Oslo-based architecture practice Oslotre Architects has completed an "all-timber office building" with curved wooden façade in the town of Kristiansand, Norway.

Named Lumber Building 4, the 3,106-square-metre building is the first and biggest mass timber commercial building in southern Norway. According to Oslotre Architects, when compared to conventional steel and concrete buildings, it has shown to be economically competitive.

The building constructed in a record amount of time using creative solutions and a high degree of prefabrication, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 53 per cent and was taxonomy aligned.

The structure is made entirely of wood, which serves as a protective, insulating, and constructive material. Today, Lumber Building 4 serves as headquarters for Green Tech companies.

The six-story Lumber building houses offices and commercial space. Offices occupy the five floors above, with retail space occupying the recessed first floor.

The building takes advantage of the communication core that was built during the earlier phase of construction for access to the office floors and bracing. 

Gulam is used for the columns and beams, while CLT and concrete are used in tandem to build the decks. There is an opening to an atrium with an internal staircase in CLT between the third and fourth floors. 

The facade is made up of prefabricated, curved pieces covered in green tar.

For more than ten years, Oslotre, a design-build architectural firm, has focused on wood and timber structures. The group of engineers, architects, and carpenters contributes creativity and knowledge to the use of wood as a building material. 

Image © Oslotre AS

Image © Oslotre AS

Image © Oslotre AS

Project facts

Building/Project name: Lumber Building 4 

Location: Lumberveien 27, 4621 Kristiansand 

Municipality: Kristiansand 

Completion date: 2023 

Client: Skeie Eiendom 

Contractor: VEF Entrepreneurs 

Project management: Innovatre 

Architect: Oslotre AS 

Architectural Team Members: Jørgen Tycho Architect MNAL, Christoffer Imislund m.arch., Katrin Wilde Sampaio, Kristine Karklina 

Interior Architect and Team Members: Amanda Skadeberg – Oslotre 

Landscape Architect and Team Members: Hanne Alnæs and Kaja Tellefsen Wivestad from Asplan Viak 

Consultants:

Structural Engineer (Wood): Oslotre AS

Structural Engineer (Concrete): Multiconsult AS

Structural Engineer (Building Services): Sweco AS

Acoustic Consultant: Sweco AS

Ventilation Engineer: Rivco AS

Electrical Engineer: Bravida AS

Water and Sewage Engineer: Vianova

Fire Safety Engineer: Rambøll

Fire Safety Engineer (Wood): Rambøll

Fire Safety Engineer (Concrete): Rambøll

Ecologist: Rambøll

BREEAM Consultant: Rambøll

Delivery of Solid Timber and Glulam: Splitkon

Gross Floor Area: 3106 m2 

All images © Kyrre Sundal unless otherwise stated. 

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