DANISH CROWN

Spiral staircases in Ultra High Performance Concrete for award-winning headquarters

Build Year

2020-2023

Architect

CEBRA

Entrepreneur

Raundahl & Moesby A/S

Engineer

Søren Jensen

Builder

Danish Crown

A NEED FOR MORE SPACE AND UNITY

When Danish Crown faced the need for more space and a desire to bring together employees previously spread across multiple locations, the idea of creating a new headquarters in Randers emerged. The new building, spanning over 13,000 square meters and now housing over 900 employees, has become a stunning example of sustainable architecture and a modern work environment.

A prominent feature of the new construction is the main entrance. Three wing buildings have been connected on one side to create a large and impressive main entrance, which also serves as a gathering point. This large central space is connected to the rest of the building through staircases and bridges in Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC).

Danish Crown has received the Randers Municipality Architecture Award for 2023 for the new headquarters.

ELEGANT SPIRAL STAIRCASES IN ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE

The large central plaza or atrium, which serves as the heart and gathering point for the employees, welcomes visitors with an elegant spiral staircase in UHPC from Hi-Con, stretching over two floors. In the atrium's canteen area, there is also a single-story spiral staircase in UHPC. These spiral staircases connect the main plaza vertically with the work areas across the floors, playing a crucial role in connecting and facilitating the dynamics between the different floors of the headquarters.

The architect's goal for the large spiral staircase was to find a sleek and lightweight staircase solution that would optimally function as the primary connection between the building's floors. At the same time, the solution needed to avoid obstructing the view through the large glass sections spanning the three main building lengths. This challenge was elegantly solved with a spiral staircase in UHPC.

"In our search for a staircase that achieves both a sleek design and good flow between floors, we came across Hi-Con's reference on spiral staircases in high-performance concrete. By using this system, where the high-strength concrete steps are fastened to a central column, the need for the outer stringer found in traditional staircases is avoided, making the staircase visually lighter." – Toke Valum, Principal Constructing Architect, ICT and BIM Manager, CEBRA

Both spiral staircases are made with a floor height of 4.0 meters and are executed in light grey UHPC CRC i2® with a smooth surface. They have uniform risers and treads.

Staircase 1: Diameter Ø 8.0 m, core 0.6 m, 46 steps/risers at approximately 166 mm.

Staircase 2: Diameter Ø 8.0 m, core Ø 0.6 m, 23 steps/risers at approximately 166 mm.

Photo: Christensen Photography

"Through collaboration with Hi-Con and their subcontractor for the steel railing, we succeeded in creating a central staircase that ensures good flow while also serving as a design element that does not compromise the view from the building."

Toke Valum,

Principal Constructing Architect, ICT and BIM Manager, CEBRA

A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

The construction has become not only a physical framework for work but also an expression of sustainability and environmental awareness. The headquarters is certified to DGNB Gold Heart, which not only indicates a sharp focus on sustainability in the construction itself but also on the working environment. Every detail in the building is carefully considered, and the materials are chosen with an eye for long-term durability.

Hi-Con's contribution to the headquarters includes not only impressive design but also a long-term approach to material selection. UHPC has a lifespan of over 100 years, requiring no maintenance or replacement, resulting in lower lifetime costs. This also ensures long-lasting comfort for Danish Crown's employees.

Another important aspect that supports Danish Crown's focus is material savings. Due to UHPC’s extreme strength and density, it is possible to create a very slender structure, which in turn requires less material compared to similar elements in ordinary concrete. For Danish Crown, a UHPC solution supported the project’s focus on resource efficiency and environmental impact more effectively than balconies in ordinary concrete would have achieved.

You can read more about UHPC and sustainability here