Following up on our
recent article announcing the finalists of the Slussen urban redesign competition, and news that
Lord Norman Foster was awarded Prince of Asturias award, today it was announced that
Foster + Partners have been selected. Images and text have been provided by the architects…
Foster + Partners and Berg Arkitektkontor, part of C.F. MøllerArchitects, have been appointed to design a masterplan for the heart ofStockholm, transforming the waterfront area of Slussen from an urbanaberration to a popular destination. The proposal will bring new lifeto the area, linking the islands of Södermalm and Gamla Stan andstripping away the layers of history to reclaim a valuable city quarter.
For so long separated by a maze of roads and acres of concrete, the twowaterfronts will be linked by a new footbridge and the historic lockwill be revealed once more to provide a symbol for the area’sregeneration. The masterplan re-establishes the waterfront to giveSödermalm a new face. While contemporary in concept, the buildings thatform the new city blocks continue the grain and scale of the adjacenturban quarter, retaining the long street views to the water anddefining new public squares and extensive waterfront promenades. Theirflexible nature allows for a rich mixture of uses, from culture andentertainment to shops and hotels, while the uninterrupted pedestrianquayside incorporates terraces, and promenades served directly by newcafés and restaurants.
At the heart of the new Slussen is an elegant footbridge, which fusesstraight and S-shaped decks to complete the missing link in thenorth-south pedestrian route across central Stockholm. The historicKatarinahissen will also be renovated and extended to serve thequayside level, with a new observation deck built at its top to offerspectacular views over the city’s archipelago.
Reversing the dominance of the car, the scheme gives priority topedestrians and cyclists. A new transport interchange is incorporatedthat allows easy pedestrian circulation between an upgraded metrostation, bus station and the port quayside. A new lightweight,transparent structure with kiosks, a café and bicycle parking will alsobe created in front of the City Museum to provide street-level entranceto the naturally lit pedestrian mall and transport hub below.
Spencer de Grey, Head of Design at Foster + Partners, said:
“I’m delighted that we have been appointed to design the masterplan forSlussen to revitalise this most important area for future generationsto enjoy. This is a wonderful opportunity to reinforce the linksbetween Stockholm’s central islands of Södermalm and Gamla Stan, torepair the fabric of the city and to create a lively new destinationthat can be enjoyed at all times of the day and night.”
from bustler
