Environmental certifications:
LEED Gold, Passivhus SE
Awards and Recognitions:
Winner of Meeting Place of the Year, Kalmar 2023
The Ölandsbron bridge has long defined Kalmar as a city, but now it has some competition. Linnaeus University is located proudly in the heart of the city as Kalmar’s most comprehensive construction. Encounters are the focus here – between the city, academia, students, teachers, the business community, and Kalmar’s residents and visitors. Boundaries between indoor and outdoor settings have been erased in an architectural style infused with daylight, spaciousness and sustainable materials.
Linnaeus University is located in the southern cities of Växjö and Kalmar. The university’s facilities in Kalmar were fragmented, spread throughout the town. However, with the unveiling of the new buildings, all the faculties have been gathered in one harmonized spot – Universitetskajen. Tengbom designed the eastern portion of the new university, which contains labs, classrooms, offices, a library, café, restaurant, student union premises and information desks. The western portion was designed by CCO Arkitekter.
The location in the heart of the city encourages interactions between the university and the city’s residents and businesses. Proximity to the marina keeps the area lively year-round, linked together by the new Universitetsplatsen. Photo: Felix Gerlach
A multi-functional meeting place
One of the university’s primary goals was to encourage spontaneous encounters among students, researchers, the city and the business community. The architecture meets this goal with a transparent, open environment that welcomes students and city residents alike. The indoor spaces are intentionally infused with an outdoor sensibility achieved with high ceilings, plenty of daylight through skylights, and airy entrances that erase the transition between indoors and out. Rustic and sustainable materials like wood, brick and concrete can be found both inside and on the exterior, and tie the settings together.
Linneaus university
“It’s a great honor for us to get to be part of building our future city.”
Linda Camara, Lead Architect
Openness and transparency encourage encounters and facilitate wayfinding. Photo: Felix Gerlach
Linnaeus University connects seamlessly with the city. People meet here—students and teachers, businesses and academia, residents and visitors. The welcoming entrances remove the boundary between outdoors and indoors. Wood, brick, and concrete shape both the interior and exterior. Photo: Felix Gerlach
Natural materials meet bold colors
The brick facades are treated, thus lending character to the block both indoors and out. On the courtyard side of the building, the stones, ribbon windows and brick pattern are all horizontal, while the pattern is vertical on the street side. The windows reinforce the height, while the window frames highlight the colors of the interior. The pairing of sturdy materials and bold colors is a consistent theme throughout. The shade of yellow, taken from Linnaeus University’s visual identity, is abundantly present both indoors and out.
The treated brick facades lend character to the block, both indoors and out. On the courtyard side, the stones, ribbon windows and brick pattern are all horizontal. The pattern is vertical on the street side, and the windows reinforce the height, while the window frames highlight the colors of the interior. Photo: Linnaeus University
Intuitive wayfinding
The large main staircase culminates in a magnificent roof light. The stairs and atrium facilitate communication and offer an overview of the entire floor. Photo: Felix Gerlach
The colors provide a beautiful contrast to the natural materials, while helping people orient themselves within the buildings. Simple wayfinding within the university is essential, and openness and transparency between the stories and the indoor and outdoor spaces are central contributing factors. The architectural structure incorporates interior avenues and atria, which create effective wayfinding and encourage encounters among people.
Sustainability is never sacrificed
The interior avenue features the courtyard building’s acoustic slats as an indoor wooden facade. Sheer balustrades, a false ceiling, rustic brick walls, and a shiny concrete floor enhance the space. These functional materials age beautifully and withstand the demands of a university setting. Photo: Felix Gerlach
Ambitious goals for sustainability and the promotion of biodiversity have characterized the project through everything from double environmental certifications to landscape planning. The university has many complex classroom and research settings. For one thing, marine biology is big in Kalmar. The university is home to everything from saltwater pools and greenhouses to algae collections.
A university that is part of the city
Linnaeus University stands out by integrating with the city, unlike many other higher education institutions built outside urban centers. In Kalmar, bringing the university and the community together is a priority. The waterside location fosters interaction with Kalmar’s residents and businesses. Its proximity to the marina keeps the area lively year-round, connected by the new Universitetsplatsen. The square serves multiple purposes, from start-of-term gatherings and thesis defenses to public events and celebrations.
Photo: Felix Gerlach
Catta Torhell, Head Librarian at Linnaeus University, says: “It’s been wonderful to help plan Universitetskajen. This university integrates with the city and serves as a meeting place for students and employees. At the same time, it welcomes residents and visitors. Here, we can showcase what’s happening at the university while actively participating in the city’s activities and cultural life. The students have already embraced the library building. We often hear spontaneous comments like, ‘What an awesome building – it’s grand and cozy all at once!’”
The main staircase is central within the library. Getting from one place to another, a place to meet and study – it all happens around the staircase! Photo: Felix Gerlach
