. It shows that the employees work in a comfortable and even level of daylight.
From the closed ridge, with its utility functions, you move along the link bridges to the office areas. Like the spacious ‘street’, the bridges bring their own dynamics and variation in the experience of the place. At the top of this internal street, windows ensure the natural ventilation that was an integral part of the design from the very beginning. From windows positioned at the top of the facade, fresh air streams in, flows along the ‘cut’ and upwards. The VELUX windows in the sloping roof surface can be operated either manually or automatically with the new technology io-homecontrol®.
Fruitful collaboration
The project is an example of the fact that it pays off to work together and set the focus on the important requirements of a place of work, such as daylight, comfortable indoor climate and an architectural experience.
At the same time, the companies, including VELUX, enjoy the advantages of sharing the building – both the practical assets, like the canteen, and the benefits of being in a building designed for flexibility and appropriate use of resources. A synergy effect will arise between the companies in Company House that will be of benefit to them all. The building has a great deal to offer architecturally that will enhance the positive long-term experience. Architect Torben Lodberg of Arkitema is delighted with the open process that made it possible for VELUX to make its mark not just on its own square metres but also on the building as a whole – “the project shows that when you have the ambition and the will, you can create visible results that turn out to be a good investment”.
Architect: Arkitema k/s | Denmark | Photographer: Torben Eskerod Modern offices demand daylight In a new office building, daylight is an essential requirement for work areas – together with a good indoor climate and architecture that is a bit different. Company House is the name of a new kind of commercial building where many large companies rent space and share such advantages as a canteen, large conference rooms and waiting areas in a building in which architectural quality and flexibility are at the top of the agenda. In such a situation a company can often grow and expand merely by renting another floor. NCC Property Development A/S has developed the concept in Denmark and a similar property has been built in the new Copenhagen suburb of Ørestaden. VELUX became a Company House tenant early on in the project and has thus had the opportunity to collaborate with the architecture firm Arkitema. Architect Torben Lodberg recalls the way things went: “When VELUX became one the players in the design elaboration of Company House, a final wing was added to the building, giving it not only more square metres but also a stronger identity. VELUX placed considerable demands for the working conditions of its employees but has ended up with a wing that offers many architectural experiences.” Office in a park Co mpany House is the second building to be completed in the planned Company Park in northern Kolding in Jutland. Its location is ideal – it is highly visible and close to the motorway network and the airport. The area, which has been earmarked for commercial property development, is one of great scenic beauty that has been preserved and accentuated with the phased development. An existing moraine hill has been emphasised by the creation of two lakes at its foot. On the approach road, Vejlevej, the complex will stand out – as Company House does – as a well-composed and striking island of urbanity in the country landscape. Behind the facade, the rest of the building will be lower and more spread out, with parking spaces and recreational areas for all employees in the complex. The next building is already in the planning stages. Modern architecture firm at the helm The series of domiciles and ‘commercial communes’ has been carefully pieced together from an overall development plan for the area and a manual of materials to be used has been produced to ensure continuity throughout a long construction period. With the first two buildings, AON Danmark A/S and Company House, Arkitema has set a style, with zinc and white plastered brick surfaces as the predominant material. This choice has already proven itself in terms of architectural flexibility. Arkitema is one of the largest architecture firms in Denmark, with weighty experience in planning and office building. The company designed its own office building in Århus, a well-functioning and transparent open-plan office environment. The firm always encourages an open working process that for VELUX in particular has granted considerable influence and enriched the project as a whole. Simple and striking structure
The three adjoining wings are all structures with a closed ‘ridge’ with facilities such as toilets, photocopying rooms, small offices and other utilities. The introverted function is emphasised by the intense, monolithic, white shape and the small windows opening onto the street. From the outside, the ends of the small white structures are perceived as a contrast to the long zinc-clad facades. The VELUX wing stands out by not only having the closed white ‘ridge’ but also the obviously apparent elements of the ‘screen’ and the ‘cut’. All three wings have zinc facades but the VELUX wing is more noticeable because of a sloping zinc facade that extends the roof surface like a mansard roof. Vertical bands of windows in two sizes have been inserted into the ‘screen’ that brings north light to the VELUX employees in the large open-plan offices.
The VELUX windows are installed in a recess in the sloping surface, their column appearance further emphasised by standing out in gleaming aluminium in contrast to the zinc facade. Under the sloping zinc ‘screen’ that covers the two upper floors, the ground floor of the north facade consists of an aluminium window system.
The lightness of the glass sections is a beautiful contrast to the mass and vertical lines of the zinc screen. Similarly, the window section in the gable ends helps accentuate the folded zinc screen in a very precise architectural fashion.
The classic mansard roof as completion of the facade.
The profile of the mansard roof is extended, and covers 2/3 of the facade.
Bands of VELUX windows give daylight to the building.
Modern offices demand daylight
In a new office building, daylight is an essential requirement for work areas – together with a good indoor climate and architecture that is a bit different.
Company House is the name of a new kind of commercial building where many large companies rent space and share such advantages as a canteen, large conference rooms and waiting areas in a building in which architectural quality and flexibility are at the top of the agenda. In such a situation a company can often grow and expand merely by renting another floor. NCC Property Development A/S has developed the concept in Denmark and a similar property has been built in the new Copenhagen suburb of Ørestaden.
VELUX became a Company House tenant early on in the project and has thus had the opportunity to collaborate with the architecture firm Arkitema. Architect Torben Lodberg recalls the way things went: “When VELUX became one the players in the design elaboration of Company House, a final wing was added to the building, giving it not only more square metres but also a stronger identity. VELUX placed considerable demands for the working conditions of its employees but has ended up with a wing that offers many architectural experiences.”
Office in a park
Co mpany House is the second building to be completed in the planned Company Park in northern Kolding in Jutland.
Its location is ideal – it is highly visible and close to the motorway network and the airport. The area, which has been earmarked for commercial property development, is one of great scenic beauty that has been preserved and accentuated with the phased development. An existing moraine hill has been emphasised by the creation of two lakes at its foot. On the approach road, Vejlevej, the complex will stand out – as Company House does – as a well-composed and striking island of urbanity in the country landscape. Behind the facade, the rest of the building will be lower and more spread out, with parking spaces and recreational areas for all employees in the complex. The next building is already in the planning stages.
Modern architecture firm at the helm
The series of domiciles and ‘commercial communes’ has been carefully pieced together from an overall development plan for the area and a manual of materials to be used has been produced to ensure continuity throughout a long construction period. With the first two buildings, AON Danmark A/S and Company House, Arkitema has set a style, with zinc and white plastered brick surfaces as the predominant material. This choice has already proven itself in terms of architectural flexibility. Arkitema is one of the largest architecture firms in Denmark, with weighty experience in planning and office building. The company designed its own office building in Århus, a well-functioning and transparent open-plan office environment. The firm always encourages an open working process that for VELUX in particular has granted considerable influence and enriched the project as a whole.
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