3XN
Encyclopedia
3XN is a Danish
architectural practice
with head office in Copenhagen
.
, Lars Frank Nielsen og Hans Peter Svendler Nielsen. The latter left the company, which is today led by a partner group of three with Kim Herforth Nielsen as the Principal Architect. The practice had its international breakthrough in the late 90s with the Danish Embassy in Berlin
(completed in 1999) and the Muziekgebouw Concert Hall
in Amsterdam
(competition win in 1997). In 2005 3XN won the competition for the new Museum of Liverpool
which will open in 2011.
Among 3XNs high profiled Danish projects are Ørestad Gymnasium (High school) (2007), the renovation of Tivoli
’s Concert Hall (2005), Alsion, university, koncert hall and research centre in Sønderborg
(2007), the headquarters of Saxo Bank
in Copenhagen (2008), the headquarters of the law firm Horten (2009), Middelfart Savings Bank (2010) and KPMG
Headquarters (2011). Under construction are Bella Sky
– the biggest hotel in Scandinavia, Lighthouse, a highrise in Århus, a new town hall in the Dutch city Nieuwegein
and last but not least Denmark’s new Aquarium, The Blue Planet
in Copenhagen.
Recently 3XN has won the competition to design the new headquarters for Swedbank
in Stockholm
and another Swedish residential project in Vällingby
. 3XN is also present in Norway
with projects such as the Theatre and Jazz House in Molde and a Culture House in Mandal.
In 2007 3XN established the research and development department GXN working on implementing new (green) materials and technologies in the studio’s projects. The R&D department also develops new projects and designs of lamps for instance. GXN is also behind the green Louisiana Pavilion displayed at the Danish art museum Louisiana
during COP15. The pavilion is built with a biocomposite especially developed for the purpose. GXN works with Cradle to Cradle Denmark at developing the first Danish building manual based on the Cradle to Cradle
principles.
In 2010 3XN created the exhibititon Mind Your Behaviour, which was shown at Danish Architecture Centre
and at Galleri Aedes in Berlin.
Dialogue is extremely important and the stories told by the people and the place are always carefully listened to. Working with the motto; “Investigate, Ask, Tell, Draw, Build” 3XN’s buildings express spatial requirements quite simply, reflecting the spirit of the place, the constructive solution and the project’s overall idea in one comprehensive solution.
Behavior is another keyword in the 3XN philosophy. In 2007, 3XNs Ørestad College
set new standards for educational buildings. The open design changed the traditional ideas of the layout and look of a school building. Based on the principles of knowledge sharing and interdisciplinarity of the Danish Gymnasium Reform of 2005 the traditional class rooms have been removed in favor of open flexible rooms thus allowing interaction and better learning and working environments for the students. This mindset; that architecture shapes behavior has become a guiding principle in all 3XN’s architectural solutions. Out of the synthesis of design, function and context new buildings take shape that are larger than the sum of their parts and that create an added value for the end users.
“For me, architecture is more about creating spaces and environments that accommodate the people working and living in them. All through the process it is important for us as well as the client to have an environment that is inspiring and designed with the human being in full focus. I believe that architecture creates behavior” Kim Herforth Nielsen
, Founder and Principal, 3XN
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
architectural practice
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
with head office in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
History
The company was founded in Århus in 1986 as Nielsen, Nielsen & Nielsen (later 3 X Nielsen) by Kim Herforth NielsenKim Herforth Nielsen
Kim Herforth Nielsen is a Danish architect, co-founder and principal of 3XN.-Biography:Nielsen graduated from the Aarhus School of Architecture in 1981 and was one of the three Nielsen-founders in 1986...
, Lars Frank Nielsen og Hans Peter Svendler Nielsen. The latter left the company, which is today led by a partner group of three with Kim Herforth Nielsen as the Principal Architect. The practice had its international breakthrough in the late 90s with the Danish Embassy in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(completed in 1999) and the Muziekgebouw Concert Hall
Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ
Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ is a concert hall for contemporary classical music on the IJ in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The building opened in 2005 and is located above the IJtunnel, a ten-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal station.The building was designed by Danish architects 3XN...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
(competition win in 1997). In 2005 3XN won the competition for the new Museum of Liverpool
Museum of Liverpool
The Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, opened on 19 July 2011 and is part of the National Museums Liverpool group....
which will open in 2011.
