Sjömagasinet in Umeå

Sjömagasinet is an interpretation of the historical warehouses that used to line Umeå’s quays. Today’s warehouse is a modern office environment with transparent gables, in glass and steel, that are open to the shifting river scene. The long façades are finished with a rough surface of spruce cladding in varying widths, treated in the same way as old boats, with linseed oil, tar and turpentine. The warm golden wood stands in contrast with the silvered roof, made from untreated larch wood. Wooden screens filter the light and give the building a lively, changing façade.

Indoors, the building features a classic, open-plan space. Walls clad in planed tongue and groove pine transition to a sparse ribbed ceiling. The pine is treated with lye and soap, oil or varnish, depending on how exposed the surface is. The building is designed so that it can be readily adapted to the needs of different tenants. All the technology and installations are hidden away in the wooden surfaces, allowing for both cellular offices and large open spaces.