Emporia Shopping

Sculpture walk

Glass is used to interpret the sun and the sea at Emporia shopping complex.

Emporia shopping complex, situated in Hyllie on the south side of Malmö, Sweden, is one of the largest and most sculpturally beautiful shopping malls in Scandinavia. Designed by Gert Wingårdh of Wingårdh arkitektkontor as part of a massive urban planning project of retail, office, and residential spaces, the façade
of Emporia is a flat glass surface with a large section pulled inward and upward to create a magnificent curving entrance. The amber glass entrance at Hyllie Station Square draws shoppers in with its diagonal chasm cut deep into a block of gold.

From the opposing side of this complex, a similar collapsed glass entrance of sea blue pulls people in like the tide. Together, these openings are like the sun and the sea, and in between, Emporia offers three stories of rainbow-hued architecture arranged in a figure eight. To build both of these curvaceous glass entrances, glass manufacturer CRICURSA created 567 molds to slump 815 curved glass panels. Free-form geometry allowed the glass to be bent using annealing techniques, obtaining high optical quality, reduced mold marks, and a very low controlled residual stress. A key point in achieving the architect’s concept was the selection of the right product to convey color to the glass while maintaining high transparency and low hazing. Vanceva color interlayers were used to achieve the ideal color.

For this project, CRICURSA implemented a new way to control curved glass tolerances in 3D geometries. The system was perfectly coordinated with the façade contractor, which used it to check the framing and create a perfect match. The level of confidence in the system used allowed CRICURSA to complete the whole fabrication before the first panel had been installed. The largest panel in the project measured 3,571 x 2,718 mm.

Emporia shopping complex is a marvel to see, and its stunning exterior only hints at the beauty that lies inside.