VÄSTRA STADEN

The municipality of Nässjö asked us to produce a strategic development plan for a centrally located area in the town slated for redevelopment. The area, directly to the west of the city center, on the other side of the railway line contains a diversity of building typologies and functions, including industrial sites related to the railway, as well as larger scale, big-box commerce and smaller scale businesses. Our response was a strategy that allows a gradual process that respects and fosters existing enterprises, while allowing for new housing and small-scale municipal and business to fill in over time. A new green structure that connects the three existing lakes and a newly excavated canal through the heart of the site allows for new recreation, park space and flows from presently separate parts of the city, thereby linking them together.

In a second phase of the assignment, we looked at the first major project that could serve as a springboard, establishing the new area. The site is strategically placed adjacent to the railway line and visible to all that pass this major route through Sweden. A new pedestrian and cycle bridge connects the new building to the existing train station. The proposed building is envisioned as a new landmark – a mid-rise tower constructed using the latest in wood technology, which is a strong building tradition in the Nässjö region. The tower contains a new hotel, and the base upon which it stands contains commercial spaces and sports facilities, together providing a new regional attraction easily accessible from surrounding area by the rail line and station connected directly to it.