Danish studio Henning Larsen has won the competition to develop a 15.5-hectare urban masterplan south of Gothenburg, Sweden. Designed for 3000 residents, the project represents a community model that was made to refocuse urban energy around green foundations. Named Humlestaden, the masterplan encompasses Gothenburg’s Västra Frö-lunda district, former home of the Pripps brewery. The project is made to reimagine the historic Garden City model and reframe city life through a green lens.
The new Humlestaden community will be defined by residences, multi-use commercial spaces and a central public garden. The masterplan focuses on re-establishing outdoor green space as the primary setting of public life. As the team said, Humlestaden, which translates to “hops city,” references the local history as the site of one of Sweden’s largest breweries. Prior to the brewery, the area was dedicated to local agriculture, home to commercial gardens and fruit orchards. While planting the seed for urban growth, the Humlestaden masterplan seeks to preserve the role of nature in urban life. Grounded in the green central commons and in close proximity to the Sandås forest and Änggårdsbergen nature reserve, Humlestaden emphasizes and activates natural space among commercial and industrial surroundings.
Developed in coordination with Stena Fastigheter and Ikano Bostad, Humlestaden presents an urban framework for sustainable future development in the region. Partner and Design Director Søren Ølgaard said that Humlestaden fuses familiar urban attitudes with a green-focused foundation. “We drew inspiration from the thriving street life of Gothenburg’s Haga district, and reframed that energy in a green context,” Søren Øllgaard said. “Planted gardens can be just as strong a gathering point as a town square or shopping mall – at Humlestaden, we’re using nature as the driver for community.”
Humlestaden reimagines the Garden City model, laying the groundwork for an active urban community based primarily in public green spaces. With modern insights on sustainability and urban planning, the garden city scheme aims to active public life and reclaiming natural space as the basis for urban wellness.
Construction on Humlestaden will begin in 2022, and completion is scheduled for 2024.
