flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Winning design by 3XN converts modernist bathhouse to university library

Winning design by 3XN converts modernist bathhouse to university library

The sleek, new 196,441-sf addition in Sweden contains modernist elements that respects the original 1930s structure's integrity.


By BD+C Staff | July 1, 2014
All renderings courtesy 3XN
All renderings courtesy 3XN

Denmark-based architecture firm 3XN's design won the architectural competition for Mälardalen University's new educational facility in Eskilstuna, southwest of Stockholm, Architecturelab reports.

The new building's cubic shape, geometric trellis, and bright façade is a nod to the nearby historical, modernist public bathhouse designed by Paul Hedqvist in the 1930s. 

The winning proposal is of a 196,441-sf structure that will house educational facilities and workplaces for 4,000 students and 350 students. The project is estimated to cost 49 million.

The firm said about the conversion:

"Internally, the new building connects to the public bath on the first to decks, creating a cohesive flow between old and new. The lower levels will be completely open and connected so that the new and old building seen as one functional and spatial whole. The volume of the main swimming pool is retained as the school library. By also locating the café and student house in the public bath, it becomes a unique social meeting place for the students.

"A central atrium, double-height auditoriums, open study areas and inner courtyards create a building with good visual connections between floors. Classrooms and lecture halls are located on the lower three floors. The administrative offices are at the top of the building, creating a more private working environment."

Related Stories

| Oct 5, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Brick offers growing options for sustainable building design

Brick exteriors, interiors and landscaping options can increase sustainability that also helps earn LEED certification.

| Oct 5, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Roof hatch designed for energy efficiency

The cover features a specially designed EPDM finger-type gasket that ensures a positive seal with the curb to reduce air permeability and ensure energy performance. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011

Click here for the latest news and products from Greenbuild 2011, Oct. 4-7, in Toronto.

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Methods, impacts, and opportunities in the concrete building life cycle

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Concrete Sustainability Hub conducted a life-cycle assessment (LCA) study to evaluate and improve the environmental impact and study how the “dual use” aspect of concrete.

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Johnsonite features sustainable products

Products include rubber flooring tiles, treads, wall bases, and more. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Nearly seamless highly insulated glass curtain-wall system introduced

Low insulation value reflects value of entire curtain-wall system. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Ready-to-use wood primer unveiled

Maintains strong UV protection, clarity even with application of lighter, natural wood tones.

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Two new recycled glass products announced

The two collections offer both larger and smaller particulates. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Mythic Paint launches two new paint products

A high performance paint, and a combination paint and primer now available. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021