Saxo Bank / 3XN

Danish architects 3XN just sent us their latest finished project, a building for an online bank. This building was finished 4 years after winning an international competition back in 2004.

I like how the central stair adds dynamism to the interior, enhancing vertical relations.

Architect´s description, photos and drawings below:

Architect: 3XN
Engineer: Rambøll
Address: Philip Heymans Allé, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark
Client: Carlsberg Properties / Saxo Bank
Award: 1st prize in invited international competition 2004
Size: 16,000 m2 + 6,700 m2 basement
Completion: 2006-2008
Budget: DKK212m / €28,4m

Saxo Bank is a young dynamic internet bank with focus on online-trade with currencies, shares and futures on the bank’s self-developed platform, Saxo Trader. Saxo Bank was founded in 1992 in Denmark and counts around 850 staff members of 35 nationalities who serve customers from 115 different countries.

Saxo Bank’s new headquarter in Copenhagen is designed by 3XN. Although the customers primarily encounter the bank in cyberspace, the physical premises of the head office is of great importance to the management of the bank who participate actively and are highly dedicated to the development of the building. The building is of great iconographic significance, and there is a strong conviction that architecture and design affect each staff member’s performance and awareness of the company.

The architectural design is based on Saxo’s cutting-edge profile and branding. The lines of the building design define a sharp balance between reliability and dynamic expressivity in dialogue with the local plan. The building is shaped like two blocks with the end walls pointing towards the canal, joined together by facades that are withdrawn from the end walls. The facades are shaped like double curved glass that wave like a piece of textile.

The interior of the building is open and transparent with a large sense of community. The open plans centre round a softly shaped atrium with a glass roof. In the atrium, the main stair case winds up to the top. However, the main room and largest attraction of the building is the so-called Trading Floor where share prices are monitored intensely and resemble scenes from American movies about stock exchanges. Furthermore, the building encompasses a large number of rooms for technical support, kitchenettes and recreational areas.