Fyrtornet

Smart natural ventilation protects Sweden’s tallest timber office building

In the heart of the up-and-coming Hyllie district in the south of Malmö stands one of Scandinavia’s most striking new buildings: “Fyrtornet” – Swedish for “lighthouse”. The 51-metre-high office tower is the final piece in the jigsaw of Hyllie Square’s redevelopment, bringing together co-working areas, traditional offices and flats under one roof. It is only when viewed up close that Fyrtornet reveals its true impact: the distinctive red, timber-clad façade stands out clearly from the surrounding buildings, making the tower unmistakable.

Fyrtornet was designed by the renowned Swedish architectural firm Wingårdhs. The basic idea was that each office floor should have an additional space that blurs the boundary between indoors and outdoors. The result is spacious, floor-to-ceiling terraces set behind a second façade level – a double façade whose outer glazing encloses the terraces, making them weatherproof. Those working here are meant to feel as though they are sitting right in the middle of the square in front of the building.

The eleven-storey office tower is constructed entirely from solid timber and is therefore considered the tallest office building in Scandinavia built entirely of timber. Two of the four façades are also clad in red cedar shingles – a nod to the traditional, deep ‘Falun red’ that has characterised Swedish architecture for centuries.

However, the sustainable building concept goes far beyond the choice of materials. Photovoltaic panels integrated into the glass façade generate part of the electricity required, whilst a locally sourced geothermal energy system provides heating and cooling for the building. At the same time, the timber structure placed particular demands on the indoor climate: persistently high air humidity can damage the sensitive timber structure in the long term. D+H Sweden was therefore integrated into the project from an early planning phase. This led to the development of a natural ventilation solution that reliably protects the building from damp and ensures a comfortable indoor climate

On each of the spacious terraces, sensors continuously monitor temperature and air humidity. Each terrace forms its own, independently controlled ventilation zone. The windows are operated by CDC window drives with double chains (‘Twin’ design), which are specially designed for the wide window elements and have been painted in a special red RAL colour to match the façade. If the air humidity in a zone rises above 65 per cent, all the windows in that area open automatically. This ensures that excess moisture is quickly removed and the timber structure is permanently protected.

The entire system is controlled by a central CPS-M, D+H’s intelligent, modular control centre. Using ACB (Advanced Communication Bus) technology, it communicates bidirectionally with all connected actuators: the CPS-M not only sends commands but also receives feedback from the individual actuators. This creates a closely networked, intelligent overall system. As long cable runs in a high-rise building of this size present a particular challenge, a 230 V solution was also chosen to significantly reduce cable cross-sections and weight. An external control panel on the CPS-M enables manual operation and adjustment.

In addition, three meeting rooms situated on the roof – whose glazed design is reminiscent of greenhouses – have been fitted with a natural ventilation solution. These too form part of the natural ventilation concept: two D+H drives from the KA Classic Series open the heavy roof windows in each room.

With its pioneering timber construction, consistent sustainability concept and intelligent natural ventilation, Fyrtornet impressively demonstrates how environmental responsibility, architectural quality and modern building technology can be seamlessly integrated. The Swedish branch was awarded ‘Gold’ at the D+H Atmosphere Award 2026 for this innovative system solution