The building, which was designed by Johannes Norlander Architects, is designed to fit with the School's existing architecture from both the 1950s and 1990s. The building comprises approximately 10,800 square meters of gross area spread over eight floors above ground and one basement. Among other things, it houses a new main entrance, two auditoriums, student services, café, offices and student workplaces. An entrance to the West Link's Haga station will also be integrated into the building. The mock-up gives a picture in detail of what the façade will look like when the new house is in place later on.
An artistic concrete façade
The building is constructed of concrete, and the façade and its patterns are designed to create a vibrant and warm surface that changes as the shadows migrate throughout the day. To get the right color and shape in the façade, a long process was required. The pattern and moulds in which the concrete will be cast have been developed with the help of a wood carver and extensive material samples have been produced to find the right colour and design. The patterning in the façade panels will be reminiscent of planed and hewn sandstone, and gives a nod to the older architecture in the block.
The large windows set the character for both the inside and the outside. Inside, the large glass provides light and airy premises, and the exterior provides an inviting break from the concrete façade. Together with the bronze-coloured wrought iron details, the impression will be both warm and stylish.
The benefits of a mock-up
In the project for the School's new building, a mock-up was included as a requirement from the city planning office. They simply wanted to be able to see a life-size section of the façade at the site before a decision was made. During the course of the project, however, the building permit was approved before the mock-up was in place thanks to hard work on the part of the project. However, it still serves its purpose as a good opportunity to be able to test manufacturing and materials. Communicatively, it also gives everyone who lives or works in the area a chance to know more about the design of the new building in advance.
Jan Henningsson
Projektchef