PRESS INFORMATION 15 AUGUSTI 2011

White arkitekter win Salford Housing 4 life international open design competition

The original competition brief invited proposals for the design of a development of 120 family homes on the 1.5 hectare site in Greengate close to the centre of Manchester. The brief highlighted the provision for sustainable healthy living, requesting that urban design proposals respond to the findings of the Marmot report.
With a team lead by architect Geoff Denton and landscape architect Jake Ford, White arkitekter’s winning proposal combinines a robust Salford-inspired architecture with light and spacious Scandinavian family home types. Every home has access to it’s own private exterior space, whilst large gardens create a framework and focus for the community, nurturing the English love of gardening and vegetable growing. A key element of the design is a series of large-scale greenhouses within each courtyard garden, which provide practical and inspirational spaces for a sustainable family lifestyle.
The project has been developed together with Northerngroup, Great Places, Stockley, AECOM, Gardiner & Theobald as well as White’s own sustainability engineers.
The project represents the practice’s third significant commission in the UK following their appointment as architects for the regeneration of Southend-on-Sea Pier in 2008 and as Sustainability and Environmental Framework Architects for the regeneration of West Gorton, Manchester in 2010.

Monica Von Schmalensee, CEO White arkitekter said:
“The Salford House 4 Life competition provides a unique opportunity for White to bring the practice’s deep knowledge of sustainability to bear on one of society’s most urgent challenges: to provide affordable and truly sustainable family housing in the heart of the city. This is another fantastic success for White in the UK”.

John Merry CBE, Leader of Salford City Council, said:
”This housing will be different to anything we have seen in Salford before. It will be exciting to watch the scheme take shape over the coming months and years, bringing innovative and sustainable housing into the city for our residents to enjoy.”

Catherine Burd, RIBA Adviser said:
“The judges were all extremely impressed by all three shortlisted entries. In the end, the clarity of White’s landscape-led approach emerged as a clear winner. The scheme, which builds on a Scandinavian model of family apartments and flexible tenancies, provides all households with views and access to a range of imaginatively landscaped private and shared garden spaces, within a simple and robust urban footprint.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:
White arkitekter
With over 50 years experience in architecture and masterplanning, White arkitekter are Scandinavia’s leading architectural firm and, with around 600 employees in Sweden and Denmark, one of Europe’s largest. The practice first started working in the UK in 2008 when it won a significant commission to regenerate England’s coastline, with a competition winning proposal to transform the Grade II listed Southend-on-Sea Pier devastated by fire in 2005. White’s expertise includes architecture, urban design, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, architectural heritage, sustainability and project management.
The founder, a young architect named Sidney White, had a strong belief in an equal society; his aim was to change and improve Sweden through architecture. Today his legacy lives on in our ambition to contribute towards the building of a sustainable society.
For nearly two decades, White has invested in establishing a unique department of highly qualified experts in the field of sustainable design. Our leading role in internationally acclaimed sustainable city developments, such as Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm and at the Western Harbour in Malmö, bear witness to our ability.

Geoff Denton graduated from Sheffield University School of Architecture in 1986. Having worked with Marks Barfield Architects, he joined Ralph Erskine Architects and Planners in 1999. He became a partner soon after. At Erskine’s he was responsible for the development of Greenwich Millennium Village. He has worked on integrated sustainable urban planning projects throughout Europe. He joined White Arkitketer in 2010 and is International Director for the Stockholm office.

Jake Ford qualified as landscape architect from Manchester University 1995. He has worked with Zaha Hadid, Kinnear Landscape Architects and Camlins Landscape Architects before joining White arkitekter in 2010. He has studied at the Royal College of Art in Stockholm. Jake is a founder member of Medium, a creative studio based in Stockholm producing projects related to public space, architecture and visual culture. Projects by Medium often focus on the context of our everyday lives, the commonplace things that often go unnoticed.

The Marmot Report
In November 2008, Professor Sir Michael Marmot was asked by the Secretary of State for Health in the UK to chair an independent review to propose the most effective evidence-
based strategies for reducing health inequalities in England from 2010. The strategy will include policies and interventions that address the social determinants of health inequalities

PRESS INFORMATION 8 DECEMBER 2010

White reach the shortlist for Hastings Pier redesign

Selected from 54 entries, White arkitekter is the only non-British practice to reach the shortlist of six in the RIBA organised design competition for The Hastings Pier & White Rock Trust (HPWRT). The Trust is looking to identify an architect to work with in their redevelopment plans to reinvent Hastings Pier, as well as assisting in their fundraising campaign and in stakeholder and public consultation. Shortlisted practices also include Adams & Sutherland, de Rijke Marsh Morgan, FAT, Niall McLaughlin and Wilkinson Eyre.

