We’re designing a new hub for sport and community in Gothenburg
Continuing our tradition of designing landmark civic and cultural projects in Sweden, Centralbadet will bring sport, health, and community life together in the heart of the city, creating a welcoming public space for people of all ages.
Contact
Martin Stenberg
Associate Design Director
Head of Department, Landscape
Design Director
We have won the design competition for Gothenburg’s new Centralbadet, a public swimming and sports center celebrating the city’s traditions of sport, health, and community. Our team will deliver the project for the City of Gothenburg together with Winell & Jern Architects, Ramboll, and John Dohlsten, a Sports Science Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg. We were selected in an anonymous competition organized by the City of Gothenburg, beating teams including BIG and Wingårdh Arkitektkontor.
Expected to open in 2031, the timber-structure swimming hall will sit harmoniously within its surroundings, linking parks, riverfront paths, and the wider city. Covering 51,850 m², Centralbadet brings together elite athletics and everyday recreation, from Olympic-standard pools to family and learning pools, sports halls, a gym, and outdoor facilities.
Centralbadet is more than just sport. Saunas, terraces, cafés, and flexible gathering spaces provide opportunities for social connection, while practical amenities like bicycle garages, stroller parking, and changing facilities ensure accessibility for all.
Rooted in Gothenburg’s history, the design honors Valhallabadet’s legacy through art, landscape, and urban connections. The building’s roofscape extends the sporting experience outdoors, with warm-up zones, running tracks, outdoor gyms, and sunlit terraces. Raised planters, green roofs, and diverse plantings support biodiversity and manage stormwater.
The material strategy balances durability with careful selection of materials that reduce carbon footprint and support reuse. Concrete provides stability for pool basins, while upper structures transition to lightweight timber, including long-span glulam beams designed for humid environments. Timber is also used in interior partitions, ceiling elements, and insulation where possible, lowering embodied carbon. Façades feature recycled bricks, and timber elements are designed for disassembly and reuse, creating a resilient, long-lasting building.
We’re excited to continue developing Centralbadet in close collaboration with the City of Gothenburg, shaping a new chapter in the city’s proud sporting tradition while creating a positive social and healthy impact for everyone.
