Sara Culture Centre | 2021

Just below the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, lies the city of Skellefteå, a city with traditions rooted in timber buildings, which became the primary inspiration behind the winning design of the international competition for Sara Culture Center.

Fostering community and a place to contemplate the possibilities of a more harmonious future with our environment; The building houses four art, performance and literary organizations. Additionally, a hotel ascends from the base, making the building a 20-storey high-rise, entirely out of timber. At the time of inauguration in September 2021, it is one of the world’s tallest timber buildings.
The extremely diverse programme has called for a range of innovative solutions in mass timber construction to handle spans, flexibility, acoustics and overall statics. Standing almost 80 meters tall, the hotel is built from premanufactured 3D modules in cross-laminated timber, stacked between two elevator cores entirely made of CLT. The low-rise is built with columns and beams of GLT and cores and shear walls in CLT. Integrated structural design has eliminated the need for concrete entirely from the load bearing structure, speeding up construction and drastically reducing the carbon footprint.

The Culture Centre uniquely celebrates the craft behind the creative process. The stages are located at the heart of the building with public foyers and workshops placed around them. Open layouts combined with generous glazing reveal the ingenuity and skill involved in set-building and exhibition installation to visitors inside the building, as well as passers-by outdoors. Similarly, the flexible foyers can be programmed with exhibitions and events at the entrances to attract non-traditional visitors into the centre.
The project for a new culture centre in Skellefteå was initiated by the municipality as a key driver to make Skellefteå a more attractive region. All stages of the zoning and building permit processes have been exhibited for public viewing and opinion as required by law. An exhibition featuring a physical model and digital material has toured libraries in the county to inform citizens about the progress. The project has a broad political backing and has been anchored with the political leadership at every milestone before moving ahead.

The location of the building, together with the programming of the surrounding public places and the transparent facades with many entrances, work together to lower the threshold to enter the building and replacing the image of an austere cultural institution with an open and welcoming building. The goal is that everyone feels invited, and at ease to enter. Located in a slope, the entire design is based on two flat and fully accessible ground floors that can be easily reached from all sides regardless of disabilities while the internal layout is designed for easy wayfinding. In the main entrance, at the heart of the building is a great staircase that overlooks all activities of the culture centre. This space is neutral and works as an urban living room and can function as a “speakers’ corner” for the inhabitants.

Category:Museums and Cultural BuildingsLocation:SwedenArchitect: Oskar Norelius, SwedenArchitecture Office:Oskar Norelius, White ArkitekterLead Architects:Oskar Norelius and Robert SchmitzLandscape Architects:White ArkitekterDesign Team: Maria Orvesten, Patrik Buchinger et alContractor:HentClient: Skelleteå MunicipalityPhotographer: David Valldeby, Jonas Westling, Patrick Degerman