Östermalmshallen Padel
Upcycling rescues great architecture
In one of the biggest upcycling projects in Sweden, our temporary market hall from Stockholm was given a new lease on life. “First to six wins the game” is now the rule at Östermalmshallen Padel in Mölnlycke, just outside of Gothenburg.
When Stockholm’s Östermalmshallen renovation was complete, and it was time to tear down the temporary Östermalmshall, the building was disassembled and shipped to Mölnlycke, and rebuilt as a padel hall.
Since then, padel courts have replaced the fish and shellfish counters, but the exclusive feel remains intact. The wood-paneled walls, with a visible structure, create that sense of exclusivity, for a result that is far from the standard tin boxes that house many padel halls around Sweden. The locker room floors and walls are lined with big, beautiful terrazzo tiles, while the restaurant and bar offer views of both the lake and the padel courts.
An upcycling record
In addition, moving the temporary market hall set a Swedish record for upcycling.
“This is a major upcycling project, maybe one of the biggest in Sweden,” says Mark Humphreys, Regional Manager at Tengbom and head of the project. One of the key lessons is that good architecture is a condition for long-term sustainability. The building has been popular, a success from the start, and the Wallenstam property company has carefully preserved and reinforced its beautiful qualities in the adaptation of the building for its new purpose and location. Simply put – no one wants to tear down an attractive building.
Award-winning hall with many functions
Previously, the Tengbom-designed hall had already won several awards. These include the Architizer A+ Award, the Design S architectural award, and the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Urban Environment Award.
“A lot of people who visit us comment on how beautiful the building is,” says Niklas Evheden, who runs the new padel hall. “Many people are really quite enthusiastic when they come in. The bright and inviting setting is considerably different from other halls, and it’s also unique that we have our own restaurant. In addition to the wood paneling indoors, many people comment on how much natural light comes in from the corrugated plastic on the walls. It doesn’t look like any other padel hall they’ve been in. The venue is also excellent for conferences and parties.”
No one wants to tear down an attractive building
Adapted for six doubles courts and a restaurant
Tengbom embraced the challenge of adapting the building to its new function and location. Along the way, the team made thoughtful adjustments. They extended the interior pillars and facade, raising the ceiling by two meters from its original height at Östermalmstorg in Stockholm. They also adjusted the structure to fit the sloping ground of the new site. To handle Mölnlycke’s higher levels of rain and wind, they expanded the roof’s runoff system. Inside, these changes are visible, subtly telling the story of the building’s journey and transformation.
The name of the padel hall reflects its history as well. It is now called Östermalmshallen Padel , and is located in Wallenstam’s new urban development project, Mölnlycke Fabriker, in Mölnlycke, outside of Gothenburg. There are around seven hundred new homes nearby.
A wooden frame facilitates the move
The building frame consists of a pre-fabricated wooden construction. The lower facade features vertical pine panels. The upper section has corrugated plastic siding that lets in light. In the restaurant corner, large windows open up the facade, offering views of the hall inside and the lake outside.
“The project also demonstrates the advantages of pre-fabricated wooden constructions as a material for building,” says Mark. “That made it easy to adapt the building to its new purpose, even though we didn’t plan to upcycle it like this from the beginning. It was also easy to disassemble and move the building. We really believe in this method of reusing buildings. The lessons we’ve taken away will make it even easier next time.”
Wins and awards
Winner of Architizer A+Awards 2024 in the categories Sustainable Adaptive Reuse and Gyms and Recreation Centers.
Circular Building Initiative of the Year 2022. As Tillfälliga Saluhallen: Architizer A+ Award, Design S Architecture Award, and Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Urban Environment Award. And longlisted for Dezeen Awards 2023
