Swedish architects Anders Berensson has been commissioned to create a new city block in downtown Stockholm that will feature a unique network of elevated walkways.
To accommodate the capital city’s growing population, the firm was enlisted by Stockholm Centre Party to produce a dense and green cityscape on top of the train track area next to Stockholm Central Station.
The Klarastaden mixed use development will house appriximately 5,800 apartments catering for 12,000 residents, 270 retail units and around 140,000m2 of office space with around 8,000 workplaces. The innovative design includes a series of ‘floating’ walkways with courtyards and roof terraces crossed by public paths.
According to Anders Berensson, the proposed city blocks will consist of thin towers which can be varied in height to accommodate more people but also adapt to light conditions and views. He commented: “The proposal is apartment buildings scaled down to its smallest component, one stairwell surrounded by apartments to get the smallest footprint possible. With these smaller volumes, the design can be more flexible and adapt to parameters such as views, sight lines and light conditions and still get more living space. The new city structure adjusts in highs towards the surrounding city. It is highest towards the city center where there are mostly office buildings and gets lower towards residential areas further away from the city center.
“One other important design aspect for this project was to give back as much as possible to Stockholm since it is so central. By just decking over the train tracks Stockholm get about 2,000m of shore line facing south which is an enormous gift to the city. The sky walk on the roof terraces will be one of the longest parks in Stockholm with the best view in town. To control views and light conditions for the new houses zoning regulations for building heights is a major part of the proposal. Every other row of houses is low, max four floors with a courtyard and every other row of houses is high with seven to 30 floors. About 90% of all apartments will receive a lake view and the sun will shine through the lower parts of the blocks to reach down to street level during the afternoon.”
