European experts implement mission to Gothenburg to assess the challenges facing the Valhalla Swimming Hall Complex
From 16 to 21 March 2026, European experts travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a mission related to the city’s Valhalla Swimming Hall Complex (Valhallabadet), listed among the 7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2025, in the framework of the 7 Most Endangered Programme run by Europa Nostra with the support of the European Investment Bank Institute. In collaboration with representatives from Europa Nostra Sweden and the local heritage group FASAD, a series of meetings were held, aimed at mobilising local and national stakeholders for the preservation of this iconic building, winner of the 1948 Olympic Medal for Architectural designs.
The public swimming pools complex is at risk because the Gothenburg City administration has plans to demolish it to make way for an expanded ‘events area’ on the site of Valhallabadet and the nearby ice-hockey and pop-concert arena, Scandinavium. Construction is slated to begin in the coming couple of years. A municipal (and national) election will be held on 13 September this year, perhaps offering an opportunity for community influence.
The mission team consisted of Dr. Christopher Hurst, on behalf of the European Investment Bank Institute, alongside Laurie Neale and Pablo Longoria (virtually) on behalf of the Advisory Panel of the 7 Most Endangered Programme. They were joined by the local delegation including Tina Wik and Kersti Berggren from Europa Nostra Sweden, and Monica Bengtson, Filip Laurits and Magnus Almung representing the local architectural heritage protection group ‘FASAD’.
At the meetings, the expert team laid out the importance of valorising and protecting the outstanding cultural heritage of Valhallabadet. They gained a broad understanding of the many stakeholders involved, and of the threats facing this European jewel of modernist architecture, design and art, as well as of the complexities involved in supporting the local community and its heritage activists.
On 18 March, the team conducted a visit to the site and its urban setting. The interior tour, led by Pierre Solberg, Director of Valhallabadet, was highlighted by the bright and airy space of Valhallabadet’s main pool area with its stunning whole wall mosaics at both ends of the space. That space and light was contrasted by the walk through the up-to-date mechanical spaces below, keeping the swimming waters at temperature and clean. When built, the swimming complex brought about innovative social change where baths went from being focused on hygiene, to providing recreational, physical and social health for the community, and now welcome 500,000 swimmers per year. The team was able to envision the devastation to the surrounding nature and neighbourhoods the city administration’s ambitions plans would cause by building a huge ‘Arena’ on the Valhallabadet site.
The mission generated substantial media attention with a story with interviews broadcast on local, and then repeated on national television, as well as in numerous printed and on digital news outlets.
The team met with stakeholders to build up a thorough understanding of the issues at play regarding the campaign to save the Valhallabadet.
On 16 March, Chris Hurst met with Eva Dahlström Rittsél, Senior Advisor, and Maria Barkin, Legal Advisor at the Swedish Heritage Board, to understand Sweden’s Cultural Heritage Act (1998) and the process for protecting important monuments and sites.
On 17 March, the expert team met with Professor Emeritus Claes Caldenby and Jenny Sjöholm, representing the Swedish Association for Building Preservation, and Emma Svanberg, architect at ACAN, to better understand the importance of Valhallabadet to the community and Swedish society. Later in the mission, the team met with Johanna Westfelt, Member of the Board of FASAD, and Anders Svensson, former Chair of the City Planning department, to understand the workings and constraints facing that department.
In the following days, the expert team met with a number of architectural firms to view differing visions of the renovation and redevelopment of the swimming pool complex and its surrounds. Andreas Haukeland and Emma Forsberg, architects who represented V|S, an association of locally operating companies for a transformed and preserved Valhallabadet. Andreas and Emma presented the vision of redeveloping the cores of the Valhallabadet and Scandinavian buildings plus new facilities grouped under a large roof. Pontus Orrbacke of Krook&Tjäder Architects presented his firm’s plan where the Valhallabadet and the Scandinavium were redeveloped but retained a separation between the individual buildings. Later, Architect-duo Emma Svanberg and Benoit Marie presented their in-depth analysis and plea for the careful restoration of the swimming pool complex. Thomas Pettersson of the local Gothenburg Historical Association, illustrated Valhallabadet within the context of the city’s development.
The team also met with Johan Lundin of White Architects, who presented their 2025 winning redevelopment design from the city-organised competition to redevelop the land where Valhallabadet and the Scandinavian would have been demolished. The expert team saw how the proposed ‘Arena’ development would bring major changes to the urban fabric of the larger surrounding heritage areas, and would overwhelm the pedestrian interface next to it. When held, the design competition excluded any possibility of retaining the Valhallabadet and Scandinavium buildings.
The mission team also met with elected Municipal Council members to assess the political issues behind the decision making for the redevelopment of the area. On 19 March, they met with Axel Josefsson (Moderaterna/the Moderate Party), Rådhuset/City Hall spokesman for the six parties that have agreed on the Arena-project and the demolition of Valhallabadet and the Scandinavium. This was followed by a meeting with Johan Zandin (Vänsterpartiet)/Left Party), Vice-chairman of the City Planning Office who has been appointed to implement the Arena-project.
The next day, the team met with representatives of the three smaller political parties at the Rådhuset/City Hall who want for varied reasons to preserve Valhallabadet and the Scandinavium: Max Reijer and Deputy Mayor Karin Pleijel (both of the Miljöpartiet/Green Party); Deputy Mayor Dan-Ove Marcelind (Kristemokraterna/Christian Democrats); and Timothy Tréville (Group Leader of Sverigedemokraterna/Sweden Democrats).
To understand the possible monument protections available for Valhallabadet, the team met on 19 March with Sandra Brantebäck, Head of the Community Department (Samhällsavdelningen), and Lena Emanuelsson, antiquarian, of The County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen). In Sweden, buildings will not be declared listed against the owner’s will, although the law, in principle, allows for that possibility. In this case, the owner is the City of Gothenburg whose Arena-project is causing the threat to Valhalla’s continued survival. Under the current practical application of the Cultural Heritage Act, the Municipality of Gothenburg has a de facto veto over the listing of the pool by the County Administrative Board.
The expert team concluded that the current development plan is out-of-date, will waste resources and go against the climate change mitigating ambitions of Gothenburg, Sweden and Europe, will damage the surrounding community social cohesion, and, of course, will tear down the iconic Valhallabadet. Most strikingly, the feasible alternatives to this mistaken vision have never at any time received any consideration at all by the authorities.
The experts, along with the nominator, are now preparing the technical report and collaborating with stakeholders to strategise on how best to safeguard the heritage of Valhallabadet and its urban setting.
