Innovative architecture supports learning

The flexible design of the iconic Lindholmens Tekniska Gymnasium allows the building itself to be used in the teaching of technical subjects.

On Lindholmen in Gothenburg, Sweden, the new technical school, with its iconic saw-tooth roof and façades, has become a new landmark symbolising innovation and knowledge. Lindholmens Tekniska Gymnasium welcomed its first students at the start of the new school year in August 2020.

Construction started in January 2018, and being the first upper secondary school to be built in Gothenburg since 1993, the project has attracted a lot of attention.

The client is Lokalförvaltningen Göteborgs Stad, and the school was designed by KUB Arkitekter who won the tender back in 2012. The design and planning was done in close cooperation with both the school’s staff and Gothenburg Municipality.

Natural materials

The school’s striking saw-tooth roof oozes innovation. Materials such as concrete, glass and bricks have been used for the exterior, and the roof has been fitted with solar panels.

The school is spread across five floors covering a total area of 11,300 square metres. Exposed timber framing in solid wood and plastered concrete floors dominate the interior of the building. In addition, stairs, seating areas and other furniture are made from pale wood, which – combined with the generous influx of natural light from the glass façades – creates a comfortable teaching environment.

Supporting the teaching

Right from the outset, the idea has been for the school building to be used in the teaching. The technical school therefore has flexible classrooms with visible installations. In the ceiling, for example, you can see the pipes, sprinklers and ventilation ducts that can be used as visual teaching aids.

The ceilings have also been fitted with Troldtekt acoustic panels in the colour natural wood. The acoustic panels are ideal for rooms intended for quiet and immersive study, but equally so in the high-ceilinged communal areas with their varied soundscapes. In addition, the choice of Troldtekt products is very much in line with the general use of natural materials in the building, since the acoustic panels are made of the natural materials wood and cement.