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Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center
in America Located on Park Avenue, Scandinavia House contains the administrative, educational and cultural activities of the American Scandinavian Foundation, an organization that promotes cultural exchange between America and the five Scandinavian nations. The formal abstraction of the design, which draws upon both the Foundation's mission and the strong history of unapologetic modernism that characterizes Nordic design, is mitigated by the building's materiality. Zinc panels on the façade appear to float before a field of glass. A narrow spruce panel, adjacent to the entrance and rising nearly halfway up the second floor, appears as an open screen while horizontal lengths of milled spruce run across the façade, providing a degree of sun control and increasing the density of the composition. The program includes the 168-seat Victor Borge auditorium on the lower level; a mixed-use reception and gathering space on the first and second floors; exhibition galleries on the third floor; a gallery, library and children's learning center on the fourth floor; and conference and seminar rooms and offices on the fifth and sixth floors. The stair and elevator core unifies the spaces in section and orients the visitor. Awards | Publications |
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