{"id":1433,"date":"2024-01-25T11:59:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freedom.degree\/insights\/finansparken-the-engineering-behind-an-innovative-timber-office-building\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T14:31:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T14:31:31","slug":"finansparken-the-engineering-behind-an-innovative-timber-office-building","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/freedom.degree\/es\/insights\/finansparken-the-engineering-behind-an-innovative-timber-office-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Finansparken: The Engineering Behind an Innovative Timber Office Building"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Finansparken Bjergsted is an office building in Stavanger, Norway, designed as the headquarters of SpareBank 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above ground level, the primary load-bearing structure is formed in timber. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels are supported by glued laminated timber (glulam) beams and columns, while laminated veneer lumber (LVL) in beech is used where additional strength or more demanding geometrical requirements are required. The three basement levels and the four communication and service cores are constructed in reinforced concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The structural elements are engineered for strength and prefabricated to strict tolerances, enabling an efficient construction process. Wherever possible, the structural system relies on direct timber-to-timber connections. The beams are fabricated with openings that accommodate both the architectural requirements and the building services, while all disciplines collaborated throughout the project within a fully integrated BIM environment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Architectural Concept<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finansparken combines a traditional construction material with contemporary design, detailing and fabrication techniques to create an award-winning office building. Degree of Freedom was involved as part of the multidisciplinary design team from concept design through to construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wedge-shaped form, expressed both in plan and elevation, allows the building to respond to two distinct urban conditions. To the north, it relates to the more monumental buildings surrounding Bjergsted Park, while to the south it addresses a finer urban fabric characterised by smaller, older houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architectural concept is based on the contrast between a clear and restrained exterior and a warmer, more organic interior. From the outset, the design team recognised the intrinsic environmental and human benefits of timber as a construction material. In addition to being a renewable resource capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and storing carbon, timber contributes to a healthy indoor environment and provides acoustic benefits that are particularly well suited to open-plan office spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Several factors informed the choice of timber for the project. These included creating a healthy and pleasant working environment, reducing CO\u2082 emissions, shortening construction time through prefabrication, minimising construction waste, reflecting the values of SpareBank 1, achieving a BREEAM-NOR Excellent certification, fulfilling the desired architectural expression and maintaining a competitive overall project cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To support the material selection process, a representative portion of the building was assessed using two alternative structural solutions: a timber-concrete system and a steel-concrete system. When considered within the overall project cost, including general construction costs, the difference between the timber and steel alternatives was reduced to only 1.4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structural System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The structural system combines reinforced concrete and mass timber, with each material used where it provides the greatest structural benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three basement levels and the four communication and service cores are constructed in reinforced concrete, providing the overall lateral stability of the building. Horizontal loads are transferred to these cores through the diaphragm action of the 200 mm thick CLT floor slabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The building’s wedge-shaped form is reflected in the structural layout. As the floor plates reduce in size from Levels 2 to 7, the footprint of the CLT slabs follows the geometry of the fa\u00e7ade. The roof is also formed by a continuous 200 mm inclined CLT slab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vertical load-bearing system consists of CLT floor slabs spanning between the primary floor beams, arranged on a 5.4 m structural grid. These slabs are supported by glulam beams manufactured in strength class GL30c.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At each structural grid, two continuous glulam beams span across the full width of the building and bear directly onto notched glulam columns, also in GL30c. The columns extend continuously from Level 3 to the roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To simplify erection while maintaining structural continuity, the floor beams are divided on either side of each column. Each beam is formed by two 380 mm wide members bonded together: an inner beam consisting of a glulam section combined with an LVL beech section, and an outer glulam beam with a variable depth tailored to the architectural geometry of the building. Continuity of the CLT floor slabs across the primary beams is achieved using LVL spruce panels (Kerto Q).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Level 3, a transfer structure redistributes the column loads to the ground-floor columns, which are set back from the fa\u00e7ade to reduce the building footprint at street level. On the eastern side of the building, the entrance is defined by a double-height space with a reduced number of columns. To accommodate these higher structural demands, both the columns and beams forming the transfer structure are constructed from LVL beech (Baubuche S and Baubuche Q).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finansparken Bjergsted demonstrates how a traditional structural material can be successfully applied in a contemporary office building through the use of advanced engineering, digital design and modern fabrication techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project combines prefabricated timber elements, engineered for strength and manufactured to tight tolerances, with a structural system capable of realising an ambitious architectural vision. Wherever possible, forces are transferred directly between timber members, minimising the use of steel components. Self-tapping timber screws and threaded steel rods are used only as local reinforcement where required, following current timber engineering practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, these design principles illustrate how engineered timber can deliver structural performance, construction efficiency and architectural quality within a single integrated solution.<\/p>\n\n\n

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