Job search
Job Search
Latest news
More news: (showing 1 - 20 of 13727)           
UK only International

3XN win architecture competition to design wave-inspired lakeside aquatics centre

By Kim Megson    14 Feb 2017
Named ‘The Wave’, the 24,000sq m facility will be located between Linkoping and Tinnerbäck Lake in Sweden / 3XN
We envisioned a building where the architecture gives hints of its functionality, the waveform in the façade as well as large panoramic windows blur the boundary between pools inside and lake outside
– Kim Herforth Nielsen, founder and principal 3XN Architects

Danish architectural practice 3XN have won the competition to design a new, largely wooden, aquatic centre in the Swedish city of Linkoping, which is designed to “become a hybrid between the city and the lake.”

Named Vågen, meaning ‘The Wave’ in English, the 24,000sq m (2,200sq ft) facility will be located between Linkoping and Tinnerbäck Lake.

The architecture is inspired by the vision of waves washing ashore, with the building curving “as if shaped by the force of the ocean and eroded over time.’

The massing of the structure follows the natural flow of the landscape, gradually stepping down as it approaches the lake.

“We envisioned a building where the architecture gives hints of its functionality, the waveform in the façade as well as large panoramic windows blur the boundary between pools inside and lake outside,” said Kim Herforth Nielsen, founder and principal 3XN Architects.

“We’ve used a lot of wood, because as a building material it is recyclable, highly durable and provides an aesthetic quality and warm feeling to the building.”

Vågen will feature an outdoor plaza with restaurants in front of the main building. Visitors will be led into a double-height lobby space, overseeing the four different pool areas.

The design was selected over proposals from Zaha Hadid Architects, Erséus Arkitekter, Henning Larsen Architects and Liljewall Arkitekter, with the jury praising 3XN for “capturing the scale” of Linkoping with their vision.

Construction will begin in September 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2021. The total budget for the project is €80m (US$84.7m, £68m).

Landscape architects SLA, aquatics consultant the Danish Technological Institute and construction firms WSP Sverige AB and Thornton Tomasetti are collaborating on the project.

3XN have previously designed Denmark's national aquarium, The Blue Planet, and the Danish Royal Arena in Denmark, which was opened in January. They are currently working on a sweeping cultural complex in Wallonia, Belgium and the new Olympic Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The architecture is inspired by the vision of waves washing ashore, with the building curving 'as if shaped by the force of the ocean and eroded over time' / 3XN
Wood is the main material used by the architects / 3XN
The centre will create a link between the lake and the urban area / 3XN
A layout of the site / 3XN
3XN  aquatics  architecture  design  Sweden  Linkoping  Tinnerbäck Lake 
Sign up for FREE ezines
Related news
Related features

Company profile

Company profile: Serco Leisure
Serco Leisure Operating Limited is one of the UK’s leading national operators of leisure centres, destination venues and elite sporting facilities.
View full profile >
More company profiles

Featured Supplier

Elevate registrations soar: a record-breaking start to Elevate 2024
Elevate, the premier event in the physical activity, fitness, sports therapy and performance sector, is thrilled to announce that registrations for its 2024 conference are now live – and the response has been nothing short of exceptional.
View full details >
More featured suppliers

Property & Tenders

Location: Loughton, IG10
Company: Knight Frank
Location: Grantham, Leicestershire
Company: Belvoir Castle
Location: Verwood, Dorset
Company: AVISON YOUNG
Location: Hall Place House, Bexley, DA5 1PQ
Company: London Borough of Bexley
Location: 15 Concessions across the nation's forests
Company: Forestry England
More properties & tenders

Diary dates

11-14 Apr 2024
Exhibition Centre , Cologne, Germany
22-24 Apr 2024
Galgorm Resort, York
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
More diary dates