The new School of Architecture at Umeå University, the first start-up training of architects in the country since 1964, comprises a new Art Museum and an Academy of Fine Arts, both designed by HLA/White Arkitekter team.
The architects aimed to design an open, robust study environment where each student feels part of the creative study community. The building features open layout and informal meeting places, offering a light and laboratory-like atmosphere supporting idea development and creative work processes.
Cooperation between White and HLA began with the agreed common building box, a square volume where both agencies’ experiences were reflected. The building is distinctly Scandinavian in its stern elegance and rustic resistance. The Arctic Circle accented exterior of an untreated wood façade is conceived as a masterpiece of fit.
The exterior expression was conceived as an entirely glass-dominated façade in the beginning. Later it was realised that the climate in Umeå made it difficult to justify a fully glazed facade. Glass was then replaced with wood. A small touch of glass was retained in the building. The playing field has been transformed with new requirements for acoustics, ventilation and workspaces.
Since late 2009, the students have stayed in the old premises of the customs authorities in Umeå. The students moved into the new facilities by Umeå River and the official inauguration ceremony was held on 24 September 2010.
Located by the beach of Umeå River and close to the city centre, the new School of Architecture at Umeå University, is the fourth of its kind in Sweden but the first one with an independent, artistic profile.