With over 50 years experience in architecture and masterplanning, White arkitekter is Scandinavia’s leading architectural firm and, with around 500 employees in Sweden and Denmark, one of Europe’s largest. The practice first started working in the UK in 2008 when it won a significant commission to regenerate England’s coastline, with a competition winning proposal to transform the Grade II listed Southend-on-Sea Pier devastated by fire in 2005.

£3 million funding has now been secured for the first phase of their winning proposal ‘Sculpted by Wind and Wave’ to transform the landmark from a pleasure pier into an urban pier creating a ‘street’ with restaurants, cafés and other social spaces. The initial phase of Southend-on-Sea Pier, featuring a new cultural centre is scheduled to complete next year.

Both projects represent major steps to regenerate Britain’s coastline by improving the attractions in seaside resorts.

PRESS INFORMATION 15 NOVEMBER 2010

A chessboard "castling" move for managers in Malmö sharpens our international focus

“Recruiting and filling key positions is sometimes easier than normal. By quite simply allowing Alexandra and Carl to swap jobs with one another, we now have a new International Manager and a new Office Manager in Malmö – and two qualified employees who are getting the stimulation of new challenges.

After successes with major assignments, mainly in the UK, Denmark and Norway, White has been attracting a lot of attention as a player on an ever-more globalised architecture market. This smooth chess move of managers in Malmö fits in well with our ambitions to make the next move in our international initiatives, in which the International Department becomes a specific support function for the office’s sales and for carrying out assignments.
After just over seven years as manager of the Malmö office, Carl Bäckstrand was ready for new challenges. The Malmö office has doubled the number of people it employs, moved to new inhouse-designed premises, broadened and intensified customer relationships in both the private and public fields.
“With his many years of experience and large network of contacts, Carl is very well placed to lead the next stage of our international initiative, while Alexandra as new office manager, is also able to take up new challenges in a region that is a veritable melting pot for innovative architecture,” says Anders Svensson.

Alexandra Hagen has already got things underway very successfully and has been leading White’s international initiative for three years. She has valuable experience in strategic sales and in international competition, something that is extremely tangible on an everyday basis within the Öresund Region.

“This feels like a chess move in which everyone is a winner,” says Monica von Schmalensee, who takes up her post as new CEO for White at the turn of the year.

PRESS INFORMATION 11 NOVEMBER 2010

White's first eco-classified district in the world

In consultation with Diligentia, White has now commenced the task of carrying out the first eco-classification in Sweden, in compliance with BREEAM Communities, in other words eco-classification at urban district level. The BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a world-leading system of certification as regards assessing how well a new residential or commercial district succeeds in creating a good total environment for its users, and a good, sustainable relationship with its surroundings.

The new urban district at the Western Harbour will be the first in Sweden to be awarded certification in compliance with this classification system. Up to now, there have only been seven similar projects worldwide. This new district, close to the Turning Torso, is to contain eco-classified offices, apartments, shops and services. Diligentia and the City of Malmö are responsible for developing the district which is capable of accommodating 700 apartments and 70,000 sq m of offices, and 20,000 sq m of shops and services. The area is going to be developed by Diligentia as well as some other players.

Anna Barosen of White is a certified assessor within BREEAM and is responsible for the process on Diligentia’s behalf. Anna is a qualified Master of Engineering and is working as environmental coordinator throughout all phases, from early outline plans to construction site monitoring. Anna has been working with Diligentia on different assignments for just over three years. Collaborating with the client, she has manipulated Diligentia’s visions, business plan and environmental policy based on the question: what do we need to enable us to live up to our high objectives? Afterwards, three alternative routes were crystallised, and the choice then fell on BREEAM Communities.

Greatly simplified, BREEAM Communities is a sound tool for guaranteeing an area’s total environment and sustainability, both from an ecological, economic and social perspective. It is about everything – from the way bicycle traffic is encouraged, the way resources such as water, materials and waste are used, ensuring that the right type of local flora is selected, the way a future rise in sea-level will be handled – to accessibility for people with restricted mobility, clear and intelligible signage, and the way outdoor rooms can be designed to encourage people to go walking and spend time outdoors.

PRESS INFORMATION 11 NOVEMBER 2010

White and Tengbom are collaborating on the Nya Karolinska University Hospital in Solna

Both of the architectural practices have already been involved in various phases of the project. The design of the Nya Karolinska Solna University Hospital is based on White’s winning proposal from 2006, which has since been worked on by Tengbom.

