3XN

Danish architectural practice

3XN

Muziekgebouw Concert Hall, Amsterdam

Practice information
Key architects| Kim Herforth Nielsen
Jan Ammundsen
Founded| 1986
Location| Copenhagen
Significant works and honors
Buildings| Muziekgebouw Concert Hall
Museum of Liverpool
Awards| 1988 Nykredit Architecture Prize
2005, 2007 and 2009 RIBA Awards

3XN is a Danish architectural practice with head office in Copenhagen.

## History[edit]

The company was founded in Århus in 1986 as Nielsen, Nielsen & Nielsen (later 3 X Nielsen) by Kim Herforth Nielsen, Lars Frank Nielsen and Hans Peter Svendler Nielsen. The latter left the company, which is today led by a partner group of three with Kim Herforth Nielsen as the Principal Architect. The practice had its international breakthrough in the late 90s with the Danish Embassy in Berlin (completed in 1999) and the Muziekgebouw Concert Hall in Amsterdam (competition win in 1997). In 2005 3XN won the competition for the new Museum of Liverpool which opened in 2011.

Among 3XNs high profiled Danish projects are Ørestad Gymnasium (High school) (2007), the renovation of Tivoli’s Concert Hall (2005), Alsion, university, concert hall and research centre in Sønderborg (2007), the headquarters of Saxo Bank in Copenhagen (2008), the headquarters of the law firm Horten (2009), Middelfart Savings Bank (2010) and KPMG Headquarters (2011). Under construction are Bella Sky – the biggest hotel in Scandinavia, Lighthouse, a highrise in Århus, a new town hall in the Dutch city Nieuwegein and Denmark’s new Aquarium, The Blue Planet in Copenhagen. Recently 3XN has won the competition to design the new headquarters for Swedbank in Stockholm and another Swedish residential project in Vällingby. 3XN is also present in Norway with projects such as the Theatre and Jazz House in Molde and a Culture House in Mandal.

In 2007 3XN established the research and development department GXN working on implementing new (green) materials and technologies in the studio’s projects. The R&D department also develops new projects and designs of lamps for instance. GXN is also behind the green Louisiana Pavilion displayed at the Danish art museum Louisiana during COP15. The pavilion is built with a biocomposite especially developed for the purpose. GXN works with Cradle to Cradle Denmark at developing the first Danish building manual based on the Cradle to Cradle principles.

In 2010 3XN created the exhibition Mind Your Behaviour, which was shown at Danish Architecture Centre and at Aedes Gallery in Berlin.

## Selected projects[edit]

### Completed[edit]

Ørestad Gymnasium - inside (2016) railyards Cultural Center (Godsbanen), Aarhus, Image taken 2018 (44613663430) The Blue Planet, Image taken 2015 Cube, Berlin, completed in 2020

* Architect’s House, Copenhagen, Denmark(1996)
* Buen kulturhus, Mandal, Norway (2012)
* Danish Embassy, Berlin (1999)
* Tivoli Concert Hall extension, Copenhagen (2005)
* Muziekgebouw Concert Hall, Amsterdam (2005)
* Sampension Headquarters, Copenhagen (2005)
* Ørestad College, Ørestad, Copenhagen (2007)
* Saxo Bank building, Copenhagen (2008)
* Horsens Stadium, Horsens, Denmark (2010)
* Middelfart Savings Bank, Middelfart, Denmark (2010)[1]
* Hotel Bella Sky, Ørestad, Copenhagen (2011)
* Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool (2011)[2]
* Railyards Cultural Centre, Aarhus, Denmark (2012)
* Gemeentehuis Nieuwegein, Nieuwegein, Netherlands (2012)[3]
* Frederiksberg Courthouse, Copenhagen, Denmark (2012)
* Lighthouse phase 1, Aarhus, Denmark (2012)
* Blue Planet, Copenhagen, Denmark (2013)
* Plassen Cultural Center, Molde, Norway (2012)
* UN Building, Copenhagen, Denmark (2013)
* Swedbank Headquarters, Stockholm, Sweden (2014)[4]
* Odenplan Station, Stockholm, Sweden (2015)
* Rigshospitalet Patient Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark (2015)
* Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark (2017)[5]

