Metro stations as a work of art

Stockholm is known for its long tradition of public art, and its metro stations are no exception. Many commuters navigate daily by the artworks placed in Stockholm's underground. When the city announced an open competition to create an art installation for a new domestic train station, local artist Karin Lindh could not wait to apply.

“I travel by metro and I really like its diverse stations,” declares the artist, for whom the architectural drawings of the new city station were equivalent to majestic cathedrals.

Wavy design calls for flexibility

Keeping this in mind, Lindh sought inspiration from several cathedrals. One of them was the Santa Maria della Vittoria church in Rome, where Bernini's sculpture The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa left a strong impression on her. “Bernini was able to masterfully work with daylight, architecture, and sculptures,” says Lindh, adding: “I wanted to play with daylight in a similar way, but perhaps a little more delicately and less baroque.”

Creating a new entrance to the train station was, therefore, a challenge. Lindh's artistic vision required a structural suspension of the 200 m² mezzanine ceiling crumpled into waves. The project leader was aware of possible difficulties, which is why he proposed to construct the sculpture on site. To realize the artist's vision, the team chose the Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic system after testing various materials. “The panels are flexible, so they can be bent to create both sharp and soft folds,” says Thomas Svensen from TS Akustik.

Top-notch acoustics and fire protection

However, the expressiveness and continuous appearance of the structure were not achieved at the expense of the excellent acoustics provided by Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic. This was an important factor in the station's design, given that 125,000 passengers pass through daily.

Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic features an innovative monolithic surface and ensures top acoustic properties along with fire protection. It is an excellent solution for ceilings and wall cladding, for flat surfaces as well as vaults. It is suitable for direct mounting or on a supporting structure. It is the perfect design solution for new projects as well as renovations. Its smooth white surface ensures high reflectivity and even light diffusion, resulting in a lower need for artificial lighting. The completely seamless system allows easy integration of all installations and services, but also the possibility of surface repairs.

Location: Stockholm Station City, Centralplan 15,
111 20 Stockholm, Sweden
Product: Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic
Edges: TE