MVRDV and BSK Arkitekter to transform Magasin 113 in the port of Gothenburg

MVRDV and BSK Arkitekter reveal their design for Magasin 113, located in Gothenburg’s Frihamnen RiverCity – the largest urban development project in Scandinavia. The proposed 16,500m2 transformation and extension of the existing warehouse located on the riverfront will create a more inclusive and vibrant area of the city.

The entire site occupies the edge of an existing public square while Magasin 113 itself located in an existing historical warehouse structure which will offer flexible offices, an art centre, pop-up spaces, a café, tourist information, shops, a restaurant and studios. Gothenburg-based advertising agency Forsman & Bodenfors and Göteborgs Konsthall have plans to establish their offices in the building.

The current brick façade and interiors of the warehouse will be restored and repaired, with the existing concrete frame will support three new levels of timber-framed floors above. These new levels will create space for additional programs and allow the experience of different atmospheres across levels from ground level upwards.

To combine the need for insulation and the desire to maintain the existing brick facade, a transparent glass protective ‘raincoat’ will be wrapped around the existing warehouse and the new extension on top. This will add an exciting blend of a building that is ‘old’ and new, raw and smooth, and solid and transparent at the same time.

A new public space will be carved out between these two levels, visually uniting them and also enabling public activity from the exterior square within the building. Inside, a family of different types of stairs weaves through the building to create a dynamic but visually unified public route through space.

In addition to large freight elevators, which will give access to each of the zones within the building, a family of different types of stairs will be added to create a continuous and clearly recognisable public route. New stairs will also be placed along the main facade on the waterfront side, creating new connections between the different loading balconies and the main public plaza in front of the building.

Magasin 113’s location will become a public node through its close connections to other public spaces in the area. Combined with the nearby park and pool, it aims to attract a wide range of tenants and services, which in turn will help to create an inviting and desirable neighbourhood. Source by MVRDV and BSK Arkitekter.

• Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
• Architect: MVRDV
• Architect in Charge: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries
• Project Team: Jacob van Rijs, Fokke Moerel with Klaas Hofman, Daniella Persson, Mathias Pudelko, Alicja Pawlak and Mateusz Wojcieszek
• Visualization: Antonio Luca Coco, Pavlos Ventouris, Massimiliano Marzoli, Paolo Mossa Idra and Davide Calabro
• Co-architects: BSK Arkitekter
• Client: Gothenburg City Council and Älvstranden Utveckling
• Size: 16,500m2
• Year: 2017+
• Images: Courtesy of MVRDV