Sahlgrenska Life

Sahlgrenska Life comprises three new buildings: one on the hospital campus, one on the nearby university campus and a connecting building linking the two. Together, they create a physical connection between Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the University of Gothenburg.

The three buildings are strategically located in central parts of Gothenburg, together forming a new, integrated environment for life science. One of the buildings is located in the northern part of the Sahlgrenska area, where its facade forms the first point of contact for visitors approaching the hospital area. With its eleven-storey height and elevated position, the building will become a distinctive landmark in the cityscape.

The connecting building will play a central role in the development. New pedestrian routes, meeting places and shared facilities will create better opportunities for people to meet across organisational and professional boundaries. Researchers, students, healthcare staff, patients, companies and local residents will be able to move more naturally between the different organisations and activities.

Architecture that reinforces Sahlgrenska’s character

The architecture is rooted in the identity of the area and reinforces Sahlgrenska’s character through a contemporary interpretation of its traditional brick architecture.

The design is based on a clear and well-ordered facade structure. Vertical brick piers and horizontal bands create rhythm, variation and scale across the extensive building volume. The combination of warm red brick, glass and grey-green glazed facade ceramics gives the building a robust and durable expression.

The two lowest floors are partly defined by arched brick portals, creating a human scale in the building’s interaction with visitors and passers-by. Particular care has been taken with the details, materials and craftsmanship in the parts of the building experienced at close range.

The first building will accommodate highly specialised healthcare and research facilities. It will provide premises for regional laboratory medicine, a new emergency department with an ambulance hall, intensive care and operating theatres.

A helipad is also planned on the roof of the building. It will enable efficient patient transfers and contribute to rapid and coordinated healthcare logistics.

Sahlgrenska Life is an extensive development and innovation project that creates new opportunities for collaboration between healthcare, research, education and industry. The building on the Sahlgrenska campus represents the first phase of a larger whole, in which three buildings will be connected to form an integrated life science campus.

An architectural competition marked the beginning

The project began with an architectural competition in 2016, won by Sweco in collaboration with Arkitema Architecs. Since then, Sahlgrenska Life has progressed through a preliminary study, detailed planning and design development—from the original vision to construction documentation. Through close and long-term collaboration, the vision of an integrated centre for healthcare, research, education and innovation has gradually become a reality.

The initiative will enhance collaboration between Region Västra Götaland Sahlgrenska University Hospital, the University of Gothenburg, Public Dental Service Region Västra Götaland and the life sciences industry. It will help research findings and innovations to be translated more quickly into tangible benefits for patients and society. The new environments will also strengthen the position of Gothenburg and western Sweden in research, medicine and the development of the healthcare of the future.