We are transforming Malmö’s historic Varvsstaden Machine and Assembly Hall No. 101
Formerly the heart of Sweden's shipbuilding industry, Machine and Assembly Hall No. 101 in Malmö is set to become a new kind of workspace – a destination that stays true to its industrial character, while opening up to the city and its inhabitants.
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Martin Stenberg
Associate Design Director
Lead Design Architect
Originally built in 1912, Varvsstaden Machine and Assembly Hall No. 101 will be reimagined into a vibrant, publicly accessible space that includes offices and forms a key part of a new, people-focused district. The design emphasizes openness – to its past and its future – aiming to create a dynamic destination that remains lively and inviting to a diverse community, around the clock.
Over the last century, this building has adapted to industry demands, evolving through expansions and upgrades since its growth in 1923. Now, we are reimagining its future, honoring its history through an approach that reveals and preserves visible layers of its past. By building on the original framework, the transformation maintains the district's heritage while creating space for business, retail, and community life to thrive, just five minutes from the city center.
“Rather than completely overhauling an outdated site, we can shift its function to connect people with its historical identity. This approach allows us to reimagine industrial spaces as iconic landmarks – preserving their legacy while adapting to the needs of the communities they serve.”
Per Ebbe Hansson
Lead Design Architect
Material reuse is central to the transformation approach, with steel, bricks, windows, stairs, and lamps from the site being preserved or repurposed. By cataloging these components, we reduce carbon emissions and material costs while maintaining the site’s industrial character. Elements that cannot be preserved will be carefully dismantled and reused elsewhere, ensuring the building’s legacy of adaptive functionality lives on.
Located between the sea and Malmö’s city center, Varvsstaden – once the city’s shipyard district – is being revitalized to bring public life to a previously neglected industrial area. The transformation approach respects the district’s historic character, unfolding within and around the original brick walls of Kockums' shipyards and factories.
Our approach prioritizes design for disassembly, material circularity, and waste reduction, creating a space that honors its industrial roots while placing environmental responsibility and low-impact construction practices at the forefront.
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