World’s foremost architects compete to design Nobel Center

The architects who were selected for the competition now face the complex task of developing a conceptual proposal for the architectural design of the Nobel Center – the building that will become the new home of the Nobel Prize in Stockholm. This task also includes explaining how the Nobel Center will relate to the surrounding urban and marine setting on the Blasieholmen peninsula and at Nybroviken, an inlet of the Baltic Sea.

The architects have an extensive competition brief to their aid, which describes the activities that will take place at the Nobel Center and the requirements imposed on the building and its various functions. The brief also describes the unique waterfront location in central Stockholm that the building will occupy and the necessary consideration of the surrounding institutions and environment. For many years, the City of Stockholm has reserved this site on the Blasieholmen peninsula for public activities of international interest. The Nobel Center will enhance the value of this location and make it more accessible for visitors to Stockholm, as well as its residents. 

The jury that will assess the competition proposals consists of eleven individuals who possess a broad range of specialised knowledge of value to the Nobel Center. During some portions of its assessment work, the jury will also call on outside specialists. The composition of the jury is presented in its entirety below.   

The international architectural competition is divided into two stages, with overall design proposals to be submitted by September 30, 2013. After the jury’s assessment, two to five architectural offices will continue to the second stage of the competition, during which their proposals will be further refined. In April 2014, the winning proposal will be presented. Public exhibitions will be organised in conjunction with both stages of the competition.

The architectural competition can now begin thanks to a generous donation of SEK 800 million from the Erling-Persson Family Foundation and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Members of the Jury

Lars Heikensten, Ph.D. (Chairman), Executive Director, The Nobel Foundation

Olov Amelin, Ph.D., Museum Director, Nobel Museum

Lars Drangel, M.Sc.Eng., Ramsbury Property AB

Gunnar von Heijne, Ph.D., Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm University

Marika Hedin, Ph.D., Museum Director, Vasa Museum

Karolina Keyzer, Architect, SAR/MSA, City Architect of Stockholm

Anders Nylander, M.Sc.Eng., Former Managing Director, Atrium-Ljungberg

Harriet Wallberg, MD, Ph.D., Member of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet

Per Wästberg, Writer, Member of the Swedish Academy

Professional Judges

Elizabeth Hatz, Architect SAR/MSA, Lecturer, KTH, Architecture

Inga Varg, Architect SAR/MSA, Partner, Rosenbergs Arkitekter

Participating Architects

Kim Herforth Nielsen, 3XN Architects, Denmark

Bjarke Ingels, BIG Bjarke Ingels Group A/S, Denmark

David Chipperfield, David Chipperfield Architects Gessellschaft von Architekten mbH, Germany

Johan Celsing, Johan Celsing Arkitektkontor AB, Sweden

Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, Lacaton & Vassal Architectes, France

Lene Tranberg, Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter A/S, Denmark

Marcel Meili and Markus Peter, Marcel Meili, Markus Peter Architekten AG, Switzerland

Rem Koolhaas and Reinier de Graaf, OMA, Netherlands

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, SANAA, Japan

Kjetil Thorsen, Snøhetta Oslo A/S, Norway

Gert Wingårdh, Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB, Sweden

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

For the competition brief as well as presentations of the architects, information about the project, press photos and a video in which three Nobel Laureates explain their thoughts about the Nobel Center, visit: www.nobelprize.org/press/nobelfoundation or www.nobelcenter.se

For information about the photo exhibition Making Peace, which is being inaugurated at the Nobel Museum on June 14:
Helena Wallemo, Press and Marketing Manager, Nobel Museum, helena.wallemo@nobelmuseum.se, mobile +46 70 494 40 09, http://www.nobelmuseum.se

© Nobelhuset AB, 2013. Nobel Prize® and the Nobel Prize® medal design mark are registered trademarks of the Nobel Foundation.