SOM Wins Karlavagnstornet Competition

Dubbed "The Pole Star," SOM's scheme with Entasis has been selected over those by Manuelle Gautrand Architects (with local architect Equator), Ian Simpson Architects, Wingårdhs Arkitektkontor, and Zaha Hadid Architects. While the focus is certainly on the 230-meter-high (755 feet) tower, SOM has been working with local architect Entasis, which is responsible for the 200,000 sm (2.1 million sf) masterplan with the surrounding area's low-scale buildings and parks, an integral part of the competition and the jury's commendation.

The jury* commended The Pole Star as "an identity-building proposal that takes a smart holistic approach to both the skyscraper and the urban environment. The proposal integrates the local environment into a whole that allows for a vibrant urban environment. The skyscraper’s distinctive identity adds character and vitality to Lindholmen and will be Gothenburg’s new landmark and pride."

The Karlavagnstornet competition was held by Serneke AB in consultation with The Swedish Association of Architects, Gothenburg’s City Planning Authority, and the municipal firm Älvstranden Utvecklings AB, with the goal "to obtain high-quality, realizable proposals for a skyscraper and urban space at Lindholmen," a district of Gothenburg. It is hoped that Karlavagnstornet's development will not only celebrate the Gothenburg's 400-year anniversary in 2021 but also contribute to its future development.

*The jury: