Akademiska Hus invests SEK .5 billion in new building for the School of Business, Economics and Law
Monday, 22 February 2021
Akademiska Hus is investing SEK 529 million in a new building at the School of Business, Economics and Law in central Gothenburg. The building will enable the faculty to expand and develop its education and research programmes in the fields of law and economics. As part of the project, the exit from one of the Västlänken underground stations will also be integrated into the new building.
Education programmes at the School of Business, Economics and Law are attractive and among the most sought after in Sweden. But the existing premises are overcrowded and the departments are scattered among many locations. The new building will create larger and more flexible spaces for both employees and students, while also making it possible for the entire School of Business, Economics and Law to be housed under one roof.
“By adding yet another architecturally upscale building to the neighbourhood, the School of Business, Economics and Law will create a leading-edge, world-class attractive physical learning environment. The new building will strengthen the ability of the School of Business, Economics and Law to be an open space for the creative conversation that contributes to innovative knowledge development. This achievement will create a basic foundation for our continued development as an ever-strengthening institution of higher learning in close harmony with the surrounding community,” says Per Cramér, Dean of the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg.
The new building will be about 10,800 square metres, gross floor space, on eight storeys above ground. The plan includes a new main entrance, two lecture halls, student services, a café, offices and student workplaces. As part of Akademiska Hus’ sustainability initiative, materials with a high climate impact, such as marble flooring, limestone cladding and granite have been recycled for use in other construction projects. For example, the marble flooring from the old building will be used in a pedestrian bridge in the new building for the School of Business, Economics and Law.
“It will be an amazing building that will both assume its rightful place in the city centre, while fitting in well with the surrounding architecture. We are building with the future in mind, following high sustainability requirements, while making the premises flexible and possible to change over time, thereby facilitating the future development of the School of Business, Economics and Law,” says Magnus Huss, Market Area Director at Akademiska Hus.
Exit from Västlänken
In addition to serving as suitable new premises for the School of Business, Economics and Law, the building will also include an exit from the Västlänken Haga underground station. The exit will be integrated into the new building and located at the corner of Vasagatan and Haga Kyrkogata. The placement was determined in close collaboration with the City of Gothenburg, with the objective of minimising changes in the urban environment. With this exit, the School of Business, Economics and Law will be an even more integral part of the city, with improved commuting options for students and employees, while preserving the green Vasaallén intact as an attractive pedestrian and cycle route.
“The new School of Business, Economics and Law building in the middle of the hustle and bustle on Vasagatan is a step in developing Gothenburg as a knowledge city, enabling our students and employees to continue to contribute to a vibrant urban lifestyle in the future. We are striving to make our premises inviting and to serve as a meeting place between academia and the community, which the School of Business, Economics and Law will exemplify in its new home,” says Eva Wiberg, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Gothenburg.
Plans for an expansion of the School of Business, Economics and Law premises have been underway for several years. In May 2014, Akademiska Hus was invited to participate in an architecture contest for the design of a new building. The competition was arranged in consultation with the University of Gothenburg, the City of Gothenburg, the Swedish Transport Administration and Architects Sweden; the winner was Johannes Norlander Arkitektur, whose submission interacts with existing buildings and provides opportunities for flexible premises with a focus on education and new forms of learning.
The new building for the School of Business, Economics and Law is expected to be completed in 2025.