Biennale Architettura 2023
One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Trees
One Hundred Fifty Thousand Trees, a conservative figure for the amount of trees needed to construct Sara Cultural Center in Skellefteå, Sweden, asks if a balance can be found between the forest as resource and the urgent need for fragile ecologies to be preserved and regenerated. In pursuing these questions we uncover the complexities and contradictions embedded in the answers.
Originally exhibited at the 2023 Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy. Also shown in 2025 as part of the “Trees, Time, Architecture! Design in Constant Transformation” exhibition at Architektur Museum in the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, as well as part of the TUM (Technical University of Munich) Summer School Workshop Series.
Completed while at White Arkitekter together with Jake Ford. Photos: Martin Lang
Digital artist, Clara Terne, conceptualized the forest, biodiversity, factory and the building.
A forest economist, Sami activist, academic within environmental politics and nature conservationist were interviewed, all contributing to the discourse on forestry practices.
We traveled to Skellefteå to film the forest plantations, the timber factory and the building (Sara Cultural Center).
Films: Forest Factory Building, shortened version. Best viewed full screen, sound on. All filmed by Martin Lang, animations Clara Terne
Film: Interviews and animations, shortened version. Best viewed full screen, sound on.
Film: Interviews and animations, shortened version. Best viewed full screen, sound on.