Wisdome Extension Wins Prestigious Kasper Salin Architecture Prize

Anna Broberg

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Awarded annually since 1962 by the Swedish Association of Architects, the Kasper Salin Prize recognizes buildings of exceptionally high architectural quality. This year, the prize goes to the architectural firm Elding Oscarson and their client, the National Museum of Science and Technology.

The jury praised the all-wood Wisdome extension for its innovative and imaginative design from concept to completion. A key highlight is the unprecedented roof construction, featuring a self-supporting gridshell made of flat LVL wood panels arranged in two directions by Swiss engineer Florian Kosche. This creates a striking 12-meter-high domed space enclosing a 3D cinema.

In their citation, the jury stated: “From early sketches to the final structure, the design vision remains a consistent thread. No detail was overlooked – not the building’s placement, material choices, nor the importance of finer points. The entirely new roof solution pushes the boundaries of wood construction while allowing for inspired spans within the dome that make Wisdome a deserving winner.”

This marks the second time Elding Oscarson Architects has designed a Kasper Salin Prize recipient, having previously won in 2017 for the Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art in Lund.

Wisdome bested shortlisted finalists including Gjuteriet by Kjellander Sjöberg for Varvsstaden, Gästhuset Höghult by Fabel arkitektur for a private client, and Raw by Johan Berg Architects for Raw Property.

The Kasper Salin Prize cements Wisdome’s place among Sweden’s most remarkable new architectural works and a prime example of innovative timber construction.

The translation was written by an AI system, though the original text was authored by a human.