Among 3XNs high profiled Danish projects are Ørestad Gymnasium (High school) (2007), the renovation of Tivoli
Tivoli
The name Tivoli originally indicates the town of Tivoli in the Lazio region of central Italy, founded a few centuries before Rome. Because of the fame of the gardens of the Villa d'Este there , the name has also been applied to other entities:-Gardens, theatres and venues:* Jardin de Tivoli,...
’s Concert Hall (2005), Alsion, university, koncert hall and research centre in Sønderborg
Sønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
(2007), the headquarters of Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank is an online Danish investment bank. It was founded as a brokerage firm in 1992, under the name Midas Fondsmæglerselskab, by Lars Seier Christensen, Kim Fournais and Marc Hauschildt. The name was changed to Saxo when the company obtained a banking license in 2001. Saxo offers trading...
in Copenhagen (2008), the headquarters of the law firm Horten (2009), Middelfart Savings Bank (2010) and KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
Headquarters (2011). Under construction are Bella Sky
Bella Sky Hotel
Bella Sky is a 4-star conference hotel adjacent to the Bella Convention and Congress Center in the Ørestad district of Copenhagen, Denmark. With 814 rooms, it is the largest hotel in Scandinavia.-Architecture:...
– the biggest hotel in Scandinavia, Lighthouse, a highrise in Århus, a new town hall in the Dutch city Nieuwegein
Nieuwegein
Nieuwegein is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital...
and last but not least Denmark’s new Aquarium, The Blue Planet
The Blue Planet
The Blue Planet is a BBC nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough, first transmitted in the UK from 12 September 2001.Described as "the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world's oceans", each of the eight 50-minute episodes examines a different aspect of...
in Copenhagen.
Recently 3XN has won the competition to design the new headquarters for Swedbank
Swedbank
Swedbank AB is a leading Nordic-Baltic banking group with 9.5 million retail customers and 534,000 corporate customers in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In Sweden, the group has 377 branches. In the Baltic countries, it has another 224 branches...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and another Swedish residential project in Vällingby
Vällingby
Vällingby is a suburban district in Västerort in the north-western part of Stockholm Municipality, Sweden.Vällingby was planned in the early 1950s as a new town...
. 3XN is also present in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
with projects such as the Theatre and Jazz House in Molde and a Culture House in Mandal.
In 2007 3XN established the research and development department GXN working on implementing new (green) materials and technologies in the studio’s projects. The R&D department also develops new projects and designs of lamps for instance. GXN is also behind the green Louisiana Pavilion displayed at the Danish art museum Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
during COP15. The pavilion is built with a biocomposite especially developed for the purpose. GXN works with Cradle to Cradle Denmark at developing the first Danish building manual based on the Cradle to Cradle
Cradle to Cradle
Cradle-to-cradle design is a biomimetic approach to the design of systems. It models human industry on nature's processes in which materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms...
principles.
In 2010 3XN created the exhibititon Mind Your Behaviour, which was shown at Danish Architecture Centre
Danish Architecture Centre
Danish Architecture Centre , DAC, is a communication and development centre for architecture in Copenhagen, Denmark...
and at Galleri Aedes in Berlin.
The 3XN Philosophy
The architecture of 3XN is created in the nexus between science and art; iconic design and context. That combination results in an expression of humanity.Dialogue is extremely important and the stories told by the people and the place are always carefully listened to. Working with the motto; “Investigate, Ask, Tell, Draw, Build” 3XN’s buildings express spatial requirements quite simply, reflecting the spirit of the place, the constructive solution and the project’s overall idea in one comprehensive solution.
Behavior is another keyword in the 3XN philosophy. In 2007, 3XNs Ørestad College
Ørestad College
Ørestad College is a public gymnasium in the Ørestad district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is noted for its innovative architecture, favouring open studying environments instead of traditional class rooms, and for its media-oriented profile...
set new standards for educational buildings. The open design changed the traditional ideas of the layout and look of a school building. Based on the principles of knowledge sharing and interdisciplinarity of the Danish Gymnasium Reform of 2005 the traditional class rooms have been removed in favor of open flexible rooms thus allowing interaction and better learning and working environments for the students. This mindset; that architecture shapes behavior has become a guiding principle in all 3XN’s architectural solutions. Out of the synthesis of design, function and context new buildings take shape that are larger than the sum of their parts and that create an added value for the end users.
