Katherine Martinko is an expert in sustainable living. She holds a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto.
The World of Volvo is currently under construction in Gothenburg, Sweden. It promises to be a "unique experience center and meeting place" for Volvo Cars and the Volvo Group when it opens in 2024. Architecture studio Henning Larsen revealed the design for the circular timber structure and there are a number of remarkable things about it.
The most obvious is the glorious use of wood, with giant glue-laminated (glulam) tree-like continuous columns and beams topped with CLT slabs.
It's an acronym for cross-laminated timber, a form of mass timber developed in Austria in the 1990s. It's made of several layers of solid dimension lumber such as 2X4s laid flat and glued together in layers in alternating directions.
"Computer-controlled fabrication allows the curved glulam pieces to be cut with a high degree of precision," said Henning Larsen. "Rigidity and continuity in the structure is guaranteed with metal connectors that can be hidden inside the wooden members."
The main building is set on a "mountain" with three "trees" that contain exhibition spaces. The interior blends smoothly with the outdoors, with "floor-to-ceiling glass façades creating a seamless transition into the sprawling nature beyond."
Perhaps counterintuitively—given how damaging cars and their supportive infrastructure have been to the natural environment—it's all about embracing Swedish nature.
The reference to the Swedish concept of allemansrätten is interesting in light of recent discussions on Treehugger regarding the right to roam, which attracted dozens of comments complaining about property rights and socialism. Henning Larsen actually designed this building around these principles, breaking down the boundaries between inside and out, private and public, and free and paid.
“Our goal was to give form to something very essential to the Swedish spirit. World of Volvo’s circular form, the timber materiality, its integration with the landscape, and, fundamentally, its openness – these things are all parts of a core collective identity,” said Martin Stenberg Ringnér, associate design director at Henning Larsen.
These things are actually possible.
Of course, it is next to a major highway and designed so that "travellers will catch a high-speed glimpse of the project’s tilted roof and exhibitions inside." But this also demonstrates another thing about Henning Larsen's presentation of this building: extraordinary photo-realistic renderings. As someone who has watched the technology's development over the last few decades, I can attest these are remarkable, as are many others in the portfolio of Norwegian firm KVANT-1.
Editor and conservationist Kevin Kelly recently listed 103 bits of advice, with one being, “The chief prevention against getting old is to remain astonished.” I am also not-so-young and I am still being astonished by changes in the architecture profession and the industry, many of which can be found in this building. We have computer-generated presentation technology that didn’t exist, materials like CLT that didn’t exist, cut with computerized tools that didn’t exist—all delivering stunning buildings that probably couldn’t have existed. These are incredible times for architecture and Henning Larsen delivers here on so many levels.
To learn more or see the video fly-around of the building, head over to the Volvo Museum site.
"Design for World of Volvo Revealed as Timber Construction Begins." Henning Larsen, 2 May 2022.
"Henning Larsen Reveals All-Timber Experience Center For World of Volvo In Swedish Landscape." World Architecture, 2 May 2022.
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