Category Urban – landscape – architectural

Location Nacka - Sweden

Population Municipality 95,000 inhab.

Strategic site 40 ha - Project site 17 ha

Site proposed by Municipality of Nacka

Owner(s) of the site Municipality of Nacka

Commision after competition Urban and landscape strategic study. Development of plan program and masterplan in collaboration with municipality and other partners.

Team representative Professional of urban design – architect – landscape architect

How can the site contribute to the adaptable city?

One of the most spectacular sites in the Stockholm region will soon be accessible and subject to planning. The project site area has been closed to the public for more than 60 years.
The main target is to transform the existing area of oil storage tanks (called Bergs) to housing, workspace, public and recreational space; in other words to transform it to a new part of Nacka with it´s own identity.
The market would obviously like to develop this area to an attractive seaside housing enclave; one of the challenges is to make Bergs accessible to a greater public and to connect it to the rest of Nacka.

City strategy

The municipality of Nacka seems for the outside visitor to be part of the City of Stockholm. It is however a smaller neighbouring municipality to Stockholm. The market pressure for housing is very high and Nacka is growing rapidly, 16 000 housing units are to be built in Nacka during the next 15 years. Approximately 150,000 sqm of housing units are to be built in the Europan-area of Bergs. A high exploitation rate is imperative while at the same time nurturing high urban quality and good integration. One of the reasons for this large scale development is the coming metro station in Nacka, planned to open to passengers 2025 and link Nacka to the metro grid. Stockholm Central will be circa 10 min.away. Bergs is therefore part of a greater municipal plan to densify within existing urban fabric and to convert industries to housing as in the project site.

Site definition

The strategic site area is characterised by a dramatic topography with the consequence that until now, the settlements are broken up into islands separated by forest covered hills. The existing housing areas are mainly suburban, areas that the politicians in general want to turn more urban and city like.
The project site is an existing area of oil storage built in the `50s and is today run by Statoil. The current site-leasehold right runs out 2019 which opens up for other uses.
The northern coast of Nacka is connected to Stockholm city centre with a ferry for commuters. The site has an outstanding location.

Future of the site in relation to the site family and Adaptability

Time – Bergs is an area that has been closed to the public for a very long time. There are no collective memories of the site from inside the area, but from the outside Bergs has been a significant landmark for more than half a century. Within a decade it will be opened up to constructions. The whole process of planning, opening up and colonising the site will be central to the task.

Space – The desired outcome of the competition is a proposal that suggests a direction when it comes to typologies, density and public spaces.

Oil storage tanks – The area is likely to be contaminated. Most of the cisterns must be de-constructed and the land be cleaned up. Some may be kept for the future if given the right reasons.

Connections – How can Bergs be connected to the rest of Nacka. How can the development of a segregated sea-front housing enclave be avoided? How can the spectacular location and qualities be harvested in the best way possible? How can Bergs offer genuine public spaces?