Q. Who are the architects who drew up the ideas for the new building?

A. After an extensive selection process in collaboration with the City of Stockholm and the City Building Council, Pembroke chose Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL) an architectural firm with many years of experience in creating innovative, sustainable and beautiful buildings. SHL was founded in Århus, Denmark, and now also has offices in Copenhagen, London, Shanghai and Singapore.

 

Q. When will the new building be completed?

A. We are targeting to initiate works during Q4 2018. We are assuming opening the new building in 2022.

 

Q. Will the public be able to gain access through the building?

A. With the new Hästen 21 building the connection to NK is intended to be restored. We are also planning new retail entrances along Mäster Samuelsgatan and Regeringsgatan, as well as creating connection to Mellangatan and Smålandstorget.

 

Q. Will the new building be connected to the surrounding buildings?

A. The new building opens up the ground floor structure with walkways that connects the surrounding area. A new urban plaza, Smålandstorget, has been created and is located at the cross section between Smålandsgatan and Norrlandsgatan.

 

Q. How tall will the new building be?

A. Working closely together with the city of Stockholm and the City Planning Office, the building has been adjusted to the current proposal of nine storeys with green terraces on upper levels with the height adjusted to the surrounding area and conform to the skyline of the city.

 

Q. CBD real estate is a part of “riksintresset” (“the national interest”). Does Pembroke think a new building should relate to the “the national interest”?

A. A new building should pay particular attention to the national interest – showing respect to the inner city’s characteristics and the surrounding environment. Our vision is to develop a new building of the highest quality in accordance to the national interest’s demands on quality and design. We want to create the best architecture in our time and transform the block from a closed inward looking environment into a vibrant streetscape in the heart of the city.

 

Q. Stadsmuseet (The City Museum) has “green listed” the existing building. Doesn’t that make it inappropriate to replace it with a new building?

A. The City Museum is an advisory body to the Stockholm City Council regarding buildings’ historical values.

The building that stands on the site today is considered to have a certain architectural value as an example of a 1970s office building with historical values. However, it has been renovated several times, substantially altering the building’s original character.

Working patterns and how office spaces are used have changed over time. Many of the older buildings in Stockholm CBD are not adjustable or suitable for today´s needs. To be able to retain business and work places in central Stockholm, there´s a need for buildings that can accommodate today´s needs and also be adjustable for future needs.

Small windows and low ceilings of the existing building make the offices difficult to adapt for modern work environment requirements. Enlarging the windows is not possible, as the whole structure is supported by the façade.

 

Q. What is the environmental footprint of the new building compared to the old building?

A. Today’s building technology allows for a significantly more long-term sustainable solution for offices and housing. The energy consumption of the new Hästen 21 will target substantially lower energy consumption compared to an average building in the City (40 kWh/sqm/year, compared to 70-120 kWh/sqm/year). Like our latest development Mästerhuset, Hästen 21 is targeting a LEED Platinum certification. LEED is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design which is a sustainability certification applied to projects all over the world. LEED-certified buildings are resource efficient, they use less water and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Q. Why can’t the existing building be renovated and converted?

A. We have looked at both a preservation and partial preservation alternative together with Stadsbyggnadskontoret. The commissioned study investigating the preservation alternative found that it lacks potential for future adaptation and capacity to meet changing business needs.

 

Q. Will there be any housing in the new building?

A. A part of the new building will contain 27 apartments, with entrance from Mäster Samuelsgatan. By a mixed use amenity, we contribute to creating a more vibrant 24/7 city centre where people come to live, work and socialize.

 

Q. What is your vision for this development?

A. Hästen 21 is part of Project Access and is situated in the heart of the CBD. Our vision is to open up the closed block in order to incorporate and enhance the surrounding communities, converting Mäster Samuelsgatan to a vibrant main street.

A new plaza, Smålandstorget, opened in June 2017 and additional new passageways for pedestrians will be opened between the buildings.

 

Q. Is Pembroke´s ambition and commitment long-term?

A. Consistent with our global philosophy, Pembroke is committed to being a long-term investor in all of its properties’ locations, including Stockholm. We believe that Stockholm will have growth potential through multiple cycles.

We have had presence in Stockholm and the Nordics for ten years. Within the Pembroke portfolio of properties in Stockholm, the long-term vision is to improve the Hästen properties located on Mäster Samuelsgatan. Stockholm is a fantastic city and the business district have potential to develop and become even more vibrant and exciting.

 

Q. Who are Pembroke?

A. We’re an international real estate advisor that acquires, develops and manages properties and places.
We specialise in mixed-use and office environments in the world’s leading cities to create future-proof city properties that work for people and that make a meaningful contribution to city life by integrating our global expertise, local knowledge and passion for real estate. Facilitating patient capital of FMR LLC (Fidelity Investments) and Eight Roads, the proprietary investment arm of FIL (Fidelity International Limited), we take a long-term approach to real estate, investing in global cities with proven long-term growth potential.

With offices in Stockholm, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Boston and Washington DC, we currently manage 41 operating properties, approximately 762,000 sq m / 8.2m sq ft, in key markets across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Pembroke is committed to delivering and managing world-class environments that deliver premium outcomes for its tenants and investors.
. For more information, visit www.pembrokere.com.

 

Q. Who is the current owner of Hästen 21?

A. On behalf of our investors, Pembroke Real Estate has acquired six buildings in Stockholm since 2008. Three of the buildings (Hästen 22; Hästen 23 North; Hästen 24) are now replaced by one brand new building – Mästerhuset – with a total area of 40 000 sqm. The other three buildings are Hästen 21, PK-Huset and Sveavägen 14. The total area of these premises is 72,500 sqm.