The London office of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill SOM, along with Copenhagen architects Entasis, and in collaboration with COWI in Denmark and Sweden, is very proud to have been awarded the Polestar Tower project in Gothenburg, Sweden. Following an international competition, the team’s design for a 230m tower and master plan for the surrounding area has been chosen from designs by 5 shortlisted international practices to be taken forward.
From the Architects:
Commissioned by major contractor SERNEKE and the City of Gothenburg, this inspirational new residential scheme includes Sweden’s tallest building, marking a shift from traditional development patterns in the country. Drawing on their experience as designers of 6 of the world’s fifteen tallest buildings, SOM’s design is highly efficient, both in terms of floor space and energy use, while still including apartments with views focused on the city and waterfront. The tower design is complemented by a sustainable vision for the entire area, strengthening Gothenburg as a whole – in particular the post-industrial business district north of Götaälven.
Extending from this bold vision the master plan creates a highly animated 143,000m² mixed use district. Offering a vibrant destination with a range of retail, food and beverage opportunities, this new neighbourhood will act as a catalyst in making Lindholmen the premier north bank area.
Kent Jackson, Design Director at SOM said: “We are very excited to have won this prestigious competition and will be pleased to deliver a great design and city district for the people of Gothenburg.”
A series of mid rise towers rising from a robustly expressed sequence of podium buildings creates a new cluster of taller structures providing context for Polestar. The tower will offer a variety of apartment types, including single storey flats, loft-style apartments and duplexes. Balconies to each apartment not only serve to provide flexible living space, but are also used to accentuate the fluid geometry of the building, a form which takes its inspiration from ribbons blowing in the wind.
The Polestar creates opportunities for community within the building, incorporating a shared residents’ lounge, a public restaurant, a gym and a roof deck at podium level. The building is topped with an observation deck which, as the highest point in Gothenburg will provide the public with an opportunity to share views to the city and the wider region.
In parallel to the competition, to celebrate the city’s four hundredth anniversary, the design team has proposed a new landscaped ring linking key sites in Goteborg and the formation of a new park through the realignment of Lindholmsallén.
Project: Polestar Tower
Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill SOM, Entasis
Design Team: Kent Jackson, Peter Jackson, Martin Grinnell & Yasemin Kologlu
Competition: Karlavagnsplatsen Tower Competition
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Website: www.som.com, entasis.dk
