bjarke ingels group proposes to top uppsala power plant with a geodesic dome
all images courtesy of bjarke ingels group / BIG
in 2014, bjarke ingels group was invited by the swedish city of uppsala to design a biomass cogeneration plant to supplement the region’s existing energy infrastructure during winter. with only seasonal use, the new facility would be vacant during summer months, allowing BIG to transform the public perception of a power plant both visually and functionally.
the cogeneration plant would supplement the region’s existing energy during winter
the proposal fuses two industrial archetypes into an unconventional hybrid: the plant and the greenhouse. through harnessing the economies of scale associated with greenhouse structures it is possible to create an enclosure that lends the design a light and transparent quality. consequently, the crystalline volume serves as a colorful invitation for exploration and education.
the crystalline volume serves as a colorful invitation for exploration and education
the geodesic dome combines maximum enclosure with minimum envelope
the structure would be visible from across the city
uppsala’s skyline includes the city’s well-known cathedral
the geometry of the shell relates directly to the shape of its contents










project info:
name: uppsala power plant
program: commercial
status: idea
size: 7,250 sqm / 78,038 sqf
project type: competition
client: vattenfall
collaborators: SLA, ramboll, DK+SE, AKT II, luchinger meyer bauingenieure AG, spacecape
location: uppsala, sweden
project team
partners in charge: bjarke ingels, andreas klok pedersen
project leader/architect: marie lançon
project manager: jakob sand
team: aaron hales, danai charasti, julia boromissza, michael andersen, teodor javanaud emden, timothy burwell