Student life is about more than just books and exams. It is just as much about the experiences along the way. A good study environment should offer space for peace and reflection, but also challenge thoughts, stimulate the mind, and present opportunities for new kinds of meetings. The upcoming renovations of the Stockholm School of Economics are therefore a great boon to future students and employees, as well as to visitors. A century’s worth of history and celebrated architecture meets modern art and the future in tech. The goal is to create a place where you feel at home – a place to long to.

”It’s our responsibility to care for this amazing building and restore it to its former glory, while simultaneously developing a modern and stimulating environment,” says Karin Elg, Facilities Director at the Stockholm School of Economics.

Wall of plants

Thanks to a generous donation of SEK 130 million from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the interior of SSE’s main building at Sveavägen 65 is about to get a notable facelift. The atrium will get more as well as more varied seating and easily adaptable lighting, better suited to studies, art exhibitions, concerts, and social gatherings. A new café will replace the old one and a wall of living plants will make the space and the air more pleasant and alive for visitors.

SSE’s iconic auditorium, in turn, will be gently restored and updated.

“The SSE auditorium is an important part of the School’s identity. It’s a place of both symbolical and historical significance, while at the same time being our most frequently used space. In many ways, it’s the School’s most recognizable feature, and this is where the business world, students, researchers and international guests meet. To better meet the demands of tomorrow, the technology in the auditorium will be updated while the space will be renovated and modernized,” says Karin Elg.

Library renovations

The SSE library will also get some well-needed work done. The library is one of the areas of the School open to the public, and many architecture aficionados visit to admire the work of Swedish architect Ivar Tengbom. The renovations will make it possible to improve the acoustics as well as restore original details and surfaces, while gently incorporating modern technology and functionality to meet future needs.

As renovations move forward, work continues to make sure the premises are inclusive and accessible to all visitors, regardless of disability.

The first stage of the renovations – affecting the atrium – will begin in the summer of 2022. During the summer of 2023, the auditorium and the KAW center will follow, and 2024 the project concludes with the renovations of the library and the Peter Wallenberg room.

For more information, please contact:

Karin Elg
Facilities Director
Email: Karin.elg@hhs.se
Phone: +46-70 662 20 11