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Kärven awarded at the IABSE Awards

The observation tower Kärven has gained international recognition, winning the IABSE Award in the Small Projects category. In its citation, the jury describes the tower as a beautiful piece of structural and architectural sculpture.

The IABSE Awards are among the world’s most prestigious awards in structural engineering, presented by the The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) – an association with the aim to exchange knowledge and to advance the practice of structural engineering worldwide in the service of the profession and society.

Kärven competed against three additional shortlisted projects in the category. Lead Architect Lukas Nordström, together with Niklas Johansson from our partner Ramböll, attended the award ceremony in Zurich to receive the award.

IABSE Awards.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see Kärven recognised with an IABSE Award, not least because we were up against projects from across the world. The jury’s emphasis on Kärven’s sustainable and structural solutions – as well as its exceptional architectural expression – warms both my architectural and structural heart. It also highlights the value of working seamlessly across architecture and engineering.
Lukas Nordström, Lead Architect, White Arkitekter

Commissioned by the Municipality of Varberg and developed together with Ramböll, WSP, Kungssmide and MTA Bygg och Anläggning, our ambition was to create an observation tower that would be as engaging to enter and ascend as it is to view from afar. The result is Kärven: a twelve-metre-tall, seven-metre-wide structure formed of a three-dimensional, woven-like composition — evoking a bundle of twisted reeds. Its distinctive silhouette remains unchanged from every direction, reinforcing its recognisability and connection to the landscape. Lukas Nordström has been involved in the project at every stage and served as lead architect during the later phases, following Ulla Antonsson and Mattias Lind, who were both involved in the early stages.

Read more about Kärven here.

The jury’s statement

This extremely elegant and impressive 12-meter-high timber structure is formed by two opposing hyperbolic paraboloids separated by thin steel rings. It is exquisitely detailed and an excellent example of a simple idea beautifully realized. All design aspects were driven by sustainable and efficient engineering principles to achieve a clear architectural expression of the structure, which creates a popular viewing platform from which to enjoy the flora, fauna, and surrounding landscape. The interior is a unique space, with the winding timber laths creating an extraordinary helicoidal rhythm, and even the viewing platform itself is formed from a twisting, radial structural geometry. Altogether, this is a beautiful piece of structural and architectural sculpture.

Contact person

Lukas Nordström

Lukas Nordström

Architect

Göteborg

+46 31 309 56 82

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