UK architects Foster + Partners have been appointed to masterplan the Slussen waterfront in central Stockholm, Sweden.

Working with Swedish architects Berg Arkitektkontor, Foster + Partners will remove many of the roads that cut through the waterfront and instead increase pedestrian links.

the project will create two pedestrian bridges between the islands of Södermalm and Gamla Stan.

Further details from Foster + Partners follows:

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22/05/2009

Foster + Partners appointed to design Slussen masterplan in central Stockholm

Foster + Partners and Berg Arkitektkontor, part of C.F. Møller Architects, have been appointed to design a masterplan for the heart of Stockholm, transforming the waterfront area of Slussen from an urban aberration to a popular destination. The proposal will bring new life to the area, linking the islands of Södermalm and Gamla Stan and stripping 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 two waterfronts will be linked by a new footbridge and the historic lock will be revealed once more to provide a symbol for the area’s regeneration. The masterplan re-establishes the waterfront to give Södermalm a new face. While contemporary in concept, the buildings that form the new city blocks continue the grain and scale of the adjacent urban quarter, retaining the long street views to the water and defining new public squares and extensive waterfront promenades. Their flexible nature allows for a rich mixture of uses, from culture and entertainment to shops and hotels, while the uninterrupted pedestrian quayside incorporates terraces, and promenades served directly by new cafés and restaurants.

At the heart of the new Slussen is an elegant footbridge, which fuses straight and S-shaped decks to complete the missing link in the north-south pedestrian route across central Stockholm. The historic Katarinahissen will also be renovated and extended to serve the quayside level, with a new observation deck built at its top to offer spectacular views over the city’s archipelago.

Reversing the dominance of the car, the scheme gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists. A new transport interchange is incorporated that allows easy pedestrian circulation between an upgraded metro station, bus station and the port quayside. A new lightweight, transparent structure with kiosks, a café and bicycle parking will also be created in front of the City Museum to provide street-level entrance to 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 for Slussen to revitalise this most important area for future generations to enjoy. This is a wonderful opportunity to reinforce the links between Stockholm’s central islands of Södermalm and Gamla Stan, to repair the fabric of the city and to create a lively new destination that can be enjoyed at all times of the day and night.”