2015 - Livet På Bergs

Stockholm is growing, with Nacka Kommun leading the way with ambitious and well established projects with the final aim of creating, Nacka Stad. An integrated yet unique part of Stockholm. The new development at Berg’s is not the largest area for development in Nacka, but perhaps one of the most important. Inaccessible from land for decades but visually perhaps even more prominent than Nacka Strand as Berg's can be seen from both Djurgården, Lidingö and indeed from all travelers arriving to Stockholm on water. Berg's and Nacka Stad does not need a landmark at the site of the oil silos, it will however require an architectural gesture strong enough to create a balance with the brave structures of Finnboda, Kvarnholmen and Nacka Strand, represent Nacka Stad as a whole on its northern and most visible tip, and finally fill the shoes of the impressive white silos which has been dominating the mountain as far as anyone can remember. 

"Livet på Bergs" with its slender yet dominant access spines, it's visually stimulating and diverse housing as well as its color gradients will fulfil these delicate needs for a structure on Berg’s to both blend in, and stand out at the same time. 

The northern coastline of Nacka has through the centuries been dominated by industrial architecture, either in the form of factories, warehouses or silos. These structures, once purely utilitarian today celebrated as landmarks of Stockholm, a city with a rich history and brave majestic architecture. Berg’s will be the most significant change to this coastline in decades as most other industrial buildings remain after internal renovation.    

Access

The most significant challenge in creating a stimulating neighborhood at Bergs is access. In the future Bergs will complete the seafront promenade project on Nacka’s northern coast towards Lilla Värtan spanning kilometers and making Berg’s the obvious point of access. With a near vertical drop of up to 20 meters the cliff face and water edge seems impossible to both inhabit and to access. 

The existing road avoids the drop by curving around the cliff and going through a man made gorge. This access is not suitable for pedestrians or cyclists as it climbs 60 meters at a distance of approximately 750 meters. This access will be highly unattractive to anyone who does not have specific reasons to visit Berg’s. Our proposal suggests that Berg’s becomes a natural point of access not only to the seafront promenade but also to a marina, canoe club, ferries to the archipelago, restaurants, bathhouse, sports facilities and other community activities. 

Access Through the spines. diagram describing access routes for both residents and the public through the spines

The issue of access is solved with a simple gesture. Stockholm  with its tall "kobbar" and "holmar" has faced this problem before and our proposal deploys a similar solution put in place at Slussen over a hundred and twenty years ago, the "Katarina Hissen". To graciously walk straight with an increasing stunning view and then descend quickly and effortlessly has been enjoyed by millions at Slussen over the last century.  The four access spines proposed for Berg’s combines the logic of the Katarina Hissen and the cable cars of Rio's favelas connecting Nacka Stad with its new waters edge paradise and stockholm with its latests residential areas. The access spines not only makes it possible for visitors to access the seafront in a stimulating and effective way, it also makes it possible to build diverse and dense housing without the need of covering the ground with roads as all access to apartments, either from public transport or from the hidden parking structures is done through the spines. 

The View from Jarlaberg

The dominance of the Oil Storage Tanks has for decades served as an unplanned and undesired landmark for Nacka. Towering high above even the highest point of Berg’s it not only attracts visual attention, it also blocks most of the view from the residential areas of Jarlaberg. We propose that all tanks be removed in favor of a new more subtle landmark and most of all, in order to give Jarlaberg the view they never had. By removing the tanks we lower the highest point of Bergs from almost 80 meters above sea level to 60 meters.   

No Dead Ends

Since the access spines are publically accessible Bergs will offer four possible access points to the seafront and beyond creating a dynamic and lively neighborhood with people not only aiming for home but to a multitude of other destinations, some even beyond Bergs. A successful area dominated by private residences must also serve as circulation space for visitors from other areas. The access spines insure not only this circulation as people will be moving through the spines onto either seafront walks or onto boating excursions in the archipelago or even to commute to central Stockholm, but also be a destination in its own right as the new Berg’s will offer high quality public spaces, markets, restaurants and much more, now easily accessible by water and land through the access spines.  

Height analysis

Integration

Jarlaberg and Nacka Strand, Bergs closest neighboring areas have for decades been the frontier of Nacka towards the water facing Djurården and Lidingö as Berg’s has been strictly closed off to the public for decades. Bergs will now become an integrated part of Nacka Stad full of life and activity. It is therefore important that these three areas are integrated as seamlessly as possible despite the topographical challenges that separates them. We propose to connect Nacka Strand and Bergs with a widened Augustendalsvägen and a seafront boardwalk and to connect Jarlaberg and Berg with a new covered public transport hub from Landåvägen over Sköneviksvägen and seamlessly onto the now open hills of Bergs. This way residents of Jarlaberg and Nacka and indeed all of Stockholm have a natural way of accessing Berg’s with its seafront activities, public spaces and onwards to the archipelago and beyond

Bergs as it is today with its cluster of silos. 

Phase 1. Two access spines are constructed as well as the village with its market, sports facilities and restaurants. The public transport hub with its covering connecting Jarlaberg and Bergs is also constructed

Phase 2. The remaining two spines and their approximately 40.000m2 of housing is constructed.

Phase 3. The hill could in the future be the site for additional housing up to 50.000 m2

Strategic site. scale 1:5000