R

KappAhl is a Swedish clothing chain based in Mölndal just outside Gothenburg, with around 400 stores and 4 000 employees in Sweden. KappAhl first contacted TEA in 1998, with a vision to bring their design studio and management together in a completely new building.

The building needed to reflect the company structure and KappAhl’s distinctive culture with its short decision-making process and emphasis on the creative aspects of the business.

The solution was an unconventional building in which the artistic studio became a distinct design feature. The office breathes openness between the different disciplines – design studios and management offices side by side.

In 2001 TEA was hired to create an entirely new distribution depot for KappAhl. The challenge consisted of getting a 35000m2 depot to blend into an area of mixed buildings. A large-scale concrete weathering board was constructed giving the building a cohesive, monochrome and textured appearance. Long vertical cuts through the voluminous building give it an unexpected and unique look.