Lease agreement for the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts' new building completed
The University of Gothenburg and Akademiska Hus have now signed the lease agreement for the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts' new building at Götaplatsen. This is another major and important step in the project. The new building will consist of a converted part of what is now Artisten, to be moved into in 2025, and two new buildings to be completed in 2027.
When the building is completed, the faculty’s two academies, HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design, and the Academy of Music and Drama, can move in together. The building will then house students, researchers and teachers from all artistic disciplines – from design and fine arts to music, performing arts, and teacher training for aesthetic subjects.
"The University of Gothenburg has the largest school of fine, applied, and performing arts in Scandinavia, offering a unique scope of education programmes and research, even from an international perspective. Centrally locating the entire Faculty in the middle of the city in a building specifically designed for this purpose will provide fantastic opportunities for the university, for Gothenburg and for cultural life," says Eva Wiberg, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Gothenburg.
New collaborations
The new building will create more opportunities for students and researchers from different disciplines to interact, and new artistic collaborations can emerge.
"There aren't many other places where all the artistic courses and study programmes come together under the same roof. It is quite unique, and I am convinced that the environment we are now creating will be of great importance for the development of our courses and study programmes, for our students, and not least for artistic research," says Sanne Kofod Olsen, dean of the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts.
"The fact that the building is also located at Götaplatsen, right in the cultural heart of Gothenburg, is really fantastic! It further contributes to the artistic environment, and offers great opportunities for collaboration, cooperation and public activities."
Sustainable and long-term
Building sustainably with a long-term perspective is paramount for both Akademiska Hus and the University of Gothenburg. All construction projects must meet high environmental standards and the new buildings for the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts will be built with the goal of meeting the requirements for the gold level of the Miljöbyggnad certification system. As part of this effort, recycled materials will be used where possible. Another aspect is that the buildings must be able to evolve over time, and the premises will therefore be designed flexibly, to be able to change according to the university's future needs.
"Together with the University of Gothenburg, we will create an efficient purpose-built facility where all subjects within the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts can be gathered in premises that foster outstanding education and research. The Näckrosen campus will be strengthened as a vibrant site in the middle of the city where people can meet, experience art and exchange knowledge," says Anna Alsborger, facilities manager at Akademiska Hus.
Two new buildings and Artisten will form a block
The new-built parts will consist of a cube-shaped house in the corner towards Götaplatsen, and an oblong house along Johannebergsgatan. The houses will be joined with the part of Artisten that was built in the 1990s, which will be renovated and partially remodelled internally.
The main entrance to the building will face Götaplatsen, and the faculty's gallery space with large glazed areas facing the street will be located at the corner of Johannebergsgatan and Gösta Rahmns gata. A little further south, at the Johannebergsgatan and Olof Wijksgatan intersection, an entrance from the Västlänken station Korsvägen will be integrated into the building. With the entrance, the building and the university will further open up to the city, increase the flow and activity in surrounding streets, and improve conditions for sustainable travel to and from campus.
Major investment in workshops and other specialised premises
A variety of spaces will be created in the new building, from project work rooms, multipurpose halls, and offices, to rooms specific to the artistic courses and study programmes.
"We have long been known for our excellent workshops and other special facilities and we want to continue to be so in the future. In the new building, we have focused on the specialised facilities required for artistic education and research, such as workshops for textiles, metal, wood and ceramics, concert halls, rehearsal rooms, photo labs, studios and black boxes. And of course galleries and stages where we can share our works," says Sanne Kofod Olsen, dean of the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts.
Once completed, the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts will have a total of 26,200 m2 at its disposal, which is a significant reduction compared to the space it currently rents. The reduction in space is made possible by a number of factors, including the fact that the premises can be adapted to the operations from the outset, smart floor plans, more efficient material storage, and the option of co-using many spaces, such as student areas, meeting rooms and café.
The planned start of the redevelopment and extension project is February 2023.
