Chipperfield's Nobel Centre gets outline approval

David Chipperfield has won the first stage of planning for his Nobel Centre in Stockholm.

The city’s planning committee approved the detailed local plan for the building on a promontory in the heart of the Swedish capital and next to the National Museum.

The site proved controversial, with local campaigners objecting to the construction of a “giant colossus” on a delicate site requiring the demolition of a number of historic harbourside buildings and the relocation of ferries.

But the city brushed off the criticism, saying it had been saving the waterfront position site for a cultural project.

Work on detailed planning will now begin, with the full council expected to ratify its planning committee’s decision later this spring.

Once any appeals have been dealt with, if the project gets the all-clear construction is expected to take about two years.

“We are pleased with the support that the city is showing for the building we have developed together with one of the world’s foremost architects,” said Susanne Lindh, chief executive of Nobelhuset, a company set up by the Nobel Foundation to build and run the centre.

“The public nature of the building – with its unique exhibitions, extensive activities for school children as well as meeting and lecture programmes – will be an asset for all of Stockholm and Sweden.”

Chipperfield beat two Swedish practices, Johan Celsing Arkitektkontor and Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, to land the project two years ago after an international design competition. The project is being led by David Chipperfield Architects’ Berlin-based managing director Christoph Felger.