flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Chipperfield's sparkling brass-clad scheme selected to be new home of Nobel Prize

Chipperfield's sparkling brass-clad scheme selected to be new home of Nobel Prize

The distinctive building, with its shimmering vertical brass elements and glass façade design, beat out two other finalists in the Nobel Center architectural competition.


By Nobel Center | April 15, 2014
David Chipperfield Architects has won the Nobel Center architectural competition
David Chipperfield Architects has won the Nobel Center architectural competition. Renderings: courtesy Nobel Center, David Chipp
A unanimous competition jury has selected David Chipperfield’s and Christoph Felger’s slender brass-clad building as the winner in the Nobel Center architectural competition. 
 
“We are extremely excited and honoured to have been selected to be the architects for the Nobel Center. We look forward to working together to develop a building that reflects both the values of the Nobel Prize and the high expectations of the citizens of Stockholm,” says architect David Chipperfield.
 
According to the statement of the jury, the proposed building has an elegant, timeless and attractive external appearance with a clear identity of its own. The revised façade design, with its shimmering vertical brass elements and glass, has a lofty elegance and quality that can be associated with the Nobel Prize.
 
“The jury finds the lightness and openness of the building very appealing and consistent with the Nobel Foundation’s explicit ambition to create an open and welcoming Center for the general public,” says Lars Heikensten, chairman of the competition jury and Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation.
 
The transparent ground floor helps create a pleasant setting in the immediate vicinity of the building, thereby also enriching the urban public space. Meanwhile the building’s moderate footprint creates good opportunities for a public city park in a sunny south-east position.
 
The jury is of the opinion that after additional refinement in collaboration with the client and with public authorities, the proposal can lead to a dignified, exciting and inviting Nobel Center building while helping create a better, more engaging and beautiful urban setting on the Blasieholmen peninsula in central Stockholm.
 
Per Wästberg, writer, member of the Swedish Academy, Chairman of the Nobel Committee for Literature and one of the members of the competition jury says, “We view the winning proposal as a concrete interpretation of the Nobel Prize as Sweden’s most important symbol in the world. Stockholm will gain a building – magnificent but without pomp, powerful yet graceful – with qualities like those the City Hall gave the capital a century ago.”
 
In the now-completed second stage of the competition, the jury assessed proposals from three finalists: David Chipperfield and Christoph Felger från David Chipperfield Architects Berlin (Germany), Johan Celsing from Johan Celsing Arkitektkontor (Sweden) and Gert Wingårdh from Wingårdh Arkitektkontor (Sweden).
 
The Nobel Center will build up its activities around the Nobel Prize’s unique combination of disciplines – sciences, literature and peace. The ambition is to make the Nobel Center one of Stockholm’s most attractive destinations, including public spaces for exhibitions, programme and school activities, events and interdisciplinary meetings of various kinds.
 
Take a look at the renderings that won the competition:
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects
 
 
 
©David Chipperfield Architects

Related Stories

Hotel Facilities | Apr 24, 2024

The U.S. hotel construction market sees record highs in the first quarter of 2024

As seen in the Q1 2024 U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), at the end of the first quarter, there are 6,065 projects with 702,990 rooms in the pipeline. This new all-time high represents a 9% year-over-year (YOY) increase in projects and a 7% YOY increase in rooms compared to last year.

Architects | Apr 24, 2024

Shepley Bulfinch appoints new Board of Director: Evelyn Lee, FAIA

Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture firm announced the appointment of new Board of Director member Evelyn Lee, FAIA as an outside director. With this new appointment, Lucia Quinn has stepped down from the firm’s Board, after serving many years as an outside board advisor and then as an outside director. 

ProConnect Events | Apr 23, 2024

5 more ProConnect events scheduled for 2024, including all-new 'AEC Giants'

SGC Horizon present 7 ProConnect events in 2024.

75 Top Building Products | Apr 22, 2024

Enter today! BD+C's 75 Top Building Products for 2024

BD+C editors are now accepting submissions for the annual 75 Top Building Products awards. The winners will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Building Design+Construction. 

Laboratories | Apr 22, 2024

Why lab designers should aim to ‘speak the language’ of scientists

Learning more about the scientific work being done in the lab gives designers of those spaces an edge, according to Adrian Walters, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal and Director of SMMA's Science & Technology team.

Resiliency | Apr 22, 2024

Controversy erupts in Florida over how homes are being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently sent a letter to officials in Lee County, Florida alleging that hundreds of homes were rebuilt in violation of the agency’s rules following Hurricane Ian. The letter provoked a sharp backlash as homeowners struggle to rebuild following the devastating 2022 storm that destroyed a large swath of the county.

Mass Timber | Apr 22, 2024

British Columbia changing building code to allow mass timber structures of up to 18 stories

The Canadian Province of British Columbia is updating its building code to expand the use of mass timber in building construction. The code will allow for encapsulated mass-timber construction (EMTC) buildings as tall as 18 stories for residential and office buildings, an increase from the previous 12-story limit. 

Standards | Apr 22, 2024

Design guide offers details on rain loads and ponding on roofs

The American Institute of Steel Construction and the Steel Joist Institute recently released a comprehensive roof design guide addressing rain loads and ponding. Design Guide 40, Rain Loads and Ponding provides guidance for designing roof systems to avoid or resist water accumulation and any resulting instability.

Building Materials | Apr 22, 2024

Tacoma, Wash., investigating policy to reuse and recycle building materials

Tacoma, Wash., recently initiated a study to find ways to increase building material reuse through deconstruction and salvage. The city council unanimously voted to direct the city manager to investigate deconstruction options and estimate costs. 

Student Housing | Apr 19, 2024

$115 million Cal State Long Beach student housing project will add 424 beds

A new $115 million project recently broke ground at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) that will add housing for 424 students at below-market rates. The 108,000 sf La Playa Residence Hall, funded by the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, will consist of three five-story structures connected by bridges.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Mass Timber

Charlotte's new multifamily mid-rise will feature exposed mass timber

Construction recently kicked off for Oxbow, a multifamily community in Charlotte’s The Mill District. The $97.8 million project, consisting of 389 rental units and 14,300 sf of commercial space, sits on 4.3 acres that formerly housed four commercial buildings. The street-level retail is designed for boutiques, coffee shops, and other neighborhood services.


Construction Costs

New download: BD+C's May 2024 Market Intelligence Report

Building Design+Construction's monthly Market Intelligence Report offers a snapshot of the health of the U.S. building construction industry, including the commercial, multifamily, institutional, and industrial building sectors. This report tracks the latest metrics related to construction spending, demand for design services, contractor backlogs, and material price trends.



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