“For me, architecture is more about creating spaces and environments that accommodate the people working and living in them. All through the process it is important for us as well as the client to have an environment that is inspiring and designed with the human being in full focus. I believe that architecture creates behavior” Kim Herforth Nielsen
Kim Herforth Nielsen
Kim Herforth Nielsen is a Danish architect, co-founder and principal of 3XN.-Biography:Nielsen graduated from the Aarhus School of Architecture in 1981 and was one of the three Nielsen-founders in 1986...
, Founder and Principal, 3XN
Completed
- Architect’s House, Copenhagen (1996)
- Danish Embassy, BerlinNordic Embassies BerlinThe Nordic Embassies in Berlin are the diplomatic missions of the Nordic countries to Germany, located in a common building complex, the Pan Nordic Building, in Berlin. The building complex was designed by the architects Alfred Berger and Tiina Parkkinen and completed in 1999.The building comprises...
(1999) - Tivoli Concert Hall extension, Copenhagen (2005)
- Muziekgebouw Concert HallMuziekgebouw aan 't IJMuziekgebouw aan 't IJ is a concert hall for contemporary classical music on the IJ in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The building opened in 2005 and is located above the IJtunnel, a ten-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal station.The building was designed by Danish architects 3XN...
, Amsterdam (2005) - Sampension Headquarters, Copenhagen (2005)
- Ørestad CollegeØrestad CollegeØrestad College is a public gymnasium in the Ørestad district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is noted for its innovative architecture, favouring open studying environments instead of traditional class rooms, and for its media-oriented profile...
, ØrestadØrestadØrestad is a developing city area in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the island of Amager. It is expected that 20,000 people will live in Ørestad, 20,000 will study, and 80,000 people will be employed in the area...
, Copenhagen (2007) - Alsion Concert Hall & Research Centre, SønderborgSønderborgSønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
, Denmark (2007) - Saxo Bank building, Copenhagen (2008)
- Bryggen Shapping Centre], VejleVejleVejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
, Denmark (2008)) - Horsens Stadium, HorsensHorsensHorsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
, Denmark (u/c, completion 2010) - Middelfart Savings Bank, MiddelfartMiddelfartMiddelfart is a town in central Denmark, with a population of 14,781 . The town is the municipal seat of Middelfart municipality on the island of Funen .-Overview:The Middelfart municipality has a population of 37,701 people as of 2011...
, Denmark (completed 2o1o) - Bella Sky HotelBella Sky HotelBella Sky is a 4-star conference hotel adjacent to the Bella Convention and Congress Center in the Ørestad district of Copenhagen, Denmark. With 814 rooms, it is the largest hotel in Scandinavia.-Architecture:...
, ØrestadØrestadØrestad is a developing city area in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the island of Amager. It is expected that 20,000 people will live in Ørestad, 20,000 will study, and 80,000 people will be employed in the area...
, Copenhagen (2011)
In progress
- Museum of LiverpoolMuseum of LiverpoolThe Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, opened on 19 July 2011 and is part of the National Museums Liverpool group....
, Liverpool (u/c, completion 2011) - Yangpu University GatewayYangpu DistrictYangpu District , meaning "Poplar Bank", is one of the 19 districts in Shanghai. It is located in the northeast of Shanghai, bordering the Huangpu River on the east and south, Hongkou District on the west and Baoshan District in the north. The southern part of Yangpu District is only away from the...
, ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... - Town Hall, NieuwegeinNieuwegeinNieuwegein is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital...
