Located near the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, the city of Skellefteå has a long tradition of timber buildings; this is the primary inspiration for Sara Cultural Centre. Built entirely in locally sourced wood, it houses 6 theatre stages, the city library, two art galleries as well as a 200-room hotel with conference centre, restaurants and spa. Sara celebrates both sustainability and the creative process: open layouts and generous glazing reveal the timber construction as well as the ingenuity and skill involved in set-building and exhibition installation to visitors and passersby alike.