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Swedish cityscapes are not typically populated by tall towers, so Ola Serneke's plan to build a 64-storey skyscraper in the country's second largest municipality is particularly audacious. The 266-metre Karlatornet would form part of the Karlastaden district in Gothenburg, which promises ten blocks of residences, offices, and retail space.
Serneke has been working on the plan for a decade. Wanting to get the details right, they launched an international design competition. Prestigious architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill emerged victorious, marking the first Scandinavian development from the Chicago-based practice. Copenhagen architects Entasis will also be performing architectural services on the project.
A variety of floor plans will be offered, including single-storey flats, loft-style apartments, and duplexes. A strategic arrangement of balconies provides residents with ample outdoor areas while also highlighting the building's unique glass and concrete geometry. A range of amenities are on tap, including a shared residents' lounge, public restaurant, fitness centre, and podium rooftop deck. An additional public amenity will be provided at the very top of the structure, where an observation area grants views from the highest point in Gothenburg.
The tower is scheduled for delivery by 2019, with the entire complex following in 2021, in time for the city's 400-year anniversary. The development's design team has also proposed a 'landscaped ring' that will link key sites in Gothenburg, in addition to a new park made possible by realigning the Lindholmsallén thoroughfare.
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