Swedish Wood Award 50 years
Modern wood construction plays a key role in making it possible for Sweden to reach the goal of becoming fossil-free by 2045, while at the same time meeting the needs of new housing and development. In recent years, there has been a major breakthrough in the use of wood construction for apartment buildings, bridges and halls.
The Swedish Wood Award, which turned 50 years old in 2017, is one of Sweden's largest architectural awards. Every four years, it is given to a building that represents good Swedish architecture in wood, and which reflects the times we live in. It also highlights the advantages wood offers in terms of reduced climate impact and architectural possibilities.
On this page you will find video clips celebrating some of the buildings in the long history of the Swedish Wood Award.
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Nominated in 2012
Copperhill, a ski hotel in Åre
Located high up on a hillside, Copperhill Mountain Lodge is a ski hotel with views that go on and on. The large building’s glulam structural frame has been kept exposed indoors to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
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Nominated in 2004
Studios at the Nordic Watercolour Museum
These studios sit at the water’s edge in Skärhamn, close to Gothenburg in Sweden, an idyllic spot in the Bohuslän archipelago. They show great respect for the site and were nominated for the Swedish Wood Award in 2004.
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Nominated in 2016
Emils Backe floats amongst the treetops
A remarkable building supported on stilts so that it floats in the tree canopy. Emils Backe is a project that combines a serious approach to ecology and sustainability with bold and exciting architecture.
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Nominated in 2008
Flyinge Riding School, nominated in 2008
Nominated for the Swedish Wood Award in 2008, Flyinge Riding School is a fine example of how a large hangar-like structure can be erected in a historically sensitive setting and still add something to the landscape. The indoor arena, which is almost entirely made from wood, showcases innovative architecture influenced by local building traditions. Architect: AIX Arkitekter AB.
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Nominated in 2004
Strömstad holiday home
A dream summer residence. This holiday home, located in the north of Bohuslän, has a carefully considered composition that sits comfortably in relation to the rocks, views and natural landscape. Wouldn’t you agree?
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Nominated in 1996
Reconstruction of Katarina Kyrka, Stockholm
Katarina Kyrka suffered a major fire in 1990. Pooling Sweden’s expertise in ancient crafts and building methods, the church was raised from the ashes, with work completed in 1996.
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Nominated in 2016
Kyrkesund holiday home, nominated in 2016
This little villa reaches for the sea views way off on the horizon on Sweden’s West Coast, while at the same time being very respectful of the plot on which it stands. Every board on the façade reflects the surrounding rocky landscape. Come and take a tour!
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Nominated in 2012
Limnologen, nominated in 2012
Another Växjö marvel! Built between 2008 and 2009, Limnologen comprises four eight-storey apartment blocks situated on the shore of Lake Trummen in Växjö.
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Nominated in 2016
Strandparken
Eight floors and a wooden frame! Strandparken is an icon and an early pioneer of multistorey construction in wood. In this clip, you get to find out more about these riverside buildings on the bank of Bällstaån in Sundbyberg in Stockholm, Sweden.
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Nominated in 2004
Naturum Fulufjället, explore the roadless wilderness
As a last outpost before the mountainous landscape of north-west Dalarna, this museum stands as a gateway to nature. White Arkitekter has sensitively captured the essence of this picturesque location.
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Nominated in 2012
One Tonne Life – How little CO2 can we emit?
The goal was clear from the outset. Through the way they live, each family member could only be responsible for emitting 1 tonne of carbon dioxide per year. Meet a building with lofty environmental ambitions from the Swedish Wood Award 2012.
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Nominated in 2004
Ornäsloftet’s visitor centre
King Gustaf Vasa fled to Dalarna, in Sweden on skis in the 16th century and hid himself away in Ornäsloftet, Dalarna. The site is now a tourist destination with a visitor centre designed by Hidemark & Stintzing Arkitekter.
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Winner in 2016
Råå Preschool in Helsingborg, Sweden
The finest preschool in Sweden? Råå Preschool, in Råå, southern Sweden, winner of the Swedish Wood Award 2016, reaches architectural heights rarely seen in designs for the smallest people in Sweden, wouldn’t you agree?
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Nominated in 2016
Skagershuset, Stockholm, nominated in 2016
Nominated for the Swedish Wood Award 2016 and Swedens capital Stockholm’s Building of the Year in 2016. In Årsta, south of Stockholm, Skagershuset has garnered a great deal of praise for its architectural qualities, which originate from a smart collaboration between the architect and the supplier of this industrially built wooden apartment block.
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Winner in 2012
Tomtebo forest sauna – the 2012 winner
Tomtebo forest sauna in Gävle, north of Stockholm, has taken many commentators by storm and it is easy to see why the jury was so bowled over by this building in the 2012 selection process, isn’t it?
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Nominated in 2000
The legendary Trädgår’n in Gothenburg
This building, created as a palace of entertainment and festivities, sits in Kungsparken in central Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city. The building, nominated for the Swedish Wood Award in 2000, makes harmonious use of both concrete and wood.
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Nominated in 2004
Universeum in Gothenburg
Universeum was a real crowd-pleaser when it was nominated for the Swedish Wood Award in 2004. The building’s outstanding architecture has made it a popular Gothenburg, Swedens second largest city, landmark that still feels like a breath of fresh air.
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Nominated in 2016
Ventilation towers for Norra Länken road tunnel
The Swedish Transport Administration decided early on that the ventilation towers for the Norra Länken road tunnel in Stockholm should be built in wood. The project proved a great success, with low building costs, fast construction and careful consideration for the nature of Norra Djurgården in Stockholm.
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Nominated in 2012
Treehotel, rooms suspended in the trees
Yes, this really is as spectacular as it sounds. The forest can be used for many things, and here it has been turned into an extraordinary destination with a hotel concept based around incredible rooms built up in the trees.
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Nominated in 1992
Vasa Museum, nominated in 1992
Over time, the Vasa Museum has become a familiar feature of the Stockholm skyline, even though when it first opened critics considered it too bold for Djurgården. Get to know Vasa Museum in this clip!
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Nominated in 2016
Mölle by the Sea, steel and wood in harmony
The glazed and transparent lower floor made from steel and glass forms an interesting combination with the wooden structure of the upper floor, clad externally in wide spruce planks.
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Nominated in 2008
Villa Tjajkovski, well worth its nomination
This building represents the very best in holiday home architecture – a building that invites social interaction and blurs the boundary between indoors and out.