“The dialogue we had with the youths in Angered turned out to be absolutely pivotal for the building’s design,” says Ingrid Alerås, an architect at Wingårdhs. “They had very strong desires and a clear vision of what they wanted for this place. Their field studies and ideas led eventually to the building’s pentagonal form, which started out very differently. They also gave us some new aspects to take into consideration in our work, like the importance of creating a secure environment.”

Young Urban Developers (Unga Stadsutvecklare) is a cooperative project between youths in the neighborhood and the district council in Angered. The group works with urban development issues and strives to influence the development of the area in dialogue with residents.

“The chance to work so directly with the people who really know the place and what it needs has been extremely educational and has resulted in a building with identity,” says Alerås. “I think the building contributes something new, and with its golden facades it becomes like a little jewel crowning the traffic hub,” she says.

Iman Hussein of the Young Urban Developers says, “I’m happy with how we were able to influence the building’s form, and that they listened to our ideas. Our keywords were security, edgeless, and minimal, and I think the final result follows the vision quite closely. The building feels completely unique and extremely well adapted to the needs of Angered Center,” says Hussein.

The transparency of the entrance level allows for views around the corners, and the building is characterized by an exposed wooden structure of glulam beams and an interior lined with pine ribs. On the exterior, the facade is characterized by a pattern of rhomboidal brass panels that softly reflect the sunlight and breathe new life into the traffic hub.

Angered Center is one of the largest public transit hubs in the city of Gothenburg, with about 35,000 passengers passing through it every day.

The building doesn’t just watch over the travelers passing through, it also provides carefully crafted space for bus drivers on their breaks. Driving a bus is an entry-level job for many people and an important point of entry into society. The staff areas in Angered include space for studies, prayers, and rest.

Wingårdhs’s design team was made up of Gert Wingårdh, Jonas Edblad, and Ingrid Alerås.

For more information or further questions, call Klara Grape at 010 - 788 11 19 or email klara.grape@wingardhs.se.