Gamlestaden Travel Centre

Gamlestaden Travel Centre, or Gamlestadens Resecentrum in Swedish, was one of the first steps in the ongoing development of Gamlestadens Torg in Gothenburg, Sweden. Sweco Architects is responsible for the project planning documents of the two buildings as well as the adjacent square.

The mixed-use main building, with its 17 floors, is visible from afar. On ground level there is a public space with service and commerce dedicated to travellers, whereas the upper floors contain office space. The neighbouring building, named Världslitteraturhuset, is a public library that holds literature from various cultures in several languages.

Gamlestaden, meaning ‘the old town’, has played a central role in the history of Gothenburg. Today, Gamlestaden faces urban renewal and a transformation process to answer the city’s need and will to grow. The site for this project, Gamlestadens Torg, is being densified with an urban character to enable more room for office space, culture, public service and commerce, as well as 400-500 new apartments that are currently under construction. Gamlestadens Torg is a lively and diverse intersection between new and old, and between public transport and its passengers. On a daily basis, 40 000 people are expected to pass by and use the trams, buses and commuter trains that are easily reached from the transport hub.

The aim with Gamlestaden Travel Centre has been to create a welcoming and dynamic hub with mixed functions and a flow of people that generates urban life and safety throughout the day. The transport hub is integrated in the new area at Gamlestadens Torg, and together they act as entrance to Gothenburg.

Principal architect: Pekka Leppänen
Architects: Per Göran ‘Pe-Ge’ Hillinge, Karl-Johan Törngren, Idun Bäck, Benedict Leret, Mariana Aramburu
Landscape architect: Urban Rickardsson