Sweden’s new digital culture centre Space has opened in Stockholm, featuring the world’s largest gaming centre with more than 400 gaming setups.

Described as: “A physical meeting place for the digital generation... that combines the most important ingredients in digital culture: gaming, music, esport and content creation for digital platforms,” the centre was inaugurated by Anna König Jerlmyr, the Mayor of Stockholm and Åsa Caap, head of Space, at the end of November.

Designed by architects DAP, the 7,500sq m centre is located over seven floors close to Stockholm’s Sergels Torg public square. It features Space Gaming, described by the operators as “the world’s largest gaming centre,” with more than 400 gaming set ups; and Space Arena – Northern Europe’s largest permanent esport arena at the base of the building, created for esports tournaments, concerts, lectures and tech conferences, hybrid events in gaming, concerts and esports.

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The centre also features restaurants, cafes and bars, co-working and conference spaces, education offers and content creation and music studios.

“Stockholm will finally have a central meeting place for gaming, esport and digital culture,” said Anna König Jerlmyr, Mayor of the City of Stockholm. “Space will attract more talent to the city and contribute to Stockholm’s continued development as a creative destination for culture, experience and tech industries."

The Avicii Experience – an immersive tribute exhibition honouring the Swedish DJ and music producer – will launch as part of Space at Stockholm in spring 2022.

“It is with great joy and anticipation that we now open Space at Sergels Torg in Stockholm,” said Caap. “We’re the world’s largest gaming centre and an open, dynamic and creative place in the middle of the city. Our goal is for visitors to be able to be inspired, deepen their digital knowledge and feel connection with the community.”

The idea for Space was initiated in 2019 by Gustav Käll, global head of esports at Universal Music Group; investor Lars Blomberg; and Per Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Group.

Space is a subsidiary of Pophouse Entertainment which was founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Conni Jonsson in 2014. In addition to Space, Pophouse Entertainment owns and operates ABBA The Museum, Cirkus, Hasselbacken, Pop House Hotel and Perfect Day Media.

The concept has been developed to be rolled out and exported internationally.