Urban Design Spårvägen, Norra Sorgenfri, Malmo, Sweden
An environmentally led urban design plan and volumetric study is proposed for the 5 ha Spårvägen area.
The City of Malmo currently attracts appr 8 000 new inhabitants every year, which results in a need for new housing. Norra Sorgenfri, a former inner city industrial area is part of the City's strateg to densify Malmö, and will be transformed in to a lively, mixed use urban neighbourhood. A large number of the built [industrial] heritage will be kept. Unlike other blocks in Norra Sorgenfri, Spårvägen [the former bus depot] is offering other opportunities as there are hardly any buildings to be kept.
The design was arrived at in stages. The first phase was a three day design workshop organized by the city of Malmo with various participants from the Lund and Malmo University, Malmo City council and R_E_D, documented by team51.5° architects.
Secondly, over a period of a couple of months, the first idea for an urban design and spatial configuration of the area was tested in ENVI-met, a software which calculates windspeed and temperature at different times of the day and year. Alterations in street layout, building heights, planting and ground material were made until the area performed well in terms of future microclimate; the outdoor season in this area was extended by up to two months a year!
Finally the project, its research and results were presented at the Talk Climate! exhibition at Form/Design Center in Malmö, in 2010.
TEAM
- Gunilla Kronval - Sandellsandberg Architects, R_E_D
- Swen Geiss - Alanus University, R_E_D
- Erik Johannsson - Lund University
- Gärda Sjöholm, architect
