Immanuelskyrkan Youth Club
SwedenFrom drained pool to vibrant youth hub
Deep beneath the streets of Stockholm, under the historic Probitas property and Immanuelskyrkan church, lay a forgotten space. For years, an old swimming pool sat drained, damp, and hidden three floors below ground. Today, thanks to visionary interior design and intelligent lighting control, that dark basement has been reborn as an energy-efficient, sustainable and people-centric hub for the city’s youth.
The challenge: lighting the way underground
The starting point for this project was far from a blank canvas. The space was a retired facility plagued by groundwater intrusion and low ceilings, completely devoid of natural daylight. The task was to convert this “rough and messy” environment into a welcoming recreational center featuring a music studio, creative workshop, kitchen, lounge, and a unique multi-room located inside the old pool basin itself.
“When we arrived, it was actually quite messy and rough,” recalls Lasse Dahlborg, Lead Lighting Designer at Sweco. “But as soon as we stepped into the old, abandoned pool, which they were planning to fill in, we immediately thought: we can do something really cool here.”
The primary challenge was clear: How do you create a healthy, stimulating environment for young people in a windowless bunker?
The solution: Human centric lighting & flexibility
To compensate for the lack of windows, the team turned to Human Centric Lighting (HCL). Using Tunable White technology, the lighting can mimic the natural rhythm of daylight, providing cool, energising light for homework or focused activities, and warmer, cozy tones for evening relaxation.
“We have no natural light, so we worked extensively with Tunable White,” explains Dahlborg. “On selected spots, we’ve set it up so you can get a little energy boost if you’ve been sitting for too long. It should be possible to read, to cozy up, and to get some energy. That is the basic concept.”
Versatility was key. The space needs to transition seamlessly from a study hall to a gaming lounge or a movie theater. In the old pool basin (now a multi-room), the team installed RGBW lighting integrated into the structure, controlled via a DMX gateway linked to the Helvar system. This allows the room to change color and character instantly, from a calm blue to an energetic red, depending on the activity.
The technology: control at the core
The centre of this flexible system is the Helvar Imagine Application Controller (950). This DALI-2 solution manages the complex mix of Tunable White fixtures, standard lighting, and DMX-controlled RGB elements, ensuring everything works in harmony.
For Lasse Dahlborg, the choice of Helvar was driven by the need for advanced capability combined with installation simplicity. “It’s about being able to create fairly advanced controls that are still very simple for the user to handle,” he says. “I also appreciate that we have all components and luminaires on the same loop. I don’t need a lot of extra loops for controls and components. That is a big plus for me.”
User-friendly panels (135W) were installed to give staff easy access to preset scenes. A “master button” was also programmed to handle closing time, initiating a 5-minute delay before shutting down all electrical appliances and lights, ensuring a safe and energy-efficient exit.
The outcome: a sustainable space to “just be”
Sustainability was a guiding principle throughout the renovation. The team worked to preserve the room’s character by refurbishing the original pool tiles and reusing steel structures, blending the building’s history with modern functionality.
The result is a transformation that speaks for itself. What was once a dark, damp basement is now a warm, inviting hub where lighting plays a central role in the atmosphere.
“I think the light contributes incredibly to the atmosphere, the feeling, and the mood… the fact that you can adapt it to what you are doing,” concludes Dahlborg. “There is a huge difference compared to when we started. We have worked together on furnishing, lighting, and colors, and I am very satisfied with the result.”
Key facts
Project: Immanuelskyrkan youth club
Project location: Stockholm, Sweden
Lighting Design: Sweco
Sweden
