Aurora Village in Luleå is not just any work accomodation project. With space for 2,000 people and an interior concept designed around human needs, the project sets a new standard for how temporary accommodation can both feel and function. Together with Tengbom, we show how neurodesign, natural materials and care in every detail can create quality of life, even during an intense work period.
When Adapteo builds Sweden’s largest worker accommodation, it is about far more than placing modules in a row. Aurora Village in Luleå is a project where sustainability, design and wellbeing are weighed into every decision. To achieve this, we have partnered with Tengbom’s interior design studio.
Nadia Tolstoy, Interior Architect at Tengbom
– Many people think of modular buildings as dull, neutral boxes without life or character. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just because something is temporary, it doesn’t have to be boring. Adapteo are real pioneers who are transforming the entire modular segment, says Nadia Tolstoy, lead interior architect at Tengbom.
Natural tones, hotel ambience and a gym with attitude
Tengbom’s assignment covers the entire interior concept – from living quarters and dining halls to the gym, lounge and an activity house with sauna, cinema and reading room. The inspiration comes from the northern landscape: pine trunks, bark, lingonberry-red accents, walnut and deep greens create a warm, Nordic expression.
– We wanted to create a place where people can genuinely feel well and at home, even if they are only here for a limited time, says Nadia Tolstoy.
The team is particularly proud of the reception area – a space with Chesterfield sofas, a fireplace and a distinct hotel feel. It offers an unexpected experience in worker accommodation. The gym, by contrast, has a darker, more urban design, giving it a strong and separate identity.
Neurodesign for the brain, the body and everyday life
A central approach in the project has been neurodesign – a way of working with colour, light, materials and sound based on how they affect people. The dining hall, which will host up to 700 people, has been carefully designed acoustically to support calmness and social interaction.
– It’s not just about meeting functional requirements. We want to create environments that you can really feel, Nadia explains.
A circular project with human care
Aurora Village is a clear example of Adapteo’s circular business model in practice. The project consists of 39 buildings that can be dismantled and reused once the project is completed. Material choices and design solutions have been developed with both climate impact and life cycle in mind, in line with our goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040.
– When modular buildings are created with care and a sense of home, they last longer, are used more and meet more needs. Our work becomes a human complement to Adapteo’s circular ambitions, says Nadia Tolstoy.
Building the future together
Aurora Village shows what is possible when modular buildings are allowed to make a statement – both practically and aesthetically. Together with Tengbom, we want to challenge traditional ideas of temporary housing and create something that genuinely makes a difference for the people who live there.
Learn more about Tengbom’s work and Aurora Village on Tengbom’s website.