The Arctia Shipping Ltd. firm recently received their new headquarters located in Katajanokka, Finland which were designed by the practice of K2S Architects as a floating office building placed in front of the main building of the Finnish ministry of Foreign Affairs originally designed by C. L . Engel.
The building has been completed on a shipyard and towed to the site. It features a custom black steel façade to relate with the black hulls of the ice breaker ships which are a constant sight in the city.
The building wants to be seen as one of the ships with a lacquered wood interior relating to the ship building traditions and a gradient pattern of perforated steel reminiscent of the ice crystals and of the textile patterns which the sailors use.
The project has a water ballast system to maintain the floor level of the headquarters on the same level as the dock.
