Olsson Lyckefors has completed an office building in central Gothenburg, the final piece of a 19th century block on the Göta Älv waterfront.

Merkurhuset's design was shaped by zoning regulations, the plot's limited space and its irregular shape. The top floor's outward slant, reminiscent of a studio window, was a response to the maximum height allowance.

The architect integrated intermediate pillars through the glass to establish a distinctive appearance, akin to Chicago's Inland Steel Building.

On the exterior of the building, Danish Flensburg brick-formed masonry cylinders pay homage to the nearby Rosenlundsverket heating plant and the rounded bay windows of the old Merkurhuset.

Inside, strategic placement of stairwells and elevators facilitate open office spaces without obtrusive shafts.

This project has been longlisted in the workplace project category of Dezeen Awards 2023.

Studio: Bornstein Lyckefors now called Olsson Lyckefors
Project: Merkurhuset
Credits: Staffan Holm Studio, Platzer Fastigheter+Bygg Göta, Forsman & Bodenfors, Bergman & Höök