+One Tower+One Tower+One Tower
ThamVidegård has won the international competition for a new hotel tower and main entrance for the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre in Gothenburg, one of Europe’s largest integrated meeting venues. The new tower, which is significantly taller than the existing Gothia Towers, will add spectacular top floors, a new multi-storey entrance, and a generous public terrace scaled to fit one of Gothenburg’s most central and urban locations.
The brief called for a building that functions at different scales within its immediate context, both contributing to everyday street life and standing out as a landmark—a distinctive new point of reference within the city. The site is a diverse mix of 19th-century urban blocks, large-scale sports venues, the Liseberg theme park, the Landeriet park, and the new Korsvägen square, a public transportation hub.
The architectural character of the winning scheme is based on the idea of a direct and open interface between the city and the venue, serving as a future beacon within the urban fabric. There are also clear ties to the history of the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and its origins in the Gothenburg 1923 Jubilee Exhibition. The design features a light structure constructed of white steel columns and transparent low-iron glass.
The new building is composed of three distinct parts: A base that matches the height of the neighbouring six-storey 19th-century carré structure. It houses the new main entrance space as well as several levels for conference rooms and the hotel lobby, which extends onto a generous outdoor veranda. Covered and wind-protected, the veranda provides a highly flexible space that extends the outdoor season in the sometimes harsh west coast climate.
A tower containing four hundred hotel rooms, all of which benefit from vast views of the city and towards the sea.
A crown featuring four levels for dining and bars. At the very top, a roof terrace defined by the extended grid of façade columns creates an open hall of pillars and a recognisable building silhouette.
In front of the building, an entrance plaza provides space for outdoor seating and activities at street level, reinforcing the concept of a free-flowing interface between the city and the venue. Here, temporary exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events will be an accessible addition to the urban environment, offering an inviting glimpse of the programmes within.
In conjunction with the +One tower project, the scheme includes two entrances to the new underground railway station and a refurbishment project for the original main exhibition hall, dating from 1957. Construction is planned to start in 2027, with scheduled completion in 2030.
