Kristinehallen in Falun is being renovated and extended with a Sylva™ kit, transforming it into a state-of-the-art, low-carbon, five-storey building with modern facilities for both public and employee use.

The concert hall in Falun, Kristinehallen, is being renovated and extended  with a Sylva™ kit of parts. The EUR 21 million investment will transform the existing regional concert hall into a 4,500 square meter state-of-the-art, low-carbon venue with excellent acoustics for classical music and working conditions for the employees.

Upon completion, Kristinehallen will be a five-storey building with a large entrance hall. On the first floor there will be practice rooms. The second and third floors will be open to the public. On the fourth floor there will be more practice rooms and a conference room. On the fifth floor there will be office premises with a break room. In the old part, among other things, the stage will be expanded, the basement will be renovated and a new balcony with 558 seats is built.

The regional authority will rent the premises, providing the administration for cultural affairs and the foundation for producing concerts, music theatre, and various musical events, ‘Musik I Dalarna all under one roof.

Project challenges and solutions with Sylva

One of the architectural challenges of this project is working in a very confined space without affecting nearby businesses and the community during the construction phase.

Specifying Sylva will alleviate much of this as the components are manufactured off-site in Stora Enso’s Gruvön Mill near Grums. This approach minimizes the need for extensive on-site work and decreases the disruption to surrounding areas or the need for on-site storage tents.

The modular nature of the kit allows for efficient just-in-time deliveries where the elements can be maneuvered from the transport vehicle and into position.

This project will also take advantage of the Sylva Protect Service which will apply an end grain sealer and breathable temporary membrane to the elements. This also reduces the need for service vehicles on-site as the elements arrive ready to install immediately.

Acoustics

Another architectural challenge for this building is acoustics. Here Sylva is a good fit as wood naturally possesses good acoustic properties, absorbing sound and reducing echo and background noise. You might have noticed already that several notable concert halls are built with Sylva, such as Satama Event Centre at Kotka Harbour, Sherborne Girls School Art Centre, and the David Brownlow Theatre. 

Would you like to know more about acoustics with mass timber? Visit our Knowledge Hub!

Construction timeline

Interior and exterior demolition work in the existing hall is ongoing, alongside preparatory groundwork for the extension. All existing furnishings and the entire entrance will be demolished to make room for the new extension.

Podcast with the architect, Falugruppen Arkitektkontor in conversation with Stora Enso: