Record interest already shown in Gothenburg skyscraper competition

Which architect will win the commission to design the Nordic region’s tallest building?
Trade organisation the Swedish Association of Architects is responsible for organising the architecture competition, which is now being advertised all over Europe, with interest already reaching an all time high.
“We’ve never enjoyed so much interest in a competition before it even started, and I’ve already been contacted by a range of architecture firms from different countries,” said Claes Larsson, Competition Organiser at the Swedish Association of Architects.

Monday 23 September marks the launch of the competition process with an open invitation extended to architects from all over Europe. Five teams of architects will be selected before Christmas, with the contest being settled between these five in January 2014. With interest in the competition scaling record heights, the renowned jury panel (see below) are set to have their hands full during the final quarter of the year.

“It’s not inconceivable we could receive in the region of 80 entries,” added Larsson.

A local landmark
In addition to the Swedish Association of Architects, the event is being organised by SEFA AB, which conceived the idea, in consultation with Stadsbyggnadskontoret (the Gothenburg Town-Building Office) and municipal corporation Älvstrandens Utvecklings AB. The Gothenburg skyscraper project has already generated considerable interest, both in Sweden and abroad. The building has all the potential to become precisely the landmark required to instil life and vitality into the old port area.

A thriving urban district
“The jury panel will not only assess candidates based on their experience with tall buildings, but will also consider entries from a town planning perspective.”
“We’re hoping to see ideas on how we can create a thriving urban district,” added Larsson.

The competition zone is centrally located in the Norra Älvstranden district, in close proximity to the recently constructed Lindholmsallén. The area already boasts an extensive public transport network, with tram services scheduled to supplement the district’s buses in the foreseeable future.

The nearby Lindholmen Science Park will also benefit greatly from the development of the competition area, cementing its status as a world-leading arena for research, education and innovation.

“Competition provides a broader scope”
“The element of competition stimulates an influx of creativity which produces a greater number of high-quality proposals. This makes for a broader scope in comparison to a regular project.”

“In addition, the competition helps show Gothenburg and Lindholmen in a positive light, raising the profile of the city as a place in which to work,” added Larsson.

Jury panel:

Stadsbyggnadskontoret Gothenburg (The Gothenburg Town-Building Office)
Björn Siesjö (Town Architect)
Anders Svensson (Architect, Älvstad project)

Älvstrandens Utvecklings AB
Olle Lindqvist (Acting CEO)
Staffan Bolminger (Environment Manager)
 
SEFA AB
Ola Serneke (CEO)
Alban Herlitz (Project Developer)
 
The Swedish Association of Architects
The architects will be selected by the Swedish Association of Architects competition committee.

For more information, please contact:
Claes Larsson, Competition Organiser at the Swedish Association of Architects,
+46 (0) 706 99 07 40
Ola Serneke, SEFA CEO, +46 (0) 706 24 39 90