Fyrtornet is Malmö’s new timber high-rise – a striking addition to the skyline and the final piece completing Hyllie Square. It’s the first landmark to greet travelers as they arrive from the continent, a falu-red timber tower reaching proudly skyward, the tallest of its kind in Scandinavia. Designed by renowned Swedish architects – Wingårdhs – the project is a landmark in timber high-rise architecture that aims to reshape the skyline of Malmö. It was built using 1,640 m³ of binderholz CLT BBS and 1,030 m³ of binderholz glulam.
In English, ‘Fyrtornet’ means ‘lighthouse’ – a fitting name for this prestige project. The ground floor welcomes a public foyer and a living room for the people of Malmö. On the second floor, a district library remains open into the evening, with reading rooms oriented towards the square, offering spaces to pause and reflect. Above, office floors unfold with warm timber interiors and triple-height, glass-enclosed terraces that bring in natural light and air. At the top, a shared rooftop garden opens to expansive views of the Öresund Strait.
“We’ve taken great care with the design of the lower floors where the building meets the street. The ground floor has a wide, square spiral staircase whose solid wooden steps allow visitors to experience wood up close. The sense of wood is also emphasized higher up in the building, not least in the kitchen area for the offices, where we’ve installed a glass panel as a splashback to expose the underlying CLT wall,” explains Gustaf Wennerberg, Lead Architect at Wingårdhs.
Sustainability shapes every facet of Fyrtornet. The building’s design reduces its carbon footprint from the structural timber frame to the cedar shingle façade. It stands as Scandinavia’s tallest office building, constructed entirely of timber. Integrated solar panels on the glass façades and a geothermal energy system further enhance efficiency and resource-conscious design. This duality of materials creates a visually dynamic presence, emphasizing both craftsmanship and modernity.
Sustainability, resource preservation and circular economy played a big part in this project. Aside from a glass facade with built-in solar panels, the designers aimed to build the entire structure from solid wood from the outset. This is why, complementing the conventional glued-laminated timber support/beam construction, combined with CLT BBS ceiling elements, both lift shafts and the entire staircase were designed and built from solid CLT BBS. binderholz led the timber structure’s project phase, statics, works planning, pre-fabrication and delivery of all solid wood elements as well as all associated fasteners and timber installation.
More than a structure, Fyrtornet is a meeting place and a key element in the Embassy of Sharing district. The public foyer seamlessly blends with commercial spaces and a district library, encouraging encounters between different groups and enriching urban life. A recessed entrance and overhanging roof create a sheltered urban space, inviting people to gather. Two façades are dressed in red cedar shingles, while the other two feature double-glazed curtain walls that reflect the city beyond.
Fyrtornet combines thoughtful, holistic design with innovative timber construction and a commitment to social and ecological sustainability. Its timber construction not only contributes to sustainability but also fosters a warm and tactile environment, enhancing the well-being of occupants. More importantly, the project is an architectural statement that both respects Malmö’s urban context and aspires to shape its future. A crafted addition to the city’s skyline that the architects hope will enhance Malmö’s built environment and inspire those who encounter it.
“The original competition brief expressed a desire to bring greenery into the whole area. Thanks to the double-glazed façade, we’ve been able to create unique terraces with a Mediterranean climate. The idea is that the tenants will be able to use these green spaces both for relaxation and as spaces for growing plants,” concluded Wennerberg. “With Fyrtornet, we’ve demonstrated that we can absolutely build in wood on a large scale at our latitudes. We’re paving the way for wood construction and showing that it is possible to think big and sustainably even in Malmö.”
