World of Volvo is a new meeting place and experience centre under construction in Gothenburg, Sweden. The project is being jointly developed by AB Volvo and Volvo Cars.
AB Volvo is a Swedish conglomerate engaged in the manufacturing of trucks, buses, and construction equipment, as well as marine and industrial engines.
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Volvo Cars was previously part of Volvo Group and was sold to Ford Motor Company in 1999. Zhejiang Geely, a Chinese automotive company, acquired Volvo Cars in 2010 and continues to own the company.
World of Volvo will reflect the Volvo brand’s values and showcase the group’s history, tradition, and future under a single roof.
Construction of the building started in Spring 2021 and is expected to be completed in late 2023. The facility will open for public in early 2024.
World of Volvo location
World of Volvo will be located south of Liseberg, next to the E6 motorway in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The site is situated along Mölndalsån, a river that flows between the Härryda, Mölndal, and Gothenburg municipalities and into the Göta River.
World of Volvo design details
The design of World of Volvo incorporates the Swedish concept of Allemansrätten, which calls for a fundamental right to share nature with all people, giving them the right to roam freely on public or private land to enjoy nature.
Being built from wood, the building will have a circular shape that is designed to respect nature and the requirements of people.
Inspired by nature, the design includes arcing branches and a roof canopy. The landscape and the building’s base will resemble a mountain while the building will take the form of a tree.
The building will have three tree-like structures whose trunks will contain small exhibit spaces, vertical circulation.
The space between the structures will be left empty to a large extent, except for sculptural stairs that will connect exhibit items located on the different floors. The design will provide a seamless transition between the interior space and the outdoors through glass facades that extend from floor to ceiling.
The building’s openness, its circular form, the use of timber, and its integration with the landscape create a collective identity.
The landscape surrounding the World of Volvo features native plants that grow between rocky outcroppings and paths.
Several cross paths will be laid to connect both sides of the Mölndalsån river to enable visitors to reach the new experience centre. They will be used for walking and cycling while restoring the ecology around the river.
World of Volvo building materials
The beams and columns are being built using glulam timber, a wood product made from several layers of lumber. The layers are bonded by moisture-resistant structural adhesive.
Metal connectors hidden inside the wooden members will offer rigidity and continuity to the structure. The floor slabs of the building are made from locally sourced cross laminated timber (CLT).
World of Volvo features
Occupying 22,000m² (236,806ft²) of space, World of Volvo will feature spaces for exhibitions, events, and shows, along with an event hall, conference rooms, a bistro, and a restaurant.
In addition to exhibitions, the facility will provide entertainment and host talk shows, conferences, and music shows. Visitors will also have access to food, drink, and shopping areas.
The venue will host temporary and permanent exhibitions. It is expected to become a landmark and a new icon in the heart of Gothenburg. The existing Volvo museum in Arendal will be reconfigured and become part of the facility.
The parking space at the site will stretch across 45,000m² (484,376ft²).
Sustainable features at World of Volvo
The project is targeting leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) Gold level and Well certifications.
Solutions that reduce energy consumption will be installed within the building.
Contractors involved
Henning Larsen, a global architecture firm based in Denmark, was selected as the architect to design World of Volvo, after it won a competition for the design in late 2018.
Nordström Kelly Arkitekter, an architecture firm based in Sweden, provided the interior design for the project.
Billström Riemer Andersson (BRA Group), a construction company based in Sweden, is providing construction services for the project.
Optima Engineering, a Swedish construction firm specialising in prefabricated frames, was contracted as the frame designer for the prefabricated concrete and steel frames.
Prefabsystem, a prefabricated frame solutions manufacturer in Sweden, was selected to supply and assemble the frames for the project’s floor, steel, and facade elements, as well as concrete columns and beams, along with elevator concrete stairs and floor.
Wiehag, an Austrian timber supplier, received a contract to supply timber material for the project’s construction.
Ingenjörsbyrån Andersson & Hultmark, a Swedish engineering consultant, is offering plumbing and energy-related services for the project.
Cedås Akustik, a Swedish acoustics consultant, was engaged to provide building acoustics services while Norwegian design agency Kvant-1 provided visualisations for the project.
