Town Hall Uppsala / Henning Larsen

Written by Patrick Lynch

Henning Larsen Architects, in collaboration with SLA and Tyréns, has won a competition for the design of a new city hall in Uppsala, Sweden, beating out proposals from Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, White Arkitekter, Ahrbom & Partners, and 3XN Architects.

The project will include a refurbishment and addition to the existing city hall building, which was built in 1957 and only partially completed in accordance with the original drawings. Henning Larsen Architects’ design will close off the L-shaped building, connecting the old and the new with a glass-roofed courtyard to create a new public gathering place for residents of Sweden’s 4th largest city.

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The new 25,000 square meter (270,000 square foot) city hall will reflect the government’s desire for transparency and accessibility, inviting the public inside via an opening connecting the streetscape directly to the interior plaza. The glass-covered courtyard will serve as the new meeting place where public services are programs are located.

At the center of the courtyard, the sculptural addition links old and new departments with a series of footbridges at various levels. This central building will house town hall, meeting and conference facilities, while encouraging sharing and cross-disciplinary problem solving, hallmarks of a modern work environment. Additional program elements include 1,500 flexible workplaces, a cafe with outdoor seating, a restaurant, shops, conference facilities and spaces for public and private exhibitions and events.

The project was chosen by the jury based of the criteria of architectural design, functionality, adaptability, implementation capability, and sustainability, finding Henning Larsen Architects' proposal “the one which most convincingly unites functional demands with architectural quality.”

"Our vision is a welcoming, modern town hall that promotes dialogue with the citizens, is a functional work place, and a meeting place for townsmen, officials, and politicians. At the same time, we want to preserve the architectural value of the existing building. I think, the winning proposal has solved this equation in a very elegant way," said Major of Uppsala and jury chair, Marlene Burwick.

The city will now work with Henning Larsen Architects and consultants to further develop the project. Construction on the city hall is scheduled to begin in 2017, with completion anticipated for 2020.

News via Henning Larsen Architects, Arkitekt.se.