- Henning
- Larsen
The objective of the new town hall is to reflect the city's character, culture, and history. Inspired by the iron ore deposited throughout the region, the town hall is made of a glowing, crystal-like core surrounded by a circular building envelope comprising offices for the municipal staff.
The City Hall is the first major landmark of the relocated Kiruna. Due to the iron ore mine, the city is founded on, the city needed to be moved. The city hall is the first new building in the new center and thus is designed to establish an inviting gathering point for the town.
Present at the ceremony was H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf, who officially opened the new building and congratulated the city on the new building that hopefully will be of joy to all citizens and future generations in Kiruna, as he said during his speech. The Mayor of Kiruna, Kristina Zakrisson and the Swedish Minister of Culture, Alice Bah Kuhnke also took the stage.
"I hope that the Crystal will succeed in becoming a place where people meet - on the foundation of small and big topics, private or political, local or global, that concerns all of us. I wish you the best of luck," Kuhnke said.
The Crystal is a continuation of Kiruna’s architectural heritage. The design includes the original bell tower and recycles building materials from the 1958 town hall, slated for demolition during the move.
In this way, The Crystal represents not only a visual re-imagining of the town but a physical continuation of Kiruna’s history. The Crystal’s interior will be a hub of activity, an energetic and accessible forum supporting the interplay of local politics and community development.