Case study

Väven Cultural Centre

Image Credit: Åke E:Son Lindman

Spoilt for choice is the phrase that springs to mind in describing the new Väven Cultural Centre in the Swedish city of Umeå. Väven means 'weave' and there is much woven into this space, combining an art gallery, library, two black-box theatres, a conference centre, two hotels, two cinemas, a delicatessen and various educational, eating, drinking and gathering spaces. Its aim is to regenerate a riverfront block formerly occupied by car parks, and unite it with the city block to its rear.

Two of Scandinavia's leading practices, Snøhetta and White Arkitekter, worked closely with the Municipality of Umeå and developer Balticgruppen to create this cuttingedge cultural centre. Its diverse interior programme influenced the meandering shape, while 'weaving' bands of white and clear glazing around the exterior to evoke the texture of local silver birch trees.

In two buildings that merge into one on the third floor, the centre comprises one four-storey block, with the theatre at the riverfront. The library is on the third and fourth floors and across both buildings, incorporating two small cinemas/viewing rooms plus education and workshop spaces. The interior design majors on present and future flexibility, with wooden floors, ridged wood ceilings and columns of plain concrete.

Commissioned to mark the city's year as European Capital of Culture in 2014, it crowned the festivities by being awarded the Kasper Salin Prize, Sweden's most prestigious architecture prize.

Client: Municipality of Umeå and private developer Balticgruppen
Architects: Snøhetta, White Arkitekter
Area: 25,000 sq m
Cost: (estimated) €700m
Completed: November 2014