A defunct 1970s purpose-built government office complex on the edge of Uppsala’s historic centre had been earmarked for demolition – until White Arkitekter stepped up. Roseanne Field reports on how the practice reassessed the project and proposed a super-sustainable reuse strategy that resulted in a world-beating LEED score.
Uppsala is a historic city approximately 40 miles north of Stockholm; the Hugin complex in its centre was completed in the 1970s, a purpose-built collection of offices accommodating various Swedish government agencies. It was most notably home to the Swedish Food Agency, as well as the Swedish Tax Agency and County Administrative Board.
Comprising three connected building volumes, the complex was bought in the 2000s by real estate company Vasakronan, with plans to redevelop. It was dated, and deemed no longer practical for office use, with performance standards of the 1970s lagging behind Swedish standards of today. Insulation levels were poor, meaning the buildings suffered from poor energy efficiency, windows were small, and the internal layout lacked the flexibility required for modern office requirements.
It was also viewed as something of an ‘urban barrier’. The site was initially at the edge of the city, expansion meant it had become increasingly viewed as separating the historic central part of Uppsala from the more modern area, developed with light industries and housing.
Vasakronan assessed the complex in 2017 and deemed that renovation would not be the panacea for bringing the buildings up to the necessary standards, and therefore earmarked them for demolition. Its original proposal had looked at replacing the complex with a mixed use development including housing, offices, shops and a pre-school.
The Swedish Food Agency put its relocation plans in place, eventually fully leaving the site by late 2020/early 2021, moving to a premises in the newly built Uppsala Science Park. Planning for the replacement mixed use scheme was taking longer than hoped, and so Vasakronan approached architectural practice White Arkitekter, whom they had worked with previously on projects which placed a strong focus on sustainability.
But rather than simply taking over, White wanted to reassess the entire plan. “What attracted us to the project was the opportunity to challenge the assumption that demolition was the only viable option,” explains Anders Tväråna, lead architect on the project. “We were excited by the challenge of transforming those perceived weaknesses into strengths,” he continues.
Tväråna says that there were “many reasons” why architects and developers who had previously studied the buildings had ruled out the possibility of adapting it for several tenant bodies, and modern requirements. “Being built bespoke for one large tenant, it was difficult to create spaces that would work for smaller tenants with individual entrances and fire escapes.”
Low ceiling heights, small windows resulting in low daylight levels and poor insulation made it “outdated,” and its low density – four storeys – was viewed as an inefficient use of the site. It also had no real contact with the street. “Potentially there was an opinion that it is more ‘fun’ to create new buildings weighed into the decision, too,” adds Tväråna.
The architects’ previous work and existing relationship with Vasakronan helped when it came to rethinking the plan for the development. “It gave us a strong foundation for pushing innovative construction approaches,” Tväråna says. They had worked together on Magasin X – Sweden’s largest fully timber office building, which had given them a “confidence” to pursue ambitious sustainability goals. “What was different here,” Tväråna adds, was the scale of the transformation and reuse. Rather than creating a new building, we were focused on extending the life of an existing one,” he adds.
A rescue plan
The final brief was that the development was to include office and retail space, laboratories, restaurants and cafes, “creating a much more active and adaptable building,” Tväråna says. The original brief was “quite simple” – to propose a development that maximises the building on the site while retaining the original structure.
“Our task was to determine whether the structure could be retained and adapted to modern requirements while remaining commercially viable,” he continues. Upon examining the complex closer, the practice, alongside client Vasakronan found that the foundations and concrete structure were in a good enough condition to reuse.
However while the existing foundation was in good condition, it wasn’t able to carry any additional weight – a problem for the team given their vision included the addition of three new floors. Strengthening the foundations “was not an option,” so the architects had to find another solution. The original load-bearing concrete facade was replaced with a lighter structural system, and the three new floors were constructed using lightweight materials – namely lightweight steel and cross-laminated timber (CLT). Lightening the existing load on the foundations meant they were able to construct the new floors while keeping the overall load roughly the same, “making the transformation both technically viable and resource efficient,” Tväråna adds.
Coordination and collaboration between White Arkitekter, Vasakronan, the engineers and building managers were essential in ensuring the success of the project. “The structural engineer played an especially important role, helping us understand the building’s constraints and identify solutions that made it possible to preserve and adapt the existing building,” Tväråna says.
As well as retaining and reusing the entire foundation structure, approximately 80% of the frame was saved. The team reused as much as possible that could realistically be retained or recycled. This included 70% of the sheet aluminium from the old roof, processed and “woven into the surface of the lift tower wall in the atrium,” over acoustic material, explains the architect. In addition, 105 tonnes of plasterboard were dismantled and reinstalled.
Bricks, cabinets, 563 interior doors, and 383 glass partitions were also carefully dismantled to be reconditioned and reused, as were 446 radiators, electrical boxes and other technical equipment. Carpet tiles throughout the building are either recycled or reused, thanks to a partnership with Tarkett. While the original building’s flooring wasn’t good enough for reuse, the manufacturer sourced carpet tiles that were due to be torn up in other projects, fresh enough to be reconditioned. Overall, the final carbon footprint of the building is approximately half that of a new timber framed house on the site – a decrease of 3,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
While determining how much of the buildings could be saved, recycled and repurposed was highly important, so too was redesigning and reconfiguring the site in order for it to meet modern standards and requirements. “Our solution was to turn the inward-facing complex inside out, replacing its single entrance with a shared atrium that connects all three buildings,” explains Tväråna. “Placing the new entrance within the atrium, alongside a central staircase, new lifts and bridges linking directly to the office floors resolved the logistical challenges and created a space that can accommodate up to six tenants on each floor.”
In places the floor was lowered to street level to allow room for shops and cafes. A new facade was also designed with larger windows, improved insulation and integrated solar cells, all of which help create an energy efficient building with ample daylight. The building is now called Lumi, meaning ‘light of life’ in Latin – chosen for the way it “captures the philosophy of the project.”
Turned inside out
The ultimate aim with the redesign and reconfiguration was to better connect the buildings that form the complex both with each other and with the surrounding area. The new central atrium, in what was the internal courtyard, was designed to create a heart for the development as part of the creation of an “open, connected destination,” Tväråna says.
This was a major improvement on the previous poor connection to the street with only one main entrance, the external courtyard which was only accessible through existing offices. The lack of suitability to accommodate multiple tenants was partly down to the lack of “active public-facing spaces,” explains Tväråna. “Rather than fighting against those constraints, we reorganised the building.”
At street level, the team introduced new entrances and spaces, largely comprising retail units and restaurants. “The original building had no contact with the street, which was one of the major challenges we sought to address through the design,” Tväråna says. The new entrances and spaces “transform the site from a former barrier into an addition that brings life and movement to the area.”
Working out a design using the materials already existing within the building added an extra challenge for White Arkitekter – but not one they were discouraged by. “Rather than starting with a blank slate and selecting materials and components from catalogues, we had to design around the materials within the building,” Tväråna explains. “While that required a different way of working, it was also a far more interesting design challenge, pushing us to be creative and resourceful while making the most of what was already there.”
Although every effort was made to recycle and reuse what was already there, new materials also had to be integrated into parts of the project. “Where they were required, we consistently prioritised natural, durable materials that can stand on their own without applied finishes,” says Tväråna. This included the CLT for the three new storeys, but also the slate for the facade, chosen not only for its low environmental impact and longevity but also its potential to be reused. Around the base of the building is a plinth of black dolerite – a deep black stone which is quarried in Sweden.
In total the work has resulted in approximately 22,000 square metres of mixed use space. While the predominant focus was office space, the lower four floors include provision for laboratories. There is also retail and restaurant space. “The programme was influenced by the existing structure, but also by the ambition to create a long-lasting, adaptable workplace that could support a mix of uses while remaining relevant for future occupiers,” Tväråna explains.
The latter aspect in particular is something White Arkitekter believes is highly important when designing any commercial space: “Buildings need to be able to adapt as tenants change over time without requiring major reconstruction,” says Tväråna. “Natural light is one of the most important considerations, but flexibility is equally critical.”
Going digital
The success of Lumi wouldn’t have been possible without the use of advanced digital technology and tools, with Tväråna describing them as “critical.” Every individual component of the existing building was ‘inventoried’ and catalogued in a database that linked directly to White Arkitekter’s Revit model, which allowed the team to fully track and manage the materials that were being reused throughout the project.
The new design was modelled down to a granular level in BIM, meaning the project was entirely drawing-free. “The building was modelled in extraordinary detail, enabling accurate planning, cost control and construction coordination,” explains Tväråna. The BIM model became the only construction document, allowing all information to be accessed by individuals and teams working on their project via their phone or tablet. “This was particularly valuable on a reuse project, where existing materials and components vary far more than standard new build products,” adds Tväråna.
It also allowed climate calculation experts to perform necessary ongoing calculations based directly on the model, and overall reduce the risk involved – particularly in a project of this size. “Combined with continuous laser scanning, the 3D model helped us identify and resolve irregularities in the existing structure early on, reducing risk and making the large-scale transformation far more efficient and predictable,” Tväråna says.
Green ambition
Sustainability was not merely a consideration, but was an important part of the brief from the outset of the project. Vasakronan targets LEED Platinum certification on all its developments, with 97% of its current portfolio environmentally certified – 95% of which have achieved LEED Gold or higher.
The developer pursues this strategy for two principal reasons; firstly a belief it is the responsible thing to do – focusing on areas such as energy use, material use, waste and transport. Secondly, its ‘green financing strategy’ means it seeks financing from investors who look for sustainable or green investments. Targeting LEED certification therefore gives investors confidence that Vasakronan are able to fulfil the lending criteria.
Measures undertaken on Lumi – aside from the enormous reuse and recycling effort – include the integration of roof and facade solar cells, a sedum roof and rainwater harvesting tanks, the water from which is used in flushing the building’s toilets. Alongside the improved insulation levels, the building has seen a significant reduction in energy consumption of 75%, dropping from 204 kWh per square metre to 52 kWh per square metre.
The effort that went into saving and improving the existing structure paid off – Lumi scored 99 out of 110 points in the LEED certification system, earning the desired LEED Platinum certification. This makes it not only the highest scoring project in Europe but also reportedly the highest LEED scoring office building in the world. The project has reported roughly 190 kg CO2e/m2, estimating that for a comparable new build that figure would be around 300-400 kg CO2e/m2.
The project has been recognised in the wider industry with award wins – ‘Building of the Year – LEED category’ at the Sweden Green Building Awards 2025, and ‘Best Retrofit & Reuse Building’ at the UK Life Sciences, Tech & Research Clusters Awards 2026. It’s the third time White Arkitekter has won the former, having received it in both 2022 and 2023 for other office buildings designed for Vasakronan.
The reuse programme itself went “very well,” says Tväråna, thanks to the “strength of the project management and procurement team, who shared the ambition of maximising reuse from the outset,” he adds. Specialist contractors for certain elements – such as the facade and ceilings – were appointed by the team which meant they were able to avoid relying on “multiple layers” of subcontractors.
As well as the recognition the project has had in the form of its world-beating LEED certification and clutch of award wins, it has also been very received locally and by clients, with the building fully let before it was completed. It’s proof that challenging perception and pushing boundaries can pay off, as Tväråna concludes: “Lumi gave us the chance to demonstrate that reuse can deliver ambitious, contemporary architecture while significantly reducing the environmental impact.