B58 Office for Octapharma

Johan Eldrot

A new architectural volume bridges the old with the new as Octapharma expands with a new office and technical building in Hornsberg, Stockholm

• Architects

Octapharma has long operated medical production activities on western Kungsholmen in the heart of Stockholm. To enable further expansion, the block has been supplemented with B58, a new 7-story building.

Despite its simple expression, B58 is a complex building where part of the challenge lies in adapting to adjacent structures. A two-story truss lifts the building over the existing transport entrance from Elersvägen. The areas on either side of the entrance have been enclosed and house technical spaces and waste management, which have now been moved inside from the factory yard. Existing smaller freestanding technical buildings have been integrated into the new structure.

photo_credit Johan Eldrot — Johan Eldrot

Floors 3–7 are used as office space. The skywalk that previously connected adjacent buildings was dismantled, and the link between Stora Bryggeriet and Floor 5 in B58 has been reused. Floor 5 serves as an important social hub with meeting rooms, break areas, and a dining hall through its connection to adjacent buildings and Stora Bryggeriet.

With facade materials of glass and Corten steel, character traits are drawn from the block's other contemporary additions, providing a beautiful complement to the existing brick facades. The concept reinforces the architectural design of the block as a whole. The facade facing Elersvägen features ribbon windows alternating with solid bands of Corten steel plate, which reinforces the clear horizontal character along the street. The plinth floor is plastered and color-matched to the factory's black/dark gray concept.

Toward the courtyard side, the building changes expression. A smooth, glassed facade reflects the block's grand main building instead of competing with Stora Bryggeriet for attention. The facade varies with its surroundings and shifts character across all hours of the day.

The interior has been designed with the intention to both connect with and contrast Stora Bryggeriet. The Swedish summer meadow inspired—subtly yet clearly—the building's material and color concept. This theme runs like a thread through the entire project: from light, Scandinavian simple materials and the warmth of leather to the light transparency of textiles and the interplay of color in the facade.