Axelent headquarters

In the middle of the Småland forests you will find Hillerstorp, a small industrial town where the Gnosjö spirit really shines through. In a town with less than two thousand inhabitants, you will find several industries in different areas, of which Axelent is one. When the need for new office space arose, they chose to go big, and the result is a building that really stands out, in the best possible way.

With its fully glazed facade and large glass surfaces, it gives a sense of exclusivity that you usually see in larger cities, but here it is located in the middle of the idyllic forests of Småland. We spoke to Petter Gustafsson at Byggingenjörbyrån in Gnosjö to find out a little more about this exciting project and its impressive glass façade. 

How did you get involved in the project in the first place?    We have long been Axelent's partner when it comes to extensions with everything from initial proposals, construction management and inspections. So, it came naturally to us that we were given the opportunity to help this time too.

Axelent's new offices and premises are eye-catching in the best possible way, where did you find the idea for the actual design of the building?

  Since the office faces north, it was possible to create a glass façade without problems with solar radiation and heat loads. The actual design was developed by Hans-Eric Eriksson who, in consultation with Axelent, thought about what could become a meeting point for Axelent's staff all over the world. 

The rounded corners are particularly exciting, both because they add a lovely elegance to the building and because they can be a technical challenge. Was this something you had in mind from the start of the project?

This was already included in the early sketches and appealed to Axelent. Then it was just a matter of solving the constructive aspects and getting the whole thing right with parapets etc.

In the facade, you have used SSG to get the smooth surfaces, which only enhances the stripped-down and exclusive feel of the facade. Was this something you asked for from the start?

SSG was also included as we have used it in other projects with a good outcome. After consulting with Glaslindberg, we were able to put all the details and get the overall impression together.

Were there any parts of the project that were particularly challenging?

  The fact that the glass partition would overhang the first floor and the weights that the glass partition would bring was a challenge that everyone involved solved in a very good way

  Is there anything you are particularly satisfied with from the project?

The rounded corners and how they look from the inside are definitely a highlight!