Akademiska Hus invests in arena at the intersection of art and science
Thursday, 31 May 2018
Akademiska Hus is investing about SEK 90 million to convert a former lab environment in underground premises into an arena for art, science and social issues. The arena, called Accelerator, will be centrally located at Stockholm University and will serve as a venue where academia and the public can meet.
The Manne Siegbahn laboratory on the Frescati Campus, just north of downtown Stockholm, will be renovated in a redevelopment and extension project to become a meeting place for academia and the general public. Accelerator will be something out of the ordinary with its focus on the intersection between contemporary art and science. The building dates back to the 1930s and was originally used for experimental physics, but today this part of the campus is home to much of the humanities and cultural activities at Stockholm University.
“Now the new premises will be completed for Accelerator. From a particle accelerator to the accelerating societal challenges at the intersection of art, science and society – I can’t imagine a better way to preserve and rejuvenate our legacy for the future,” says Astrid Söderbergh Widding, Vice-Chancellor at Stockholm University.
The premises will now be completely renovated to become a valuable addition to the University’s classroom and meeting facilities, with generous floor space, high ceilings and an exciting and thought-provoking history. The location right at the metro is also ideal for attracting students, employees and the public to seminars, exhibitions, and cafés.
“Accelerator will provide a dynamic meeting place for students, researchers and the public at open activities held and visited even in the evening and at the weekend. The venue will trigger new perspectives on societal issues, spark new research questions and inspire new ways of learning. With Accelerator, Frescati will become an even more attractive and vibrant campus,” says Magnus Huss, Market Area Director at Akademiska Hus.
Akademiska Hus is investing about SEK 90 million in the project, which will encompass about 2,500 m². Construction start is planned for July 2018, with completion in phases. Phase 1, consisting of the public portions with exhibition halls and café, will be ready in the autumn of 2019. Phase 2 involves the offices, which will be completed in the winter of 2019.