As a city whose rapidly growing population numbers do not appear to be leveling off any time soon, Stockholm needs to find a way to accommodate legions of new residents without succumbing to uncontrollable sprawl. A plan commissioned by Sweden’s opposition Center Party and put together by the firm Anders Berensson Architectsenvisions a way to ensure the nation’s capital city retains its essence while also accommodating newcomers.
The plan, dubbed “Klarastaden,” meaning “clear city,” points to a series of thin towers connected by skywalks as a solution to the lack of space in the city’s center. The towers would create a new type of “dense and green city” near Stockholm Central Station, according to the firm, and would effectively make the area much more dense—thus accommodating a greater population—while largely making use of preexisting infrastructure.
The proposal suggests that adjacent towers be constructed at different heights and of different widths so as to prevent a feeling of claustrophobia and give the area greater visual appeal. Built along the waterfront, the proposed arrangement would lend about 90 percent of the 5,800 apartments a lake view. The skywalks that connect each building’s courtyard roof would also be lined with trees, providing a taste of nature to those living far from the ground.
The firm also took into account the impact the proposal could have on residents and businesses who neighbor the area that would be impacted by the design. There are not many apartments next to that area already, according to the firm, so few would be affected by blocked views. And where the proposed design meets an already existing residential district, the new building heights would be lower to better blend with their surroundings.
Although the project will likely not come to fruition soon — particularly since its commissioners are not in power in Sweden at the moment, but also due to its being perhaps a tad too imaginative — but it could spur additional innovation geared toward solutions for overpopulation, a problem that plagues many other cities, as well.
Source: psfk.com
