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'Sky path' flats could transform Stockholm

The Local Sweden
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
'Sky path' flats could transform Stockholm
Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

A plan for a new residential area in the heart of Stockholm includes roof terraces, courtyards - and a public 'sky walk'.

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The planned housing zone is called 'Klarastaden' (The Clear Town) and would be located next to Stockholm's Central Station in the heart of the Swedish capital.

The Local spoke to Anders Berensson, the architect behind the designs, who says Klarastaden has the dual goal of providing a dense housing block in Europe's fastest growing city and making the area around the station "more beautiful", with leafy roof terraces and courtyards.

The apartment blocks would be connected by a 'sky walk' or floating pathway, allowing residents and the public to reach the waterfront, currently inaccessible due to the train tracks there.

"For me, the most exciting aspect of the project is being able to walk on the roofscape and have views over Stockholm city," Berensson says.

The sky walk would form one of the city's longest parks, with stunning views, helping to ensure the ground-level pedestrianized area is less crowded.

The innovative design has already captured the attention of international media. "It's always great when a project is popular," says Berensson. "Hopefully, we will inspire other cities to do similar things."


Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

Berensson explains that all Stockholmers would benefit from the new blocks - not just those wealthy enough to live inside them.

"If you build skyscapers in Stockholm, it's very expensive housing," he says. "I wanted to be able to give something back to the public too, so I came up with the idea of the roofscapes."


What the project will look like viewed from neighbouring Kungsholmen island. Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

The apartment blocks would be of varying heights, ranging from four to 30 floors.

The clever design means that each apartment would have direct sunlight - in line with Swedish housing regulations - and around 90 percent would benefit from lake views.


Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

The zone would accommodate approximately 5,800 apartments, 8,000 offices and 300 shops.


Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

Berensson hopes that the project would go some way to help solve the housing crisis in the Swedish capital, where it is notoriously difficult to find accommodation.

READ ALSO: How to steer Sweden's crazy rental market


Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

The below diagram shows how the design works by allowing sunlight to filter through to street-level.
Photo: Anders Berensson Architects


Photo: Anders Berensson Architects

 

However, Stockholmers may have a while to wait before the plans become reality.

The designs were commissioned by the Swedish Centre Party, currently in opposition, who Berensson says wanted to "build something very dense and high". In order for work to start on the project in 2018, the party will have to win more seats in Stockholm in the election scheduled for that year - or the plans will need backing from the current Social Democrat-led city council.

 

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