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Epic
Architecture
Mission

Skanska - Epic

For Skanska, Yellon designed and planned Epic, an office building located along Beijerskajen on Universitetsholmen in Malmö. The project is the result of a parallel assignment that Yellon won in international competition 2011. In 2021, Epic was named Building of the Year in the Hotel/Office category by Byggindustrin.

Challenge

The competition sought an architectural expression that enhances and conveys the unique character of the location.

Solution

Universitetsholmen is an old shipyard area, and Yellon chose to draw inspiration from the early 20th-century harbor cities and their brick-clad warehouses along the quayside.

Epic is divided into two building volumes, connected by a glass-clad green atrium that on the inside gives the feeling of a harbor warehouse – where vegetation has taken over and emerged from the concrete. In the center of the atrium: a sculptural staircase that, with its form, position, and view, becomes the most inviting path up or down in the building. The facade is divided into a grid pattern with shifts that give the building a rustic character.

Epic is situated between liveliness and tranquility. On the east side of the building, along Nordenskiöldsgatan, there are shops, gyms, and restaurants. A short walk southward leads to Malmö Central Station, Lilla Torg, and the old town. On the west side lies Beijerskajen, a walkway along Södra Varvsbassängen.

The municipality’s vision for the area was that people should be able to walk along the water and easily move between the two quays. Epic’s atrium is not only a natural meeting place for everyone in the building, but also forms a green passage between Nordenskiöldsgatan and Beijerskajen. The glass facade’s recess at the entrances emphasizes openness and gives a welcoming impression.

Pre-certified according to WELL

Environment, sustainability, and well-being have been a priority throughout the project for Yellon, Lendager, and Skanska. This has contributed to Epic, in addition to its LEED certification, being the first office building in the Nordic region to be pre-certified according to WELL – an international standard for healthy workplaces.

More character and less energy consumption

Epic has outer walls of prefabricated concrete elements with embedded brick and hidden element joints. Normally, each brick is cut in half during the production of the elements – one side is used, and the other is discarded for aesthetic reasons. We suggested using both halves instead. This would give the facade a different character, and the total amount of brick could be halved. This, in turn, reduced both carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption in the construction process.

Working with circular material flows and upcycled materials on a large scale has resulted in Epic being one of Skanska’s most sustainable properties. Some examples of materials that have been processed and reused in the project include:

  • 77,195 recycled PET bottles in sound-absorbing fabric behind the wood panel in the atrium.
  • 35,221 meters of window frames and beams from demolition projects in the wood panel.
  • 16 tons of concrete from the Copenhagen metro in the floor.
  • 17 tons of brick from Epic’s own facade in the floor.

Building of the Year 2021 - Jury's rationale

“With a strong focus on health, for both those who build and those who will work in the building, this is a project of epic proportions. Additionally, having succeeded in scaling up reuse to this level is both impressive and inspiring. Congratulations, Epic, winner of Building of the Year 2021 in the office/hotel category.”