”Liten” var namnet på arkitektkontoret Wingårdhs vinnande bidrag i tävlingen om tillbyggnad för Liljevalchs konsthall. Den nya byggnaden ska bli lägre än omgivande hus men ge 2 400 kvadratmeter nya ytor.
With the contribution "Lilla", Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, with Gert Wingårdh and glass artist Ingegerd Råman, won the architectural competition for an extension at Liljevalchs konsthall in February 2014. "A proposal that, with a light and playful expression, is linked to the popular spirit of Liljevalch," the jury wrote in its explanatory statement.
"I am extremely pleased with Wingårdh's proposal. With this we solve a number of problems that exist in the house – security, transport, café, shop and last but not least: now we can stay open all year round and exchange large and small exhibitions," said Mårten Castenfors, art gallery manager.
Despite the modest name, the new building gives 2,400 square meters more to exhibitions, entrance, shop and development of Café Blå Porten. Liljevalchs+, as the building is called, is located behind the pink art gallery, has three floors but maintains lower ceiling height than the surroundings. The entrance is facing Falkenbergsgatan where an outdoor terrace can also be built.
The concrete façade has 6860 embedded bottle bottoms in clear glass. Here, the jury sees a successful collaboration between artist and architect and notes that the distinctive solution promises a glittering and varied color scheme. The 166 lanterns create a grid that allows for many different room divisions and light entry.
The house houses three large exhibition halls that can be divided into smaller ones. The walls are made of white painted plywood, a grateful basis for the constant changes in the exhibition activities. In the basement floor there are rooms for seminars and smaller exhibitions.
Arkitekttävlingen utlystes i mars 2013 av Stockholms fastighetsnämnd och Sveriges Arkitekter. Fem arkitektteam deltog och vinnaren presenterades den 27 februari 2014. Två hedersomnämnande gavs till Petra Gipp/Ulf Nordfjell/Sune Nordgren för bidraget Avtryck och till Snøhetta med Orunn Sannes/Greger Ulf Nilsson för bidraget Grace.
Juryn har bestått av Juan Copovi-Mena (ordförande) och Pontus Werlinder, fastighetskontoret, Mårten Castenfors Liljevalchs konsthall, Karolina Keyzer Stadsbyggnadskontoret, Pia Krenzler Trafikkontoret, Carmen Izquierdo och Lucas Thiel utsedda av Sveriges Arkitekter.