The Opening of Forskaren

A New Landmark

Forskaren is Stockholm’s newest landmark. Located next to Nya Karolinska and in the emerging Hagastaden, it is Sweden’s hub for Life Science, gathering over 10 companies within the field. Here, over 1700 employees work in a creative setting designed for collaboration and innovation.

Forskaren is developed and managed by Vectura Fastigheter, and in early May 2024, it was time to officially open the doors and inaugurate the concept and building, and we were happy to take on the challenge.

From Vision to Reality

Our task was to develop a concept and experience that celebrated everything Forskaren stands for, with its focus on collaboration, new developments, and its role as an important meeting place now and in the future. We wanted to spread the word about this new Life Science hub and make the opening have an unforgettable impact.

We needed to balance our different target groups. Tenants in the building, the public, investors, politicians, and stakeholders were all equally important in the experience. Another challenge was to let the audience experience the whole building and architecture while maintaining smooth flows and logistics without disturbing the everyday operations in the building.

Two days of experiences

The opening was held over two days in May of 2024. On day one, the experience focused on highlighting the collaboration that Forskaren fosters for its tenants and the industry as a whole. This entailed a lunch catered by Urban Deli, which has two establishments at Forskaren, and the inauguration ceremony with speeches from representatives of Vectura, Patricia Industries, academia, and tenants. The collaboration was then inaugurated by representatives from all organizations that Forskaren houses.

This was followed by tours of the building and open house visits to the tenants, before ending the day with an After Work event attended by over 800 guests.

A Royal Inauguration

On day two, it was time for the official inauguration of the building. This was a special day, as both the Swedish and Danish royal couples, along with representatives from the government, attended. During the ceremony, speeches were held by Ebba Busch, Sweden’s Minister for Energy, Business, and Industry, as well as Morten Bødskov, Denmark’s Minister for Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs. A panel discussion with members from both the Danish and Swedish life science fields was held before the house was officially inaugurated by the Swedish and Danish Kings.

New Progress

During both days, the ceremonies were opened with a performance of the music piece “New Progress,” especially composed for the occasion by Arvid Svenugsson and Aron Mellergardh. Under the leadership of composer Erik Arvinder, the piece was performed by a symphony orchestra of 30 musicians, positioned above each other in the central staircase, highlighting the architecture as a clear proof of collaboration and creativity. This became the crown jewel of the experience, and was well documented by the guests attending and widely shared on social media after the event.