Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture & Design Special – Sweden
Left and below right: Residential building in Vallastaden, Linköping. The structural core of the building is made up of cross-laminated wood. Each storey has a ceiling height of almost four metres, creating spacious flats with lofts for extra living space. Top right: Some of the architects at Arkitektstudio Witte.
A change of scenery Commitment to sustainability, youthful creativity and a progressive view of what it means to be an architect form the basis of Arkitektstudio Witte’s success formula. The studio seeks to strengthen the architect’s role by acquiring know-how in all fields associated with the building process. Emphasising the importance of knowledge, this vibrant architecture firm is delivering an impressive assemblage of exciting projects. By Pia Petersson | Photos: Arkitektstudio Witte
When Ludvig Witte is asked why he wanted to set up his own architecture firm, he weighs his words carefully. “I studied architecture in Denmark. When I came back to my native Sweden after graduation, I realised that the architect’s role differs somewhat between the two countries,” he begins. “In Denmark, architects have more influence and more responsibility all the way through a project, from the drawing board to completion of 124 | Issue 105 | October 2017
the construction process. In Sweden, the architect is often left out of the project after the initial design phase, resulting in finished buildings that aren’t quite what they were intended to be.” The name Arkitektstudio (Architect studio) hints at the team’s innovative working method, aiming to bring some of the Danish processes to Sweden. “We’re an international group of architects who
work in a sort of studio or workshop, if you will. It’s in this setting that we exchange knowledge from different disciplines and countries and develop our ideas. We strive to always add a research element to the working process, in order to hand over a project having acquired more expertise than what we had coming in,” Witte explains. This freer but more involved way of working is, among other things, intended to ensure that a high level of quality characterises each project.
Green pioneers Issues relating to sustainability are high on the agenda at Arkitektstudio Witte, and the green thinking permeates the entire working process. Therefore, it is quite suitable that the studio is currently