Akademiska Hus is investing approximately SEK 1.9 billion in a new building that will make it possible for the University of Gothenburg to gather the Faculty of Arts between Götaplatsen and Korsvägen. The investment will be an important part of the development of the university area Näckrosen and the meeting place for the humanities, arts and culture that is created there.
- The University of Gothenburg has the largest art faculty in Scandinavia with a completely unique breadth of educations and research, even in an international perspective. The fact that we can now gather the faculty in the middle of the city in a building that is specifically adapted for the business provides fantastic opportunities, both for the university, for Gothenburg and for cultural life, says Eva Wiberg, Rector of the University of Gothenburg.
In the new building, the faculty's two departments, the School of Art and Design (HDK-Valand) and the School of Stage and Music (HSM) can move together. The house will be home to students, researchers and teachers in all artistic subjects, which creates greater opportunities for students and researchers from different disciplines to interact and new collaborations in the artistic subjects can emerge.
- Together with the University of Gothenburg, we create an efficient and purposeful building where all the subjects of the Faculty of Arts can gather in premises that provide the conditions for outstanding education and research. The university area at Näckrosen is strengthened as a living place in the middle of the city where people can meet, experience art and exchange knowledge, says Anna Alsborger, property director at Akademiska Hus.
Specific and flexible premises
The investment consists of a rebuilding of part of the existing Artisten as well as an extension with two new house bodies in six floors called Kuben and Längan. The environments will include workshops, multi-purpose halls, dance halls, concert halls, theaters, galleries, studios, music rooms, studios, offices, cafés and restaurants.
- We have long been known for our fine workshops and other special premises and we want to continue to be so in the future. In the new house, we have invested heavily in the special rooms required for artistic education and research, such as workshops for textiles, metal, wood and ceramics, concert halls, rehearsal rooms, photo labs, studios and blackboxes. And of course galleries and scenes where we can share our production, says Sanne Kofod Olsen, dean of the Faculty of Arts.
The premises will have a flexible design so that they can be changed according to the university's future needs, while the co-location in the new building means that the faculty's need for rented premises will decrease by a total of 25 percent compared to the space they rent today. The renovation and extension project covers a total of approximately 45,000 m2, of which the Faculty of Arts intends to rent 26,200 m2. Other areas include a parking garage and attractive office space for external activities connected to the academy or which in a longer perspective can constitute space for the faculty to grow in.
Ascent from Västlänken
The project also includes an ascent from Västlänken station Korsvägen with retail premises with adapted service offerings. The entrance will be integrated in the new extension Längan and located at the corner between Johannebergsgatan and Olof Wijksgatan. The location has been developed in close collaboration with the City of Gothenburg and with the aim of minimizing changes in the urban environment. With the ascent, the building and the university open up further towards the city, throughput and people's lives on surrounding streets increase and the opportunity for sustainable travel to and from campus improves.
Sustainable and long-term
Building sustainably and long-term is of the utmost importance for both Akademiska Hus and the University of Gothenburg. High environmental requirements are set in all construction projects and the Faculty of Arts' new building will be built with the aim of being certified according to Miljöbyggnad Guld. As part of this work, recycled materials will be used where possible.
The renovation and extension is planned to start in February 2023. The relocation of the Faculty of Arts is planned to begin in a first stage in 2025 and be completed in 2027.
About the Waterlily area
With its central location between Korsvägen and Götaplatsen, Näckrosen is a place with great opportunities. Here, the University of Gothenburg and Akademiska Hus create a new university environment for the entire university and the entire city - a new center for the humanities, arts and culture for future research and education.
The new Humanist was completed in December 2019 and brings together the Faculty of Humanities under one roof. In addition to the new building for the Faculty of Arts with an integrated entrance from Västlänken's station Korsvägen, planning is underway for a new and more functional university library. Akademiska Hus recently began the conversion of part of the old Humanisten, the so-called Språkskrapan, into student housing.
With proximity to both the cultural institutions around Götaplatsen and to Korsvägen and the event route, the university area Näckrosen will in a few years be an even more active and integrated part of Gothenburg.