About UKK
Uppsala Concert & Congress is an architectural landmark and has welcomed over five million visitors since its inauguration in 2007.
Architecture
With its eight floors of mirrored metal panels, Uppsala Concert & Congress is a building that stands out. The bright vertical foyer runs through the entire building and connects old and new Uppsala – from the Cathedral and University Library to the open Vaksala Square. From the Grand Hall foyer, visitors are offered views over the city’s rooftops and a new perspective on Uppsala.
Award-winning Design
In connection with the inauguration in 2007, the building was acclaimed both nationally and internationally. Among the awards are the
Art in the Building
UKK is as much an art experience as it is a meeting place, and both inside and outside the building there are several permanent art installations:
Street Musicians by Natasha Dahnberg – a large-scale cobblestone installation on the square outside the building, donated by Friends of the Music House.
Coloratura by Katarina Löfström – an interactive light work that transforms sound into an aurora-like glow visible through the facade.
Moving photographs and bronze sculptures by Fredrik Wretman – poetic works that create dialogue between space and viewer.
UKK’s History
En vision växer fram
As early as the 1910s, the first thoughts about a concert hall in Uppsala were raised. In 1960, Leif Carlsson submitted a motion to the city council, and a few years later, in 1965, an investigation was appointed. It proposed a “Music House” at Vaksala Square in 1973, but the plans never became reality.
Nya initiativ
In 1988, the association Friends of the House of Music was formed. Two years later, the House of Music in Uppsala AB was founded, which organized an architectural competition for a building in the Gerd quarter. The proposal was appreciated but voted down by the city council in 1993.
Vägen mot beslut
In 1998, the question was raised again, this time about converting Nanna School into a concert and congress hall. When no bids met the municipality’s requirements, the project was halted.
In 2002, the process gained new momentum. An international architectural competition was announced for a new concert and congress center at Vaksala Square. Out of 134 entries, the proposal from Henning Larsen Tegnestue in Copenhagen won.
Från beslut till byggstart
On April 14, 2004, the municipal council decided to build the building with 49 votes against 32. One year later, on April 5, 2005, the first groundbreaking took place at the site where the building would rise.
Ett nytt namn, ett nytt kapitel
In 2006, the company received its current name: Uppsala Concert & Congress AB, a symbol for the two operational areas, concert and congress.
Invigning och framtid
On September 1, 2007, Uppsala Concert & Congress was inaugurated. The festivities lasted for three days, a solemn conclusion to a long journey and the beginning of a new era in Uppsala’s cultural life.
Ett hus för musik, möten och människor
Since its inauguration, UKK has developed into an obvious meeting place in the city for concerts, conferences, and events of all forms. A house for Uppsala’s people, ideas, and experiences.