Schmidt Hammer Lassen to Design Malmo Cultural Complex

Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen architects has won a competition to design a 54,000m² concert, congress and hotel complex on Universitetsholmen in Malmo, Sweden.

The firm beat other practices such as Snøhetta Architects, Baumschlager Eberle and Daniel Libeskind Architects.

The project is being delivered for Skanska Sverige and will include 35,000m² for housing and commercial use.

The design consists of a composition of twisted cubic volumes in varying sizes and directions, while the façades give it an architectonic sculpture composition.

The northern part of the building features the main entrance with a classic loggia motif, while the south entrance opens through a promenade that runs along the canal.

Different functions in the building are organised as separate elements with the street-level lobby tying everything together and featuring small gathering places and recesses.

The buildings will house a large symphony hall, a flexible hall and a conference hall, decorated in laminated wood with warm, red colours.

Schmidt Hammer Lassen will collaborate with Akustikon while SLA will serve as landscape architect for the project, which will begin this year and will be complete in 2014.