Striking interior design at ELCON’s new headquarters

The electrical contractor ELCON has moved into a newly built DGNB-certified headquarters building in Brabrand near Aarhus. Ambiente was commissioned to handle the interior design, where the company’s DNA and primary working material – cables – were key in the choice of colours.

The electrical contractor ELCON’s new 6,000-square-metre headquarters building is situated in Brabrand in the west of Aarhus. The first sod was cut in late 2020, and the 125 or so employees have now moved into their new workplace, which includes a communal area, a canteen, conference rooms, offices, a warehouse and production facilities. Ambiente was responsible for the interior design.

The building features smart building management for controlling the lighting, indoor climate, energy consumption and temperature to minimise its carbon footprint, and the administration area is expected to be DGNB-certified at Silver level.

DNA-based design

At ELCON’s new headquarters, there is a communal area – Torvet – the beating heart of the building, where colleagues, customers and business partners meet. In addition, there is a canteen as well as various zones around the building where small, informal meetings can easily take place. The building also incorporates a high degree of flexibility, so walls can be moved as required.

Ambiente has chosen a raw and simple look that elegantly combines functionality with aesthetics. Raw concrete elements are a prominent, unifying feature of the building, according to Helle Dahl Peters, account manager, creative spaces at Ambiente:

“Concrete floors and walls have served as the inspiration in creating a coherent feel throughout the building. For example, we designed the reception desk so that it almost grows out of the concrete floor. In addition, we worked with partitioning and acoustic buffers for a raw look. The unfinished surfaces are softened by colours, oak, light and green plants.”

She explains that the overall focus has been to bring employees from different departments and locations closer together in an attractive building where they enjoy working.

“We have put our minds to creating a visual impression inspired by the colours from ELCON’s work with cables, so that the interior ties in closely with the company’s DNA,” says Helle Dahl Peters.

Troldtekt on ceilings and walls

Helle Dahl Peters explains that Troldtekt acoustic panels also play a key role in creating a marriage of functionality and aesthetics. Both black and white-painted Troldtekt ceilings have been selected for the building, and in some places Troldtekt panels have also been installed on vertical surfaces to control the acoustics, for example on one of the high walls in the canteen.

“In addition to contributing to superior acoustics, the Troldtekt acoustic panels also provide an attractive alternative to the grey concrete walls while creating a connection between the floors and ceilings in the high-ceilinged premises,” says Helle Dahl Peters.