The winner of Serneke's competition to design Sweden's tallest skyscraper has been announced. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill beat out four other finalists, including Zaha Hadid.
The skyscraper, which will reach 230 meters and is named Polstjärnan, or "The Pole Star," is to be built in Gothenburg, Sweden.
With a 32,000-sm master plan, it will be wholly residential. At its apex, the tower will have four connected prisms, which twist 90 degrees, Arch Daily reports.
When discussing why the design won, the jury cited the plan's harmony with the larger city, calling SOM's design “an identity-building proposal that takes a smart holistic approach to both the skyscraper and the urban environment."
In addition, the jury stated the the project simply made sense economically, while providing comfortable living spaces: "The repetitive structure makes the building easy to produce cost-effectively. The homes are well-composed, with good views and good outdoor spaces in all directions. Overall, the proposal is successful in its endeavor to create an attractive urban setting and a visually striking superstructure." You can read the jury's full statement here.
All renderings courtesy SOM.
The jury consisted of:
Björn Siesjö, architect SAR/MSA City Architect Stadsbyggnadskontoret Göteborg
Anders Svensson, architect SAR/MSA, the Älvstad Project Stadsbyggnadskontoret Göteborg
Olle Lindkvist, Älvstranden Utvecklings AB
Erica Bengtsson, Environmental Strategist, Älvstranden Utvecklings AB
Ola Serneke, VD Serneke AB
Alban Herlitz, Project Development Manager Serneke AB
Louise Masreliez, architect SAR/MSA appointed by Sveriges Arkitekter
Christer Malmström, architect SAR/MSA appointed by Sveriges Arkitekter
Related Stories
| Jun 9, 2014
Eli Broad museum files $19.8 million lawsuit over delays
The museum, meant to hold Eli and Edythe Borad's collection of contemporary art, is suing the German company Seele for what the museum describes as delays in the creation of building blocks for its façade.
| Jun 8, 2014
What’s the word of the day? It’s all about ‘resiliency’
Just for the sake of argument, let’s put aside the rhetoric about climate change—whether it’s actually happening, whether it’s a result of manmade activity—and agree that we are experiencing some pretty dramatic weather events that are having huge impacts on populations here in the U.S. and worldwide.
Smart Buildings | Jun 8, 2014
Big Data: How one city took control of its facility assets with data
Over the past few years, Buffalo has developed a cutting-edge facility management program to ensure it's utilizing its facilities and operations as efficiently, effectively, and sustainably as possible.
| Jun 6, 2014
Must see: Can a floating city offset urban population growth in China?
AT Design Office has proposed a design for a floating city to offset increasing urban populations in China. To create the new city, a 10-square kilometer island would be made out of prefab blocks.
| Jun 6, 2014
KPF, Kevin Roche unveil design for 51-story Hudson Yards tower in NYC [slideshow]
Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group are teaming to develop Fifty Five Hudson Yards, the latest addition to the commercial office tower collection in the 28-acre Hudson Yards development—the largest private real estate development in the history of the U.S.
| Jun 6, 2014
Shipping container ship terminal completed in Spain
In Seville, Spain, architectural firms Hombre de Piedra and Buró4 have designed and completed a cruise ship terminal out of used shipping containers.
| Jun 5, 2014
International Parking Institute names best new parking structures
Winners include garages that are architectural delights, an airport's canopied parking atrium, and an environmentally friendly garage under America's oldest park.
| Jun 4, 2014
Emerging trends in healthcare development: neighborhood care, mixed-use models on the rise
In urban and even suburban markets, real estate is about the "live, work, play," with close proximity to mass transit and other amenities, like retail stores. Healthcare organizations are following suit.
| Jun 4, 2014
Want to design a Guggenheim? Foundation launches open competition for proposed Helsinki museum
This is the first time the Guggenheim Foundation has sought a design through an open competition. Anonymous submissions for stage one of the competition are due September 10, 2014.
| Jun 4, 2014
Market update: A difficult first quarter for construction spending comes to an end
This year's unusually difficult winter took its toll on construction activity. Nonetheless, first quarter spending for all the major groups was up compared to the same period in 2013.