The Berlin studio of David Chipperfield Architects has revealed a red-brick design for the Nobel Center in Stockholm, eight years after its brass-clad proposal was blocked by a Swedish court.
Working with local architecture studio Sweco Architects, David Chipperfield Architects‘ latest design features a series of blocky brick volumes along the waterfront on Södermalm island.
The Nobel Center will contain spaces for workshops, lectures, events and exhibitions that showcase achievements and stories of Nobel Prize laureates across science, literature and peace sectors.
David Chipperfield Architects was first announced as the architect of the Nobel Centre in 2014 following a competition for which it entered a shimmering brass-clad proposal.
The design was scaled back in 2015 in response to concerns from the public, before further design changes were revealed the following year, resulting in a triple-stack building clad in brass louvres.
In 2018, Sweden’s Land and Environment Court blocked construction of the project, claiming it would cause “significant damage” to Stockholm’s historic waterfront. Two years later, the Nobel Foundation decided on a different site for the centre and approached several architecture studios, including David Chipperfield Architects, to submit new designs.
Presented by the Nobel Foundation, David Chipperfield Architects’ latest design will be located in Slussen, a district being regenerated with a masterplan by British studio Foster + Partners.
The building will be made up of a series of blocky forms with proportions designed to reference historic townhouses found along the water.
“The building is composed of interlocking volumes that respond to the topography of Södermalm,” said David Chipperfield Architects.
“Their rhythm and proportions draw on the scale of the 17th-century merchant townhouses of the Old Town across the water, allowing the building to engage with Stockholm’s historic waterfront while reading as a single, coherent structure.”
A foyer, shop and restaurant will be located on the ground floor, which will open onto an outdoor terrace overlooking the water. A waterfront promenade will form a route connecting the neighbouring Fotografiska and Stadsmuseet museums.
“The ground floor is conceived as an extension of the public realm, highly permeable and transparent,” said David Chipperfield Architects.
“It allows a fluid transition without thresholds between city and building, anchoring the Nobel Center in everyday urban life.”
The Nobel Center’s structure will be predominantly timber, with reclaimed red bricks lining its facades in a nod to significant public buildings in the city, such as City Hall.
“The selection of material reflects a commitment to sustainability as an integral societal responsibility,” said David Chipperfield Architects. “The brick lends the building a sense of permanence and gravitas in its representation of the Nobel Prize.”
Construction is expected to commence in 2027, and the Nobel Centre is set to be completed in 2031.
David Chipperfield Architects also made headlines last week when it was revealed that its Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will not be fully completed in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics next month.
The visuals are by Onirism.
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