The continued work will therefore take place in collaboration between both of the architectural practices in a joint company – White Tengbom Team. Around 120 employees will be engaged in the joint company. Per-Mats Nilsson is Project Manager while Tomas Boijsen and Bengt Svensson are responsible architects.

“We are very happy and proud of the confidence shown in us, in being allowed to work on this exciting project on behalf of Skanska and SHP in close collaboration with Stockholm County Council,” says Per-Mats Nilsson. By forming White Tengbom Team, we are guaranteeing all of the expertise and experience required to be able to bring the project in.

The new university hospital is being executed as a Public Private Partnership (PPP), created to be able to meet future requirements for healthcare – with an increased focus on the patient and a higher level of patient safety. The aspiration is to find flexible solutions that do not lock down the way the premises are used but that make it possible to adapt to changing requirements. All patients will have a single room, to avoid the spread of infection among other things.

PRESS INFORMATION 16 SEPTEMBER 2009

Swedish sustainability experts wins competition to redevelop Southend Pier

The competition attracted 74 entries and 5 was shortlisted. Southend Pier was in 2007 voted Pier of the Year and is the longest pier in the world. An iconic pier with its own distinctive character, history and people. One of the main attractions of the Pier is the view of the sea, and in particular, the feeling of being on the sea.

”A key element of our proposal is to make sure that the people of Southend use the Pier and take it into their heart. The Pier Head should be a vibrant place filled with activities”, says Fredrik Pettersson, architect in charge together with Niels de Bruin, landscape architect. We envision a walkable and bikeable street with attractive destinations located every 500 metres.

The Pier should be an extension of the High Street’s urban fabric onto the sea. We have proposed a series of destinations starting at Priory Park and ending at the Pier Head, transforming the pleasure pier into an urban pier. We imagine The Pier Head designed as a public space functioning like a modern agora, part theatre, part art space, acting as a vibrant meeting place for both the people of Southend-on-Sea and visitors.

The main feature of the new Pier Head design will be an open air theatre with a terraced platform that will create lee, view point and seating for the audience. The outdoor theatre, with the Southend coastline as backdrop, has the capacity of 500 spectators. New buildings, a Culture Centre and a Restaurant, will be built offshore next to the existing Pier Head, creating a balanced enclosure and populated edges around the theatre space.

”The dramatic curving shapes of the buildings are derived from the wind and the waves themselves. This public, yet enclosed, space will be perfectly integrated into the scenery. It will be sculpted by wind and wave”, says landscape architect Niels de Bruin.

Materials will be low maintenance and long-lasting. In this specific setting we prefer materials with an untreated natural finish such as timber, corten steel and glass. These materials will add personality and warmth to the elegantly shaped buildings. The aggressive maritime environment is extremely hard on most traditional building materials and they have to be considered carefully in the design process.

All new buildings will be self-sufficient. Energy efficient design and renewable energy sources including wind turbines for electricity, natural ventilation and sea water heat pump, will make it a carbon neutral development.

”Southend Pier is a unique structure with an interesting history. The new additions will continue the evolution
of the structure, enhancing the quality of space at the end of the pier, while respecting the historic fabric”,
says Tim Lucas, Price & Myers.

PRESS INFORMATION 5 FEBRUARI 2009

White demonstrates sustainable architecture at exhibition in Paris

The exhibition is organized by the French firm of architects Un souffle sur la ville (http://www.unsouffle.com/). The programme opens with Charlotte Falstrup from White in Næstved being interviewed by the architects Line Nelund Dross and Julien Mizermont from Un souffle sur la ville, who want to create a personal portrait of an architect committed to sustainability issues.

As an extra feature, posters of the project will be exhibited in set design format and built up using vegetable cartons. Charlotte Falstrup also made the model of White’s set design. The chosen project is “Rede I vassen” (Nest in the reeds), a visitor centre in Kristianstad designed by the architect Fredrik Pettersson at White in Copenhagen.

The exhibition opening will be at 7 p.m. on 5 February and the exhibition will run until 8 March.

The participating firms of architects are:
BSAA, Christensen & CO arkitekter, Claus Hermansen Arkitekter, Cobe arkitekter, Dorte Mandrup arkitekter, SEA, EFFEKT, KHR arkitekter, Vandkunsten and White arkitekter.

For further information about the exhibition in Paris, please contact:
Marketing manager Malene L Snedgaard, tel +45 21131655, malene.snedgaard@white.dk

PRESS INFORMATION 4 JULI 2008

Swedish sustainability expert to talk in London on July 9th

MSc Anna Graaf is White’s Director of R&D Sustainability and in charge of introducing the company’s environmental expertise on the international market, where the UK is identified as a priority focus area.