, the Netherlands (u/c, completion 2011) - Mandal Cultural Centre, Mandal, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(u/c, completion 2011) - Light House, Århus, Denmark
- Theatre and Jazz House, MoldeMoldeis a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
, Norway (competition win 2007) - New Deutsche Bahn HQDeutsche BahnDeutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
, Berlin (competition win 2007) - Blue Planet Aquarium], Copenhagen (competition win July 2008)
- Randers Museum of Modern Art, RandersRandersRanders is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
, Denmark (competition win February 2009) - UN VillageUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, Copenhagen (competition win 2008) - Railyards Cultural Centre, Århus, (competition win November 2009)
- Vällingby Parkstad highrise, Stockholm, Sweden (competition win June 2010)
Awards
- 2005 RIBA European Award for Sampension
- 2005 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award for City for All Age in Valby, Copenhagen
- 2005 International Olympic Committee IOC/IAKS Award for DGI Urban Sports Centre in Århus
- Best New Building in the Netherlands 2006 for Muziekgebouw
- 2006 ULI Europe Award for Muziekgebouw
- 2006 Dedalo Minosse AwardDedalo Minosse PrizeThe Dedalo Minosse International Prize for commissioning a building is promoted by ALA-Assoarchitetti, Italian association for professional Architects....
for Muziekgebouw - 2006 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award (residential category) for Nordhavnen Residences
- 2006 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award (office category) for Middelfart Savings Bank
- 2006 LEAF Award for Muziekgebouw
- 2007 RIBA European Award for Alsion
- 2008 Forum AiD AwardForum AID AwardThe Forum AID Award is Nordic architecture and design award handed out annually by the Swedish magazine Forum AID. AID is an acronym for the three subject-matters of the magazine - Architecture, Interior design and Design - and it is also the three categories of the award...
for Ørestad College - 2009 RIBA International Award for Saxo Bank
- 2010 JEC Innovation Award for Louisiana Pavilion
- 2011 RIBA European Award for 'Middelfart Savings Bank
Selected Exhibitions
- 2010 Denmark Updated, Essen, DE
- 2010 12. Biennale Architettura, The Danish Pavilion, Venice, IT
- 2010 Mind Your Behaviour, Aedes, Berlin, DE (solo)
- 2010 Mind Your Behaviour, DAC, Copenhagen, DK (solo)
- 2009-2010 It’s a Small World, Copenhagen, DK (tour: Shanghai EXPO 2010, CN, Curitiba, BR, Santiago, CL)
- 2009 ShowHow, Copenhagen, DK (tour: London, UK)
- 2009 Green Architecture for the Future, Louisiana, Humlebæk, DK
- 2008 11. Biennale Architettura, The Danish Pavilion, Venice, IT
- 2008 Architecture is a conversation that never ends, Paris, FR (solo)
- 2008-10 Building Sustainable Communities, DAC, Copenhagen, DK (tour: UAE, SE, DE, PL, CN, RU, LV)
- 2008 Sust-DANE-able, London, UK
- 2007 Architecture and Design Today, ETH Universität Zurich, CH
- 2006 Architecture made in Denmark, DAZ, Berlin, DE
- 2005-06 Young Younger Youngest. Aarhus, DK (tour: Rome, IT, Stockholm, SE)
- 2005 Culture led Regeneration, CUBE, Manchester, UK
- 2005 Danish Architects in China, The Danish Cultural Institute, Beijing, CN
- 2005 Danish Architects in the UK, the Royal Danish Embassy, London, UK
- 2004 9. Biennale di Architettura, Arsenale, Venice, IT
- 2003-04 Contemporary Danish Architecture, i+i, Delft, NL
- 2002 Danish Architecture, Beijing, CN
- 2002 Arne Jacobsen Inspirations, Louisiana, Humlebæk, DK
- 2001 BLUE STAGE, House of World Cultures, Berlin, DE
- 2000-01 The Danish Wave (tour:, CN, JP, TW, AR)
- 2000 Panorama des Capitales Européennes, Pavillon d’Arsenal, Paris, FR
- 2000 Botschaften und Landesvertretungen in Berlin, DAZ, Berlin, DE
- 1999 4. Biennal Internacional de Arquitetura, Sao Paolo, BR
- 1999 Denmark meets Australia II (tour: main cities, AU)
- 1998-99 Copenhagen – Concepts of Continuity (tour: RU, PL, DE)
- 1996 Scandinavian Architecture, Chicago Athenaeum, Chicago, US
- 1996 5. Biennale Architettura, Arsenale, Venice, IT