New school in the attractive Limhamn district

Limhamnskolan in Malmö in southern Sweden is characterised by an open architecture. It blends in gracefully with the district’s red brick buildings and invites the local community inside.

Limhamn is a neighbourhood in southern Malmö that is currently experiencing rapid growth. New housing developments are springing up, creating the need for new childcare centres and schools. One of them is the new Limhamnskolan, a school for 450 students in years 7-9 which is due to open in 2023. Until then, Malmö International School is operating out of the newly constructed building.

“The idea was to create a place of value to both students and the local community. There are rooms at the school which anyone can hire and utilise,” says Per Stöckel from New Line Arkitekter, project manager for the building.

At one with its surroundings
The school’s architecture reflects a desire for a high level of  interaction with the surrounding environment. To draw attention to the fact that the school welcomes external users, large windows break up the red brick façade, making the school blend in beautifully with its surroundings.

“The building is situated in an old industrial district, where many of the older buildings are made of red brick. In our choice of materials, we have therefore endeavoured to harmonise the school’s appearance with its local environment. Red brick has also been used inside the building,” says Per Stöckel.

A vibrant and open study environment
The focal point of the school is a large staircase that connects the three floors. Social spaces such as a student café and library directly adjoin the stairs on some floors as part of a vibrant and attractive study environment. The corridors have been broken up at varying angles to create a sense of playful architecture. The open spaces call for special acoustic solutions.

“The acoustic environment can be a challenge in schools, which typically have a lot of noise. We’ve therefore worked with both walls and ceilings to ensure acoustic improvements, installing acoustic panels from Troldtekt. The panels contribute to a better indoor climate and are long-lasting and robust, which is absolutely necessary in a school,” says Per Stöckel.

Troldtekt ceilings in natural wood are in pleasant harmony with the school’s simple design, while painted Troldtekt acoustic panels above the student lockers and green tiles add contrast to the stringent expression.