K2S architects floats arctia's ice breaking headquarters in helsinki

K2S architects floats arctia’s ice breaking headquarters in helsinki

photo by mika huisman
all images courtesy of K2S architects

finnish practice K2S architects has designed the floating headquarters of arctia shipping, an icebreaking company who are based in eastern helsinki’s katajanokka neighborhood. referencing the scheme’s close proximity to water, the building’s horizontal massing and customized black steel façades relate to the hulls of the adjacent ships. these elevations feature an abstracted motif which refers to ice crystals and textile patterns commonly attributed to sailors. internally, the scheme is constructed from lacquered wood, which directly relates to the country’s ship building traditions. an integrated water ballast system ensures that the buoyant office remains at the same level as the dock.