Further refined proposals in the second stage of the Nobel Center architectural competition

The Nobel Center is intended to be a place that will engage people and arouse their curiosity – a place that will focus on the stories of the Nobel Laureates. These are stories of courage, conviction and persistence, which prove that ideas can change the world. The ambition is to make the Nobel Center one of Stockholm's most attractive destinations, with public spaces for exhibitions, programmes and educational activities, events and interdisciplinary meetings of various kinds. Three prominent architectural offices have now further refined their proposals for the building that will become the future public platform of the Nobel Prize.

One of the additions that were made in the competition brief for the second stage was a reduction of the programme area. As a result, all three proposed buildings have decreased in size and now leave a smaller footprint on the site. All three are located in the north-western corner of the site close to Hovslagargatan street and other Blasieholmen neighbourhood buildings, allowing the creation of an attractive open space in a sunny position with plenty of room for strolling on the quay along the water. The architects have also refined their proposals based on the jury’s desire for greater openness towards the surrounding public areas and walkways.

As previously announced, the contestants in stage two are David Chipperfield and Christoph Felger of David Chipperfield Architects Berlin (Germany), Gert Wingårdh of Wingårdh Arkitektkontor (Sweden) and Johan Celsing of Johan Celsing Arkitektkontor (Sweden). Their refined proposals will be presented on the website Nobelcenter.se and at the Nobel Museum in Stockholm.

“This is an exciting process we are in, and obviously a lot can still happen with the proposals. We look forward to announcing the winning architectural office during the spring and we look forward to initiating a partnership that will result in a new home for the Nobel Prize and a new public environment in a fantastic location on Blasieholmen,” says Lars Heikensten, chairman of the competition jury and Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation.

The jury assessing the competition proposals consists of eleven individuals with expertise in architecture, museum activities, construction and real estate matters as well as Nobel activities. The jury was entrusted with selecting two to five proposals from the original eleven, which were then invited to continue to stage two. Three architectural offices were given the opportunity to further develop and re-work their proposals, and these will now be evaluated by the jury. The winning proposal – which will be chosen in April – will provide the basis for a new local plan on which the City of Stockholm intends to hold consultations during the autumn of 2014. According to the preliminary timetable, the new Nobel Center should be able to open its doors in December 2018.

See the refined competition entries

More about the competition process, architects and jury members (PDF)

All competition entries will be on display at the Nobel Museum, Stortorget, Gamla Stan (Old Town, Stockholm)

Press contacts:

Annika Pontikis, Public Relations Manager, Nobel Foundation, annika.pontikis@nobel.se, telephone +46 8 663 14 70, mobile +46 70 454 76 72

Press photos of the refined competition entries (© Nobelhuset AB)

For information about the exhibition at the Nobel Museum:

Helena Wallemo, Press and Marketing Manager, Nobel Museum, helena.wallemo@nobelmuseum.se, mobile +46 70 494 40 09

© Nobelhuset AB 2014. Nobel Prize®, Nobel Museum® and the Nobel Prize® medal design mark are registered trademarks of the Nobel Foundation.