* Quay Quarter Tower, Sydney, AustraliaQuay Quarter Tower, Sydney, Australia (2022)

### In progress[edit]

* Lighthouse (phase 2), Århus, Denmark (expected completion 2023)
* Aquatic Center, Linköping, Sweden (competition win, February 2017, expected completion 2023)[6]
* Sydney Fish Market, Sydney, Australia (competition win June 2017)[7]
* Copenhagen Children's Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark (competition win July 2017)[8]
* Aqualuna, Toronto, Canada (competition win 2017)[9]
* Schüco Headquarters extension, Bielefeld, Germany (competition win 2017)[10]
* SAP Garden, Munich, Germany (competition win 2018, expected completion 2024)

## Awards[edit]

* 1988 Nykredit Architecture Prize[11]
* 2005 RIBA European Award for Sampension[12]
* 2005 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award for City for All Age in Valby, Copenhagen
* Best New Building in the Netherlands 2006 for Muziekgebouw[13]
* 2006 ULI Europe Award for Muziekgebouw[14]
* 2006 Dedalo Minosse Award for Muziekgebouw[15]
* 2006 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award (residential category) for Nordhavnen Residences and (office category) for Middelfart Savings Bank[16]
* 2006 LEAF Award for Muziekgebouw[17]
* 2007 RIBA European Award for Alsion[18]
* 2008 Forum AiD Award for Ørestad College
* 2009 RIBA International Award for Saxo Bank[19]
* 2011 RIBA European Award for Middelfart Savings Bank[20]
* 2012 WAF Award for Rigshospital extension[21]
* 2013 RIBA EU Award for Frederiksberg Courthouse[22]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "The sky is the limit". World Architecture News. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
2. ^ "Museum across the Mersey". World Architecture News. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
3. ^ "Stadshuis Nieuwegein officieel geopend" (in Dutch). architechtenweb.nl. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
4. ^ "45,000 sq m HQ opens in Stockholm". World Architecture News. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
5. ^ "Copenhagen Arena expected by 2015". World Architecture News. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
6. ^ "3XN Architects Wins Competition for New Aquatic Center in Sweden". ArchDaily. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
7. ^ "3XN to Helm Design of World's Largest Fish Market in Sydney". ArchDaily. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
8. ^ "3XN Wins Competition for Copenhagen Children's Hospital with 'Playfully Logical' Design". ArchDaily. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
9. ^ "3XN makes waves in Toronto". World Architecture News. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
10. ^ "3XN tegner domicil til facadegigant". Building Supply (in Danish). Retrieved 11 December 2017.
11. ^ "Nykredit Architecture Prize". Nykredit website (in Danish). Copenhagen, Denmark: Nykredit Holding A/S. 2013. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
12. ^ "RIBA AWARDS / EU". Architects Journal. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
13. ^ "Music to your ears - 3XN wins the Dutch Building Award 2006". World Architecture News. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
14. ^ "The Music Building in Amsterdam by 3XN Wins Dutch Building Award 2006". Dexigner. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
15. ^ "The Music Building in Amsterdam by 3XN Wins Dutch Building Award 2006". Dexigner. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
16. ^ "A design to bank on". World Architecture News. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
17. ^ "The Music Building in Amsterdam by 3XN Wins Dutch Building Award 2006". Dexigner. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
18. ^ "RIBA National and European Awards winners announced". RIBA. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
19. ^ "Winners 2009". RIBA. Archived from the original on 2009-09-30. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
20. ^ "2011 RIBA European Awards". RIBA. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
21. ^ "Danish hospital wins a future projects award". World Architecture Festival. Archived from the original on 2012-12-01. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
22. ^ "2013 RIBA National and EU Awards announced". RIBA. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-06-15.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3XN.

* Official website
* 3XN buildings in arkitekturbilleder.dk

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

Other|

* IdRef