Experience Havoteket at H22 City Expo

H22 City Expo is now up and running and Havoteket has opened in Helsingborg. There, visitors of all ages can get closer to life under the surface and experience the tresaures of the sea with all their senses. Havoteket was created in a collaboration between the City of Helsingborg, Hemsö, Tengbom Architects, Serneke and the Port of Helsingborg.

– In Helsingborg and around the entire Öresund strait, the sea is a vital neighbour to the city, but it’s easy to forget this when we don't experience what's actually beneath the surface and beyond the quayside. At Havoteket, you will get closer to the marine life and understand how important it is for us to be good neighbours to the sea in return, says Stina Bertilsson Vuksan, environmental strategist at the City of Helsingborg.

Petting aquarium and more

At Havoteket, visitors can meet some creatures of the sea in the petting aquarium, go under the surface in the water room, listen to lectures and even take water selfies. They can also learn how reefs and living seawalls enhance biodiversity and how we, as city dwellers/citizens, can be good partners to the sea.

– Havoteket is a prototype of a future urban space for experiences and marine learning. We want to strengthen our maritime awareness by highlighting the marine values in the city and the responsibility connected to living and working by the sea. The project is a test to evaluate if a similar space can become something permanent in the future, says Henrik Frindberg, Director of Environment in the City of Helsingborg.

A unique collaboration for the sea

The pavilion is the result of a unique collaboration between the City of Helsingborg, Hemsö, Tengbom Architects, Serneke and the Port of Helsingborg.

– Together we want to create an urban meeting and educational place, where visitors can marvel at marine life and see how important it is to protect it, both in everyday life and in the development of the city, says Berit Cristenson, Regional Manager at Hemsö.

185 square metres and three entrances

Havoteket is nine metres high and built with scaffolding, wooden decking, plywood sheets and scaffolding fabric. The open exhibition space totals 185 square metres and has three entrances.

– The architecture of Havoteket reflects the sea and the wind. Simple materials and scaffolding form the basis of the design and the undulating fabric along the façade evoke thoughts of sea waves, says Vesna Vasiljkovic, office manager at Tengbom architects in Helsingborg

Built to be reused

The whole project has a circular perspective and after H22 City Expo, the pavilion will be dismantled, the land will be restored and the building materials will be recycled as far as possible.

– The circular perspective is present throughout the construction of Havoteket. The scaffolding structures are an innovative way to create and test new urban spaces, while at the same time being recyclable, says Viktor Nagenius, Business Manager at Serneke.

Press contacts:

Henrik Frindberg, Director of environment
henrik.frindberg@helsingborg.se
004642-10 50 25

Stina Bertilsson Vuksan, Environmental strategist
stina.bertilssonvuksan@helsingborg.se
0046732-315063

Berit Christenson, Regional manager, Hemsö
berit.christenson@hemso.se
004640-636 48 10

Vesna Vasiljkovic, Office manager, Tengbom Helsingborg
vesna.vasiljkovic@tengbom.se
0046733- 23 26 24

Viktor Nagenius, Business manager, Serneke
viktor.nagenius@serneke.se
0046704-31 51 11