An Innovation Centre for the Life Sciences

A building designed around collaboration

In the heart of Hagastaden, Stockholm's emerging knowledge district, a new kind of workplace has taken shape. Forskaren Science Hub brings together 24,000m² of co-working spaces, offices, labs and flexible areas across seven floors.

Developed by Vectura Fastigheter AB and designed by 3XN Architects, the building takes a circular form. Concentric rings, recessed balconies, and a sculptural spiral staircase at the centre create a space where you can see, and be seen, from every floor.

"Forskaren is designed to encourage collaboration and innovation. The open, flexible workspaces and common areas promote interaction and the exchange of ideas, making it a hub for creativity and progress," said Christian Wamberg Rasmussen, Project Manager at 3XN Architects.

But designing a space for connection is one thing. Making sure it actually works when it fills with people is another.

Open spaces with high sustainability goals

The Forskaren Science Hub was designed around openness. A seven-storey circular atrium with labs and offices flowing into shared spaces. It's an environment that looks welcoming. But in a busy building where researchers need to concentrate and where meetings happen in shared spaces, uncontrolled sound quickly becomes a problem.

On top of that, the building had to meet strict sustainability requirements, including both LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum certifications, two of the most demanding green building standards in the world. Every material had to pass the Swedish Building Material Assessment.

So how do you solve a complex acoustic brief across a building this diverse, with materials that meet some of the highest sustainability standards in construction?