”For nearly two decades, White have invested seriously in establishing a unique department of highly qualified experts in the environmental field. I feel safe to say that our accumulated knowledge and experience have very few competitors in the architectural business today.”

White has a long tradition of environmentalism in architecture, working with several high profile projects such as Hammarby Sjostad in Stockholm and low energy housing at the Western Harbour in Malmo.

Of course, Sweden’s Nordic climate has always been a driving force for architects and builders towards low energy approaches and sustainable solutions. Thicker walls and air tightness come naturally in a cold country. The current reports on climate change have further underlined the need for more innovative solutions, and White aims to keep it’s position as progressive innovators in this field.

”Sweden has for a long time been recognised as a pioneer in sustainability in general, and is now taking a lead in sustainable architecture”, says Keith Boxer, UK manager for White Architects. ”As an Englishman, I do believe that the UK has a lot to learn from Sweden and I agree with Sir Nicholas Stern that Sweden is ahead of he UK on most of the Key issues when it comes to addressing climate change and the increasing cost of energy”.

”By combining our own skills with Keith’s long experience and network of contacts, we hope to have the opportunity of contributing to the British Government’s aspirations to improve the conditions for sustainability in the built environment and tackling climate change”, says Anders Svensson, CEO of White Architects.

Information to editors:

Greener than Thou? Sweden Goes Sustainable aims to showcase some of the challenging and visionary ideas that have emerged in recent years from architectural practices in Sweden.

Greener than Thou? was commissioned by the Embassy of Sweden in London and is curated and designed by Johan Berglund and Dean Pike of 42architects. There will be seminars and workshops in conjunction with the exhibition. The exhibition will be on display at Kinnarps showroom in Dryden Street, Covent Garden, June-Aug 2008.

Read more about the exhibition at http://www.lfa2008.org/event.php?id=273&name=Greener+than+Thou++Sweden+Goes+Sustainable

White Architects of Scandinavia was founded in 1951 and has played an integral part in the development of the Swedish welfare state for more than half a century. Today the employee-owned company is also a leader in sustainability and environmental issues. In January 2008 White International was formed to bring White’s sustainable integrated design (SID) expertise to the rest of Europe.

White is also developing new applications for renewable energy and high-tech techniques for building with wood. The company is also a frontrunner in reducing hazardous building materials in order to acheive sounder buildings for users and inhabitants.

Read more about White Architects at www.en.white.se

Keith Boxer is a qualified architect with more than 10 years experience of working with sustainable energy projects. His previous positions in the UK have included Director of Sustainability at Sheppard Robson Architects, Director of Sustainability at Whitbybird Engineers and Innovation Director at Manchester Knowledge Capital, where he has been involved in the development and implementation of a wide range of practical sustainable energy initiatives across Greater Manchester.

PRESS INFORMATION 16 NOVEMBER 2007

Norrland pine in a high-tech look – the shape of future residential construction

Wood has been making a strong comeback in the construction sector for several years. Following a change to the regulations, the green light has been given to the construction of tall buildings out of wood.

The companies behind Älvsbacka Strand are Martinsons Byggsystem AB, Lindbäcks Bygg AB and White Arkitekter AB – three well-established companies holding leading positions within their respective areas, which together are pioneers within this new field of wooden construction. The common starting point is a strong conviction about the future of wood. In environmental terms, wood is an ideal raw material – eternally renewable, locally available and sustainable. Wood provides a healthy living environment, is easy to shape and easy to lift. And last, but not least, it is beautiful.

“Wood is an ancient, yet at the same time ultra-modern building material,” says Lennart Sjögren, architect at White’s office in Umeå and one of the driving forces behind a system developed in-house that includes everything from design support and project management to manufacture and assembly.

The technology is now so well developed that skilled wood construction produces significantly better results that the conventional materials used in the sector.

The building process that has been developed for Älvsbacka Strand is particularly well suited to Nordic conditions. It includes newly developed assembly and weatherproofing techniques, which allow construction to proceed more or less whatever the weather, as well as a sealed construction process and a covering system that follow the building as it rises up. The system has also been created to help the work progress quickly.

The construction system itself is much faster, with a smart system approach in all respects. This is an entirely new type of industrial construction. The site work and the foundations will be completed by the end of 2007, with assembly commencing by the second week of the new year. The building will be ready for occupation just in time for the 2008 summer holidays.

“Sales have been extremely successful, and we have sold all but one of the 18 apartments,” says Göran Johansson at Svensk Fastighetsförmedling in Skellefteå.