Kronprinsen
Standing 75 metres tall above the Malmö skyline, Kronprinsen ("the crown prince") has been a defining presence in the city for decades. Designed by architects Thorsten Roos and Kurt Hultin in the 1950s and completed in 1964, it was Sweden’s first residential high-rise building and remained the tallest building in Malmö for more than forty years. With its distinctive blue ceramic-tiled façade, the "royal" tower is still recognised today as one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
Historic renovation at great heights
Bringing such an icon up to today’s building standards, while preserving its unique architectural character, required a careful balance of heritage, innovation, and technical expertise. The 13,000-square-metre façade refurbishment of this inhabited building was therefore much more than a construction challenge. It became a strong use case of how renovation can extend the life of existing architecture in a thoughtful and futureproof way.
Working on an occupied residential tower added another layer of complexity. Residents remained in the building throughout construction, meaning that installation had to be managed with precision, speed and sensitivity. The scale of the project also raised the stakes: with 27 floors, 750 apartments and a long building envelope, every detail of logistics, coordination and façade performance mattered.
At the heart of the renovation was a clear ambition: retain the original appearance of Kronprinsen while significantly improving the building envelope. Respect for the existing architecture was essential. Using laser scanning technology, the original tile pattern was mapped in detail to recreate the façade with exceptional accuracy. This was no small task. The unique ceramic composition consists of around 2 million tiles, and importantly, no tiles were to be cut. The result is a renewed façade that remains deeply faithful to the building’s historic identity.
Significant façade technology
Behind this familiar appearance lies a highly advanced façade solution. In close co-development between Fasadglas, Reynaers Aluminium Scandinavia and the Reynaers Aluminium Project Cell, a project-specific element façade was developed to answer the technical and architectural requirements of the renovation. The dedicated support of the Project Cell, which contributed more than 380 hours to the project, helped transform an initial concept into a competitive, buildable and high-performing solution.
Performance gains were substantial. The façade moved from a Ucw value above 2.0 W/m²K to an impressive Ucw of 0.3 W/m²K, demonstrating how refurbishment can radically improve comfort and energy efficiency without compromising the visual identity of a building. Fabricator Fasadglas also developed an integrated rail system for installation, which helped to manage the complexity of execution on a high-rise of this scale.
Kronprinsen proves that the most sustainable high-rise is not the one rebuilt, but the one carefully renewed with respect for its heritage, identity and future performance.
Solution-oriented partnerships
The success of the project was also rooted in collaboration. Jonatan Mårtensson, International Project Manager at Reynaers Aluminium Scandinavia: “Reynaers Aluminium and Fasadglas have built a close partnership since 2018, and that customer intimacy proved invaluable here. For Fasadglas, Kronprinsen became its largest-ever façade contract at the time. For us at Reynaers Aluminium, it marked the largest façade project in Sweden realised together with a local partner. Strong communication, solution-oriented service and a shared willingness to innovate were essential throughout.”
Prepared for the future
Kronprinsen shows why renovation and refurbishment are becoming increasingly important in cities around the world. In Europe, 75% of buildings are not energy efficient; through mass renovation and responsible material selection we can limit buildings’ carbon footprint drastically. Updating existing high-rise buildings is often complex, but it is also a meaningful way to build more sustainably. After all, the most sustainable building is the one not demolished. By renovating with respect for heritage and tradition, this Malmö landmark has been prepared for the future while keeping its place in the city’s collective memory.
Today, Kronprinsen continues to shape the skyline — from its blue-tiled façade to the rooftop restaurant overlooking Malmö, the Öresund strait and, on a clear day, even Copenhagen. Thanks to this ambitious transformation, the building can now continue its story with renewed performance, renewed comfort and renewed relevance for generations to come.
