Atrium Ljungberg is to become a co-owner of the community and coworking company ‘A house’, which has a clear expansion plan
Atrium Ljungberg is acquiring 50% of the shares in A house, which offers community, coworking and creative development. Since the start of 2016, it has been a hub for many innovative operations, from the incubator of the Stockholm School of Economics to the OMAKA development brewery. A house is now investing in expanding to a number of new locations in Stockholm. In the next few years A house is planning to open in Atrium Ljungberg’s properties, including Nya Slussen and Slakthusområdet.
Atrium Ljungberg has valued A house to SEK 40 million and acquired 50% of the shares. In addition, Atrium Ljungberg intends to invest approximately SEK 50 million for future expansion in the coming years.
– A house has a unique ability to create destinations that have a strong personality based on the property’s soul. These destinations are then filled with life, energy and enthusiasm. This is just how Atrium Ljungberg works when we develop locations. This deal is based on our shared values and the great potential presented by a mutual exchange, says Annica Ånäs, CEO of Atrium Ljungberg.
A house has a background in creative industries (food, fashion, media, music and film) and its ambition is for its future buildings to be a hub for creative development in other industries where the need for innovation is growing.
– When we set up A house, our vision was to become a melting pot, where creative Swedish companies could find their place in the world and develop ideas that have a global impact. Our model is to make it easier to build relationships and generate ideas, says Johan Almquist, co-founder of A house. He has been the Chairman of the company up to now and will continue as CEO of the company.
The creative concepts of A house provide a clear differentiation in a competitive coworking market, and the former Arkitekturskolan and Filmhuset are proof of this. A house is now planning to expand to five new destinations, including Nya Slussen and Slakthusområdet, where Atrium Ljungberg has an extensive property portfolio. It is also expected to open in other major cities in Sweden.
– These new establishments help to broaden our offer and target new sectors and contexts. Every building will have its own specialization, but the common thread running through all our destinations will be the focus on creative development, continues Johan Almquist.
A house has been profitable since day one. In 2022 the company reported a profit of SEK 5 million after net financial items from a turnover of SEK 37 million, resulting in a profit margin of 13.7%. There have been many exciting tenants that have blossomed at A house, including the incubator SSE Business Lab (Voi, Sting), at the Stockholm School of Economics, which was named the best incubator in the world, Spendrups’ development brewery Omaka and the new restaurant Tengu. Renowned events have also played a role in this successful concept.
– A house has definitely shown that you can build a strong and profitable community, and attract incredibly interesting tenants. They are creating an environment that not only attracts established names, but also fosters new and incredible ideas and initiatives, says Annica Ånäs.
A house is home to freelancers and start-ups, consultancy agencies and different kinds of creatives. The partnership with Atrium Ljungberg will create a new target group with large companies. A house destinations will become a network across the city that can be used as supplementary offices, with A house forming a link between the head office and the home office.
– We and Atrium Ljungberg are birds of a feather. We share a passion for the soul of our locations, making the most of the buildings. It is our belief that the best locations are created by working closely with the people who operate there, says Johan Almquist.
Facts about A house:
Sales: SEK 37 million
Profit: SEK 5.1 million
Number of employees: 14
Nacka,16 March 2023
Atrium Ljungberg AB (publ)
For further information, please contact:
Marianne Perslow, Head of Communication, Atrium Ljungberg, +46 (0) 70-341 54 21, marianne.perslow@al.se
Johan Almquist, A house, +46 (0) 70-568 70 52, johan@ahouse.se
Atrium Ljungberg is one of Sweden’s biggest listed property companies. We own, develop and manage properties in growth markets in Stockholm, Uppsala, Gothenburg and Malmö. Our focus is on developing attractive urban environments for offices and retail, supplemented with residentials, culture, service and education. The total letting area is approximately 1 million m² valued at SEK 60 billion. Our areas include more than 30,000 workers and students as well as 1,000 residents. Our project portfolio will enable us to invest the equivalent of approximately SEK 40 billion in the future. Atrium Ljungberg is listed as ATRLJ-B.ST on the NASDAQ Stockholm Large Cap list. Find out more at www.al.se
