Visitors stepped inside and under Henning Larsen’s timber canopy for the first time in April earlier this year, coinciding with Volvo’s annual birthday celebrations. A unique experience center for the famed Swedish brands, Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, World of Volvo is designed around Scandinavian values of freedom of movement, access to nature and openness and inclusion.
Spanning 22,000 square meters, the main timber structure, made of glulam and cross-laminated timber, forms three striking treetrunk-like columns, fanning out to carry the entire load of the roof – enveloping visitors in a welcoming forest-like canopy. Henning Larsen aimed to create a center with a welcoming appearance and access to nature.
Taking inspiration from trees and the Swedish landscape, Henning Larsen clustered mass-timber columns into three tubular forms referencing tree trunks, which contain exhibition spaces and stairs leading to an upper level. The columns rise and radiate outwards to form the overhanging roof structure, with the building enclosed by a glazed facade.
Situated in the heart of Gothenburg’s event district, ample, versatile spaces are set to host cultural events, talks, and conferences, accommodating up to 1,100 attendees. The 4,500 square meter exhibition space offers a comprehensive journey through Volvo’s history, present innovations, and future visions, highlighted by iconic vehicles, immersive stories, and interactive displays, all centered around Volvo’s human-centric and forward-looking ethos.
“World of Volvo is designed around the Swedish concept of Allemansrätten, denoting a fundamental right to nature or ‘the freedom to roam’, offering an open invitation to the public,” stated Martin Stenberg Ringnér, Associate Design Director, Henning Larsen. “There’s a strong link between organic materials and organic forms. The building uses the timber structure to embody the regional landscape in both form and materiality.”
“We have found structural inspiration from nature and the two go hand in hand with great result. The metaphor of the tree is derived from Volvo’s strong association with Nordic mythology, which is deeply rooted in the company’s Swedish heritage.
The tree is a powerful symbol of life, growth and connection, and this runs from the roots, through the layers of the tree and up to the treetops, which offer fresh air and views of the town of Volvo’s origin, Gothenburg,” added Ringnér.
A right to nature
The expansive round structure encourages visitors to create their own journeys both indoors and outdoors, regardless of whether they hold tickets to the exhibition inside. Surrounded by a thriving landscape that extends onto an accessible roof, the building embraces the regional landscape, in form, materiality, and culture, bringing a native piece of Swedish nature to the middle of Gothenburg.
“As a brand Volvo is rooted in a Swedish pride for producing and manufacturing quality for everyone. This is spotlighted and celebrated at World of Volvo, and we are so proud to see the building come to life and welcome its first visitors on the same day as Volvo’s birthday celebrations,” added Ringnér.
An ambitious design undertaken through an uncompromising process, World of Volvo embodies an inspired relationship to nature whilst showcasing an exciting and necessary change in the industry – an openness towards timber in large-scale construction. The project has challenged traditional architectural conventions by incorporating wood as a primary building material, with significant emphasis on environmental sustainability.
Applying a tailored digital workflow that integrates the structural logic of the wooden elements, World of Volvo pushes the boundaries of large-scale timber construction. In fact, the wooden construction is both the most forward-looking and traditional aspect of the project. The goal was to give form to something very essential to the Swedish spirit. World of Volvo’s circular form, the timber materiality, its integration with the landscape, and, fundamentally, its openness – these things are all parts of a core collective identity.
A flexible computational workflow integrated from the very early phases made it possible to experiment with the height of the building, the geometry of the roof, the radius of the three inner circles, and the number of columns, while evaluating the structural implications of these choices together with the manufacturer. This advanced digital collaboration resulted in decisions that are informed by the material itself, allowing us to optimize material use without compromising on the concept.
“Not long ago, working with timber on this scale was hard to imagine. Our industry is really on a path of change. It’s just amazing that we could make this happen, from initial sketches that were all free form and had to be rationalized to now seeing it unfold in construction,” added Fabia Baumann, Structural Design Engineer.
“Not long ago, working with timber on this scale was hard to imagine. Our industry is really on a path of change. It’s just amazing that we could make this happen, from initial sketches that were all free form and had to be rationalized to now seeing it unfold in construction,” added Fabia Baumann, Structural Design Engineer.
“The Swedish Right of Public Access embodies important values that we wanted to instill into World of Volvo, like the equal value of all people, safety, and care and consideration for others and for our natural surroundings. We are happy to welcome the general public to World of Volvo. A building is nothing without people and activities. We want World of Volvo to be a central location for meetings and experiences, for local residents and international visitors alike,” concluded Magnus Wrahme, CEO of World of Volvo.
