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

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

GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market

Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.

Adaptive Reuse | Mar 21, 2024

Massachusetts launches program to spur office-to-residential conversions statewide

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently launched a program to help cities across the state identify underused office buildings that are best suited for residential conversions.

Image by RAEng_Publications from Pixabay

Legislation | Mar 21, 2024

Bill would mandate solar panels on public buildings in New York City

A recently introduced bill in the New York City Council would mandate solar panel installations on the roofs of all city-owned buildings. The legislation would require 100 MW of solar photovoltaic systems be installed on public buildings by the end of 2025.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.