Skypark Business Center
A new benchmark in sustainable architecture
The Skypark Business Centre is one of Europe’s largest wooden buildings and the first in an ambitious master plan that aims to turn the Luxembourg airport district into a thriving economic hub. Located in Findel adjacent to terminal A, the project is not only a landmark to visitors entering the country but also to Luxembourg’s architectural ambitions.
Working with Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Luxembourgish architecture firm Jim Clemes Associates, the building takes the form of two long, slim zigzagging volumes, each 17 metres wide, stacked and rotated 180 degrees. These interlocking volumes snake south-west for 372 m, running parallel to the airport’s runway. They rise to the maximum allowable height of 30.5 m, creating a total usable area of 76,400 m², which includes 60,000 m² of offices and 16,400 m² of shops, a nursery, and a hotel.
Split over several floors, along with the previously mentioned offices, shops, a nursery and boutique hotel, the Skypark Business Centre further includes restaurants, four semi-subterranean levels accommodating parking for more than 1,500 vehicles, as well as additional amenities such as a fitness centre and a pharmacy.
Design Highlights
-
Interlocking volumes create a labyrinth of views and terraces.
-
Double-height courtyards and permeable roof gardens enhance natural light.
-
Flexible office layouts cater to various working models and company sizes.
-
Achieves nZEB status, emphasizing sustainable design.
-
Constructed from 13,000 m³ of European timber and 80% recycled copper façade.
The intersecting volumes create a labyrinth of opportunities for views, recreation and terraces, accessible every 50 metres. Their height forms a colossal wall in elevation, acting as a giant acoustic barrier that shields public spaces and neighbouring buildings from noise pollution. All of the project’s glazed edges are bevelled and softened to remove dead corners and provide unobstructed panoramic views of the runway or the Grand Ducal Golf Course.
The building is cleverly configured to create office layouts that cater to all working models and company sizes. Core functions are grouped in the building sections where the two volumes overlap, which enables direct elevator access for every tenant. Office floor plates are flexible and continuous to make spaces easy to subdivide while the ‘Grande Galerie’, a porous inner passage on the ground floor, connects all cores to alternating programmes and functions.
The Skypark Business Centre will achieve nZEB status (nearly zero energy), which signals a new era of sustainable design in Luxembourg. Most of its upper structures, bridges and slabs are built from 13,000 m³ of European timber, while its iridescent copper façade is assembled from 80 % recycled metal. All interior spaces and the curvature of its copper façade are illuminated by a low voltage (POE) lighting system that was specially developed for the project. This allows for greater management flexibility and savings in both maintenance and energy.
The building’s high performance is complemented by energy obtained from renewable sources produced on-site and nearby. These include photovoltaic solar cells, rainwater collection, and green roofs and terraces. The extensive roof gardens not only provide three tiers of space for recreation and well-being but also reduce the heat island effect, a phenomenon attributed to urban areas that experience higher temperatures due to concentrated human activity.
The Skypark Business Centre will set a new benchmark for low carbon emissions but also meet all future energetic performance requirements of the country. Due to its interlocking volumes, panoramic views, flexible workspaces, and high-performance sustainable systems, the Skypark Business Centre sets a new standard for architecture in Luxembourg.
