Designing a mass timber office building for The LEGO Group, CEBRA merges playful architecture with ambitious climate impact reductions for large-scale construction while balancing the diverse needs of a top-tier work environment. Tailored to foster creative ideas, well-being and collaboration, the Innovation Campus’s modular architecture, spatial design, and landscape form a forward-thinking workplace.
After outgrowing and working across multiple locations, KIRKBI has commissioned CEBRA to design a new domicile for The LEGO Group, supporting a one-team culture.
The 50,000 m² mass timber-built headquarters will house 1,700 colleagues from product marketing and development, gaming, product, engineering and quality teams. Designed to spark cross-pollination, the campus will support synergies across the organisation. It will provide a highly adaptable and diverse workplace shaped by extensive user feedback. The building will also host the world’s largest library of bricks and elements, reinforcing their hands-on, creative approach. The library will collect around 20,000 different elements in 70 colours.
“This project is the result of an exceptional collaboration and an ambitious client who challenged us to set new standards for design – particularly in terms of a low carbon footprint. With this in mind, we developed the scheme holistically, integrating building, landscape, and interior design in close dialogue with the people who will ultimately work there,” says Mikkel Frost, founding partner at CEBRA.
Playful architecture rooted in modular thinking
The building itself has six big areas allowing people to move fluidly between different stages of innovation.
"The PlayWay is the main artery of the Innovation Campus – a continuous path connecting six building modules and creating natural moments for social interaction and insight into the work happening across the campus," said Frost.
"Like visiting different neighbourhoods, each module forms its own loop centred around an atrium separated by green outdoor spaces," he continued. "Daylight and landscape flow into the building, and together the modules click into a cohesive whole."
The result is versatile, sensory-rich spaces adaptable to different ways of working and building bonds by balancing spaces for deep concentration with dynamic, high-energy collaboration zones.
The building modules constitute six thematic concepts – each holding a distinct atrium, functions, and experiential identity – which are used as the main design drivers. Additionally, the architectural concept is flexible and designed to endure and evolve with its users, as more modules can be added over time.
Based on extensive user involvement
CEBRA has conducted 140 engagement meetings with several employees, supported by surveys that mobilised widespread participation across the organisation. This extensive involvement has resulted in a people-first workspace design that will respond to the users' emerging needs.
Fed by first-hand insights, the building’s space planning will create a dynamic setting with natural touchpoints throughout the organisational programme.
Substantial environmental initiatives
The building is entirely constructed with FSC®-certified CLT and Glulam timber for its core and walls, offering distinctive beauty and minimising the building’s upfront carbon footprint compared to conventional concrete structures. For every tree used, a new one will be planted in its place. The certification guarantees responsibly managed forestry and sourcing, minimising environmental impact.
The design targets LEED Platinum certification, which defines high standards for everything from climate impact, energy efficiency, water conservation, and accessibility. Achieving Platinum involves restoring local biodiversity through native planting strategies and implementing advanced water recycling systems to minimise consumption. It also involves reducing energy use by at least 30% - for instance, solar panels will power the building.
PROJECT DETAILS
Location: Billund, DK
Areal size: 39,000 m²
Building size: 50,000 m²
Landscape size: 21,700 m²
Client: KIRKBI
Function: Workspace
Completion (expected): 2028
Architect: CEBRA
Landscape Architect: CEBRA
Interior Architect: CEBRA
Engineer: NIRAS
