from IG Passivhus Sverige
translated into English by Mauro Cappiello

A rendering of the Södra Climate Arena winning project by Danish architect Kent Pedersen

The 2013 "Swedish Architecture Prize for passive" was awarded. The international jury chose the world's first passive tennis hall in Växjö. The hall was built entirely in wood in the mission of Södra Timber and is run by Stefan Edberg's company Ready Play.

The "Swedish architecture prize for passive" competition was published for the first time in 2013 by Intressegruppen Passivhus Sverige. Among the projects are strong examples of energy-efficient buildings associated with good architecture. The award, which will be given annually, is intended to stimulate and motivate a development which is working to build efficient passive in conjunction with good design, function, durability and comfort.

The winner of the first prize of 10,000 SEK was Denmark's Kent Pedersen Architect Company for passive tennis hall Södra Climate Arena in Växjö. The tennis hall was built in the "Europe's greenest city" in the mission of Södra Timber. Behind the company Ready Play who runs the hall there are three tennis personalities, Stefan Edberg, Magnus Larsson and Carl-Axel Hageskog.

The jury said:

"This is a fine example that shows that a passive house can be both efficient and elegant. The project is simple, a hall with four tennis courts, and the building has been given a simple yet obvious solution. Adapting to the site is ingenious, and it has a fine architecture in balanced association with good energy solutions. The building's energy is solved skillfully so that it becomes a natural part of both the site and the architecture. Simplicity offers elaborate details that give the eye and experience a pleasurable feeling.

Södra Climate Arena is a shining example of how to create good architecture through shaping the technology and functionality in an environmentally friendly way without compromising business needs. This is a building that can flaunt as a model for future passive houses in Sweden."

Other finalists who received an honorable mention are Skogslundens preschool in Stockholm (Bleck Architects, Stockholm), Villa Björken in Upplands Vasby (Bjerking Architecture) and Garden City's preschool in Skövde (Glantz Architecture Studio, Skövde).

The international jury consisted of six architects and passive experts from Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Austria.

Intressegruppen Passivhus is the leading knowledge base for information, quality assurance, training and support of the construction industry and all others who are interested in passive house technology.