Umeå Arts Campus

Situated along the riverside promenade close to the century of Umeå, the Umeå Arts Campus enhances the arts focus for both the university and city. The campus skyline is defined by three distinct buildings – Umeå School of Architecture the Museum of Art, both designed by Henning Larsen, as well as the Academy of Fine Arts.

The campus is grounded by a shared base that runs parallel to the river, connecting the three buildings physically and conceptually. This base houses common facilities, while the scale and form of each individual building reflects the surrounding urban context.

In 2013, the campus received the Civic Trust Award and was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award’s EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture. The year prior, it was honored with the Architype Innovative Education Project Award.

Situated far North on Sweden’s East coast, the contrast between the static and dynamic, and the light and dark, forms the cornerstone of our design for the Umeå School of Architecture. During both summer and winter months, ever-present nature serves as a source of inspiration for students. From the outside, the larch wood façade embeds the school into the surrounding campus.

Inside, the architecture unfolds in a sequence of stairways, balconies, shifted levels, and suspended rooms-within-rooms. A central, vibrant atrium anchors the interior, framed by large, airy classrooms with rhythmic window openings that bring in daylight. One of the design’s key objectives was to create a bright, open study environment where students remain visually connected – separated only by split levels and glass walls. This open layout supports the opportunity for mutual inspiration and the exchange of ideas.

Studio spaces are arranged along the façades in a strict, regular grid of columns and beams, with a simple and rational design that supports creative flexibility. The varied window pattern gives the school a strong visual identity while providing views of the neighboring river.