flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

SOM's twisting tower wins design competition for Sweden's tallest skyscraper

SOM's twisting tower wins design competition for Sweden's tallest skyscraper

The 230-meter tower scheme beat out four other finalists, including Zaha Hadid.


By BD+C Staff | June 18, 2014
The tower, called Polstjrnan, or "The Pole Star," is to be built in Gothenburg,
The tower, called Polstjrnan, or "The Pole Star," is to be built in Gothenburg, Sweden. Renderings courtesy SOM

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.

The high-rise building is expected to be completed by 2019 and is the centerpiece of a new, 200,000-sm mixed-use city due to be fully completed in 2012, to celebrate Gothenburg's 400th anniversary.

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

| May 14, 2013

Advanced turbines generate 6X more energy than conventional models

US-based wind energy company SheerWind just unveiled the INVELOX – a tunnel-based wind turbine that can produce up to 600% more power than traditional wind turbines.

| May 14, 2013

Raymond Clark joins HOK’s Chicago Practice as Management Principal

HOK announced today that Raymond Clark, AIA, LEED AP, has joined its leadership team in Chicago as senior vice president and management principal.

| May 14, 2013

Easy net-zero energy buildings [infographic]

"Be a Zero Hero" infographic educates building industry professionals on ultra energy-efficient structural insulated panel construction

| May 9, 2013

10 high-efficiency plumbing fixtures

From a "no sweat" toilet to a deep-well lavatory, here's a round up of the latest high-efficiency plumbing fixtures.

| May 9, 2013

Post-tornado Greensburg, Kan., leads world in LEED-certified buildings per capita

Six years after a tornado virtually wiped out the town, Greensburg, Kan., is the world's leading community in LEED-certified buildings per capita.

| May 8, 2013

Preventable curtain wall failures - AIA/CES course

In many cases, curtain wall failures are caused by fairly simple errors that occur during the fabrication and installation process. This presentation will highlight common errors and when they typically occur.

| May 8, 2013

NBBJ appoints Tim Leberecht Chief Marketing Officer

NBBJ, a global architecture and design firm, today announced that it has appointed Tim Leberecht as its Chief Marketing Officer. Leberecht joins NBBJ from Frog Design where he led the marketing organization from 2006 to 2013 and helped transform the company into one of the world’s foremost design and innovation consultancies.

| May 7, 2013

First look: Golden State Warriors stadium by Snøhetta, AECOM

Architects Snøhetta and AECOM have revealed their latest renderings of a new stadium for NBA basketball team the Golden State Warriors on the waterfront in San Francisco. 

| May 7, 2013

Renovated bridge building will anchor Nashville riverfront master plan

Renovations to the former Nashville Bridge Company building were recently completed, including a newly-built modern wing. The facility has been re-dubbed The Bridge Building and now offers spaces for meetings, parties, weddings, and other events.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Great Solutions

41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors

AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021