White Arkitekter restores Gothenburg's fish church
Swedish studio White Arkitekter has completed the renovation of Feskekôrka, a historic seafood market in Gothenburg, celebrating the timber-framed structure of its church-like hall.
Named Feskekörka, which translates as fish church as a reference to its grand neo-Gothic style, the 1,120-square-metre market hall required updating after adaptations throughout its 150-year history had obscured many of its heritage features.
Working in collaboration with the owner and contractor Skeppsviken, White Arkitekter repaired and upgraded the building creating three restaurants, bar, oyster bar and a fish counter.
The renovation of the hall, originally designed by Victor von Gegerfelt in 1874, has been shortlisted in the heritage project category of the Dezeen Awards 2025.
"Although preservation aspects have been central, the project's intention has not been to fully restore the building to its original appearance," explained White Arkitekter.
"Instead, the goal has been to create a cohesive character that captures the building's unique atmosphere – embodying both robustness and complexity, a refined simplicity."
A key aim of the project was the reinstatement of Feskekôrka's original timber frame, which, along with areas of brick and granite buttresses and foundations, was replaced or encased with concrete in the 1960s.
Stripping back these alterations, White Arkitekter worked with carpenters to replace worn sections of wood, creating wooden peg and cast-iron bolt fixings that reference the original construction methods.
"Feskekôrka proved to be a building brimming with secrets," said the studio. "Beneath its 1960s concrete layers lay a remarkably intricate structure, hidden from view for decades."
"Removing this concrete became essential to reveal the lower structure's original form," White Arkitekter continued.
"Detailed inspections uncovered that the roof beams had initially rested on granite plinths. Through careful study, the intricate system of buttresses and timber framing could be faithfully and safely restored."
The excavation of a new basement level enabled the introduction of a heat pump system and the relocation of technical equipment, which had previously contributed to the main hall becoming dark and cramped.
In place of the technical equipment is a series of curved kitchen stations clad in glossy beige tiles, designed as a homage to the tiled stalls once used by market sellers. They house equipment for the restaurants, cold storage and ventilation systems.
The kitchen stations and customer seating were pulled in from the building's perimeter and organised in quadrants, creating a cross-shaped central axis. This maximises the amount of natural light entering through the hall's distinctive pointed-arch windows.
Inside, a palette of timber, stainless steel and tilework has been combined with reclaimed materials, salvaged during the restoration works. This includes old parts of the wooden frame, which have been transformed into end-grain flooring.
Outside, Feskekôrka's connection to the canal – once used for unloading fresh fish – has been reintroduced through the creation of a wooden dining terrace that mimics the shape of a barge.
White Arkitekter was founded in 1951 in Gothenburg by Sidney White and is today led by Alexandra Hagen.
Previous projects by the studio include a sculptural concrete water tower in Våga and a series of apartment buildings in east London that draw on "Scandinavian design principles".
The photography is by Kalle Sanner.
The post White Arkitekter restores Gothenburg's fish church appeared first on Dezeen.
