Project

Carlsberg’s new head office in Denmark presents sustainable solutions

Carlsberg’s new head office

Carlsberg’s new head office is adapted to its historic surroundings by lowering the height of the building against the smaller houses and Carl Jacobsen’s mansion, and by designing the façade with multiple tiers. The result is a building that harmoniously blends in with its surroundings and from the inside has a view from almost every single workstation. Photo: Carlsberg.

The construction encompasses multiple green solutions, such as bamboo floors and facades made of recycled copper. Solar panels on the roof reduce energy consumption, and green rooftops contribute to collect rainwater, which is led into the lake in Carl Jacobsen’s garden. NIRAS has consulted on all engineering disciplines.

July 1, 2020
  • SDG: #7, #11
  • SECTORS: Building, Food & Beverage
  • COUNTRIES: Denmark
  • CLIENT: Carlsberg A/S
  • DURATION: 2015-2020
  • Scope: 23,270 m² (15,585 m² offices & 7.685 m² basement and parking)
  • Client consultant: EKJ Consulting Engineers
  • Contractor: Aarsleff
  • Architect: C.F. Møller Architects
  • Landscape: C.F. Møller Architects
  • Engineer: NIRAS

Carlsberg’s new headquarters, measuring 15,585 square meters, is located in the North-western corner of Carlsberg City District in Copenhagen. One of the building’s three wings creates a bridge over one of the district’s main roads, J.C. Jacobsens Gade, while the remaining two wings embrace Carls Jacobsen’s garden and mansion.

The building is a sustainable piece of construction with durable, long-lasting solutions made in natural materials.

Carlsberg Head Office Gulve Af Bambus
The floors inside are covered by either grinded concrete or bamboo, which are extra robust materials. The bamboo plant is fast growing, requires less water and absorbs more CO2 than traditional tree sorts. Photo: Tine Bek.

The beautiful copper façade is made up of 50 per cent recycled copper. The copper transmits memories back to the old copper kettles used for brewing beer, and simultaneously refers to the many elegant copper details on the historic buildings around the Carlsberg City District.

To reduce the energy consumption of the building, Carlsberg has installed solar panels on the roof and rooftops with grass, which contribute to collect rainwater that is subsequently led into the lake in Carl Jacobsen’s public garden. Rainwater that has been in contact with the copper is collected separately and rinsed before diverted.

Room for 700 permanent workstations and approx. 900 employees

The tallest point of the building is 18 meters from the top of Valby Hill. The four floors have a capacity for 700 employees. Beneath the building is a three-story underground parking garage.

Fleksible modefaciliteter
The office includes modern and flexible offices and meeting facilities as well as service functions, such as a canteen with its own production kitchen. Photo: Tine Bek

Responsible for all engineering disciplines

NIRAS has consulted on all engineering disciplines, sustainability, energy design, indoor climate, acoustics, and local rainwater diversion. Furthermore, NIRAS has been in charge of 3D-projection, inspections, design- and ICT management, as well as safety.

Location

Carlsberg’s new head office is located on the same street as where the old Carlsberg brewery was originally founded in 1847 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, and where Carlsberg Laboratory is currently located.

Oversigtstegning CF Moeller
One of the building’s three wings creates a bridge over one of the main roads in the district, C.J. Jacobsens gade, while the remaining two wings embrace Carls Jacobsen’s garden and mansion. Drawing: C.F. Møllers Architects .

For the first time in history, Carlsberg Laboratory will be physically connected to the headquarters with a hallway from the 1,685 square meter parking garage.

The very first basements beneath Carlsberg were built concurrently with the original brewery in 1847, and have since been expanded by more than seven km. The Laboratory has however never been connected to the headquarters until now.

Brewer Carl Jacobsen was the only son of J.C. Jacobsen, and Carlsberg is named after Carl.

Building technical measures on the new Carslberg Head Office

  • Diaphragm walls to establish construction pit and permanent waterproof "shield". The walls are established very close to existing buildings, 1.5 m from the research centre 15 m down. Close to public road and need for temporary ground anchors in several levels on public road and on plot of other landowner.
  • Double sole plate construction with ground anchors to the lime
  • Large one-sided earth pressure
  • Temporary lowering of secondary water levels
  • Tunnel under road and associated rerouting of major water and gas pipelines.
  • Bridge membrane over tunnel and free part of underground parking garage
  • Shell with column beam system and stabilising core and concrete element/shuttering slab.
  • Regular three-storey underground parking garage with upper load-distributing 700mm thick concrete slab to absorb loads from four overlying floors
  • Two lattice bridges two storeys high above J.C. Jacobsens Gade
  • Light penthouse floor with solar panels on the roof
  • Many facade bends and terraced roofs
  • Apart from exhaust, there is no ventilation technology on the roof
  • All technology is in basements
  • air intake in facades
  • Three primary shafts to the top floor, another two only to the second-highest floor
  • Ramp heating in the descent to the underground parking garage
  • Heating and district cooling centres
  • Cooling units in copying and x-field rooms.
  • Sprinkler central, primary building, and dry sprinkling of frost-free underground parking garage
  • Copper facade and consequent separate rainwater collection and purification of copper-exposed rainwater.
  • Lake in garden as retention basin
  • Sub-drilled overflow pipe from lake in the garden to J.C. Jacobsens Gade
  • Pumps for drains and wastewater
  • Cooling/heating ceilings in combination with cooling on ventilation
  • Softening systems and UV systems for controlling water quality in secondary cooling/heating circuits (hardness and biofilm)
  • Fixed plastered plaster ceilings
  • Dew point control
  • IBI (Intelligent Building Installations) zones for light control, sun shielding, ventilation (temperature and CO2 level controlled)
  • Stick facade system with very large window panes > 12m2 three-layer windows with internal blinds
  • Hub atrium with 22 m high in-situ concrete columns, AOC facade with external blinds
  • Water technology central for fountains
  • Use of cavity-adjusting insulation over suspended ceiling
  • Clear separation of front and back office
  • Flexible seating – personal boxes via card
  • Automatic fire alarm system and notification
  • Nanoperforated wood veneer walls due to acoustics and aesthetics
  • Conscious choice to make employees pass the reception

Get in touch

Niels Rosenberg

Niels Rosenberg

Senior Project Director

Allerød, Denmark

+45 2033 6651

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