The prestigious Building of the Year prize was awarded today and once again, the winner was built by Akademiska Hus. This year the prize goes to Studenthuset at Linköping University – Campus Valla’s new central hub that gathers all service functions for students and a modern library in a single location.

The jury’s statement: 
“A clear shared vision accompanied by cooperation from all participants characterised the implementation of this project. Innovative solutions have permeated the entire project, including the effective use of wind project management and parametric design. Efficient cost management facilitated the low cost of construction. The winner received the highest rating in all assessment criteria for the Building of the Year award. Job satisfaction, pride and outstanding leadership were among the contributing factors based on which Studenthuset in Linköping has now been selected as the recipient of the 2020 Building of the Year award.”

“Of course we are extremely pleased that an Akademiska Hus construction project has been designated Building of the Year once again. Together with Linköping University and other involved parties, our goal was to create an environment in which students feel at home and where we built, through excellent cooperation, anew student building on the cutting edge of sustainability“, says Hayar Gohary, Project Director at Akademiska Hus.

Studenthuset is a house of possibilities for studies, work and new ideas, including 1,000 new study areas and innovative learning environments. All service functions for students are provided in a single location: reception, student health, admissions and degree services, group rooms, restaurant and a student-run café. A modern library has also been integrated in the building.

Optimised for sustainability

Construction of Studenthuset began in May 2017 and Akademiska Hus has invested about SEK 460 million in the 16,100 square-metre premises. The building has met the criteria for the highest possible environmental certification standard – Miljöbyggnad Gold – by optimising energy solutions, the indoor environment and material choices with respect to sustainability. Much of the interior fittings and furnishings have been recycled and students from Malmstens Linköping University designed some of the furniture.

“We’re thrilled that Studenthuset has won the 2020 Building of the Year award. It’s an incredible structure that exceeds the hopes and vision we had for the building. We wanted it to be filled with crowds, to be a meeting place across borders, a place where people would enjoy spending time, and that would be used for many different purposes. We have accomplished that and so much more. Everyone loves the building!” says Karolina Ganhammar, university architect at Linköping University.

She continues:

“Sustainability has been a key word for us throughout the project, covering everything from ecological and economic to social sustainability, but I would also like to add sustainable cooperation, because it is thanks to our fantastic, and dare I say unique, cooperation at every stage that we reached where we are today.

This is the third time that a building built by Akademiska Hus has won the Building of the Year award. Last year the prize went to one of the largest research labs in Europe, Biomedicum, and in 2014 the prize was awarded to the Aula Medica building. Akademiska Hus built both buildings for Karolinska Institutet on the Solna Campus.

Facts Studenthuset