david chipperfield updates design for coastal nobel center in stockholm, sweden

"The Nobel Center, set to become an open civic institution, will be built along the waterfront between the neighborhoods Södermalm and the Old Town. It will introduce a place for exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and cultural gatherings, with an emphasis on public access. The building forms part of a continuous public route along the water, linking destinations such as Fotografiska and the Stadsmuseet."

"David Chipperfield Architects' Nobel Center in Stockholm is composed of interlocking volumes that follow the slope of Södermalm. Their proportions draw cues from the merchant townhouses of the 17th-century Old Town across the water, allowing the Nobel Center to engage with the historic waterfront while reading as a unified structure. A new terrace along the front reinforces the relationship between building and promenade, creating space for pause along the route."

"Inside, daylight shapes the spatial sequence. Carefully placed openings frame views toward the city and archipelago, offering moments of orientation and rest within the visitor's path. Upper levels feature large north-facing windows that reveal activity within, giving the city a clear sense of life inside the building."

The Nobel Center will occupy a coastal site in Stockholm where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, positioned along the waterfront between Södermalm and the Old Town. The center will function as an open civic institution with spaces for exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and cultural gatherings designed for public access. The building forms part of a continuous public route linking Fotografiska and the Stadsmuseet, with a generous ground floor, northern and southern entrances, and a foyer accommodating a shop and restaurant. Interlocking volumes follow Södermalm's slope and reference 17th-century merchant townhouses. A new terrace and carefully placed openings frame views toward the city and archipelago while large north-facing windows reveal interior activity.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine