In October 2024, Niall O Healaithe — Architect and Certified Passive House Designer at Sunpath Design in Melbourne, Australia — travelled through the Nordic countries to explore leading-edge architecture and sustainability projects, with a focus on mass timber construction.
This low-carbon research tour was conducted entirely via rail, ferry, public transport, bicycle, and e-scooter, with carbon offsets purchased for many of the legs. The journey began in Oslo, Norway, and continued through Gothenburg, Sweden, across to Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense, and Copenhagen in Denmark, then back to Malmö and Stockholm, before travelling to Turku, Paimio, Tampere, Noormarkku, and Helsinki in Finland.
🌲 This Video: World of Volvo, Gothenburg
This video covers a visit to the World of Volvo building and exhibition in Gothenburg, Sweden — a stunning mass timber project designed by Henning Larsen Architects and opened in Spring 2024.
The building showcases world-class glue-laminated (GluLam) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction. Its form is inspired by tree trunks, with three interlocking circular floor plans made from rings of GluLam columns radiating upward like a forest canopy. A green roof, glazed facades, and public roof gardens link the building with the surrounding cityscape, reflecting Sweden’s ethos of “freedom to roam” and its deep connection to nature.
This building is a benchmark for mass timber architecture, combining organic form, natural materials, and low-carbon construction to deliver a space that is open, inviting, and deeply innovative. It’s a fitting symbol of Volvo’s design philosophy — rooted in sustainability, simplicity, and Scandinavian beauty.
🎥 Why Watch?
This video offers a short visual tour and personal reflection, intended to inspire architects, designers, and sustainability advocates — especially those interested in:
Mass timber design
Glue-laminated and cross-laminated timber
Sustainable Nordic architecture
Low-carbon construction
And those who are unable or choose not to travel.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to visit this building. I hope it inspires curiosity, creativity, and a deeper commitment to regenerative design.
👨💻 About the Architect
Niall O Healaithe – Architect & Passive House Designer
🌐 https://www.sunpath.com.au
📍 Sunpath Design, Melbourne, Australia
www.worldofvolvo.com/en/
https://henninglarsen.com/projects/world-of-volvo
https://archello.com/news/detail-henning-larsens-world-of-volvo-is-a-study-in-mass-timber-construction
www.sunpath.com.au
#MassTimber #GluLam #CrossLaminatedTimber #ScandinavianArchitecture #SustainableDesign #SunpathArchitects #HenningLarsen #NordicDesign #Prefabrication #ArchitectureTour
Niall O Healaithe, Architect 2025 Glu-Lam, Glue Laminated Timber, Cross Laminated Timber, Engineered Timber, Mass Timber Construction, Architecture, Prefabrication, Construction, Sunpath, Sunpath Design, Sunpath Architects, Sustainable Design, Swedish Architecture, Scandinavian Architecture, Scandinavian Architecture Tour, Gothenburg Architecture, Göteborg Architecture, Nordic Architecture, World of Volvo Tour, Henning Larsen Architects, Volvo