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#PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS

Beautiful green-roofed trail center in Sweden mimics a fallen pinecone

When Tengbom Architects was commissioned to replace the Fontin nature reserve activity center that had burned down in 2013, the Swedish design studio went above and beyond delivering just a fire-resistant replacement.

Inspired by the shape and texture of a pinecone, the new building, named Kotten (Swedish for cone), is a beautiful woodland trail center designed to meet high eco-friendly standards. The rounded building is clad in large Nordic pine panels arranged in a beautifully textured pattern and is topped with a sedum roof to blend in with the landscape.Tengbom Architects won the bid to design the 600-square-meter trail center in 2014, after placing first in an architecture competition launched by Sweden’s Kungälv municipality following the destruction of the old building. The oval trail center comprises a cafe, lockers, changing rooms, and shower facilities. To meet fire safety standards, the architects created the square shingles from OrganoWood pine, a type of modified hardwood that’s bonded with silicon compounds to make them naturally resistant to flame and rot. The pine facade will develop a silvery gray patina over time.

Beautiful green-roofed trail center in Sweden mimics a fallen pinecone

Details

  • Kungälv, Sweden
  • Tengbom Architects

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