Infrastructure or a design statement? The Våga Water Tower

On Sweden’s west coast, infrastructure suddenly becomes poetic: with the VÅGA water tower, White Arkitekter have transformed a functional storage facility into a brutalist yet sensual landmark set between sea, wind and horizon.

Like an oversized line drawn across the horizon, VÅGA stretches across the landscape of Halland. Instead of a compact concrete tower rising into the sky, as would be expected elsewhere, a 187-metre-long undulating structure cuts through the open coastal scenery of Varberg – raw, understated and at the same time remarkably elegant. The new water tower, designed by the Swedish firm White Arkitekter, has little in common with the traditional typology of these usually functional infrastructure buildings. For decades, such structures were viewed primarily as technical necessities. VÅGA, by contrast, is meant to be seen. Not as a spectacle, but as a deliberately placed focal point within the landscape.

This begins with its form. Rather than creating a vertical landmark, the architects developed a horizontal concrete beam supported by nine slender columns. Its elongated silhouette references the geography of Halland: the lines of the E6 coastal highway, rows of wind turbines, expansive agricultural fields and the sweeping antenna arrays of the UNESCO-listed Grimeton Radio Station. At the same time, its concave geometry alludes to the sea. It is no coincidence that the project is called VÅGA, a Swedish word that means both ​“wave” and ​“to dare”. Both meanings describe the structure surprisingly well – formally as well as conceptually.

The tower also represents a cultural shift in perspective. Varberg has experienced significant growth in recent years, and the existing infrastructure could no longer meet demand. Rather than hiding the new water reservoir from view, however, the municipality and water utility deliberately chose to create a structure with a strong public presence. A technical facility was intended to become a new landmark – a symbol of water, landscape and the future all at once.

It is precisely this approach that makes VÅGA so compelling. The tower does not rely on expressive gestures or spectacular material contrasts, but on consistency. Exposed concrete remains exposed concrete. Weight remains weight. Yet the structure feels surprisingly soft. This effect results from an extraordinary level of detailing: concave edges instead of conventional sharp terminations, precisely positioned formwork joints, carefully sealed anchor points and a surface that seems to absorb the changing light. Depending on the time of day, the perception of the building changes completely. In the morning, the tower appears almost graphically flat, while in the evening the concave elements cast deep shadow lines across the entire length of the reservoir. The concrete seems to oscillate – between mass and movement.

Despite its monumental dimensions, VÅGA remains remarkably approachable. Beneath the elevated structure, walking paths wind through meadows of wildflowers, while a viewing platform on the western side offers vistas towards the sea. Here, infrastructure is not hidden away but integrated into a public landscape.

These are the qualities that define the project: VÅGA is not merely a story about water supply or engineering. The tower demonstrates how naturally infrastructure can create identity – quietly, sensitively and without any iconic exaggeration. Put differently, VÅGA is a concrete structure that feels less like a machine and more like a newly drawn horizon.

Don’t miss a thing — we’ll keep you up to date!

Sign up for our newsletter.