{"id":358082,"date":"2026-02-26T23:01:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T23:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/358082\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T23:01:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T23:01:14","slug":"carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architects-designs-stone-data-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/358082\/","title":{"rendered":"Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects designs stone data centre"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Paris-based studio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architect\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects<\/a> has unveiled plans for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/data-centres\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">data centre<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/sweden\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sweden<\/a>, which will be housed in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/silos\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">silo<\/a>-like forms built from structural <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/stone\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">stone<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carlfredriksvenstedt.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects<\/a> first developed proposals for stone data centres across Europe, named Stone Clouds, in 2022 for cloud service provider <a href=\"https:\/\/evroc.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Evroc<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The studio has received planning approval to build its first Stone Cloud near Stockholm Arlanda Airport, which will begin construction this year.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2300273 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/stone-clouds-data-centre-carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architects_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x609.jpg\" alt=\"Stone Clouds data centre by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects\" width=\"2364\" height=\"1689\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>A data centre made from structural stone is set to be built in Sweden<\/p>\n<p>Working with engineering firm <a href=\"https:\/\/webbyates.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Webb Yates<\/a> and local architecture studio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metodarkitekter.se\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Metod Arkitekter<\/a>, the Sweden-based Stone Cloud will be made from standardised structural <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/tag\/granite\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">granite<\/a> panels, chosen for their high compressive strength and lower carbon footprint compared to concrete.<\/p>\n<p>By building with sustainable materials, Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects hopes to reduce the environmental impact of data centres, which consume a large amount of energy and require vast amounts of water for cooling.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The aim is to lower the carbon footprint of data centres through smarter, sustainable buildings that last, that can be converted or eventually recycled,&#8221; studio founder Carl Fredrik Svenstedt told Dezeen.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2300272 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/stone-clouds-data-centre-carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architects_dezeen_2364_col_0-852x609.jpg\" alt=\"Stone Clouds data centre designed for Sweden by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects\" width=\"2364\" height=\"1689\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>It will comprise two granite cylinders atop a triangular base<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Where there is stone, massive walls give inertia to stabilise temperatures throughout the seasons, while ensuring security and solidity for these strategic sites,&#8221; Svenstedt continued. &#8220;The significant amount of energy used is reduced, conserved and recycled.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Two oval-shaped towers will enclose rectangular cores containing servers, with the surrounding curved space containing access, supply and cooling shafts.<\/p>\n<p>The cylindrical volumes will be placed atop a triangular base, which will contain electrical and mechanical spaces, a recuperation plant, a maintenance hall and offices.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/2025\/04\/25\/ai-data-centre-demand-energy-transition\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"191\" height=\"191\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/sq2-data-centres-new-energy-outlook-2025_dezeen_2364_col_0-191x191.jpg\" class=\"excludeLightbox wp-post-image\" alt=\"Data centre under construction used to illustrate story about BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook 2025 report\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p> AI-fuelled data centre demand will set back energy transition\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects designed the data centre to have a silhouette that recalls silos and industrial buildings, intending for the structure to be adaptable to other functions in the future.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Built to last, the data centres are conceived to evolve, both to expand for their current use but also to change program,&#8221; said Svenstedt.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Like the beloved industrial buildings of the past, the data centres are made to one day become offices, housing, or even cultural destinations like museums.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2300274 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/stone-clouds-data-centre-carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architects_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x609.jpg\" alt=\"Data centres in a field designed by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects\" width=\"2364\" height=\"1689\"   loading=\"lazy\"\/>Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects hopes to build additional Stone Clouds across Europe<\/p>\n<p>Svenstedt hopes to add to the Swedish data centre and build a portfolio of Stone Clouds across Europe, each made from a type of stone that suits the local context and materials available.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[Data centres] are a fundamental infrastructure of our contemporary world,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We must both accept and assume their presence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We can certainly build them better, both as more efficient buildings and as a presence that can be integrated into our landscape and culture, like historic castles, cathedrals and factories.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Another data centre designed to have a smaller carbon footprint is Gensler&#8217;s plan for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/2025\/01\/28\/timber-data-centre-microsoft-virginia\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a data centre made from cross-laminated timber<\/a> for Microsoft.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/2025\/04\/25\/ai-data-centre-demand-energy-transition\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a report by BloombergNEF<\/a> found that the data centre\u00a0expansion required to support\u00a0artificial intelligence is expected to keep fossil fuels in use for longer, setting back efforts to transition to renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p>The images are by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxigon.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luxigon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Project credits:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Architects:<\/strong> Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects<br \/><strong>Local architect:<\/strong> Metod Arkitekter<br \/><strong>Structural stone engineers:<\/strong> Webb Yates<br \/><strong>Systems engineers:<\/strong> Granlunds<br \/><strong>Structural engineers:<\/strong> Loostr\u00f6m<br \/><strong>Landscape architecture:<\/strong> Mark Landscape Architects<br \/><strong>Developer:<\/strong> Arlandastad Group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paris-based studio Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Architects has unveiled plans for a data centre in Sweden, which will be&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":358083,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[267],"tags":[365,362,363,364,167331,444,366,18,117,19,17,10357,10358,153966,10359,11581,9312],"class_list":["post-358082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-carl-fredrik-svenstedt-architects","tag-data-centres","tag-design","tag-eire","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-sectionall","tag-sectionarchitecture","tag-sectionexclusives","tag-sectionnews","tag-stone","tag-sweden"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116139424713807348","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/358083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=358082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=358082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}