Malmö gets a new city center

Lush residential blocks as an outpost against the fields. A park with great natural values. And a new center for the entire Malmö district of Bunkeflostrand. The detailed plan has now been adopted for Gottorp, the last link in a path that connects the city through both buildings and nature.

FOJAB has been involved from the beginning, from early workshops with the City of Malmö and Skanska, where the goals were set for the development and design of the area, through the planning program to the final detailed plan.

Variation and contrasts
The Gottorp Farm area is located in Bunkeflostrand in southern Malmö, on the border between urban and rural areas, and the plan includes around 550 homes.

- Our idea for urban development in the area is that it should be safe and comfortable with proximity to both everyday services and recreation. The buildings should be mixed, with both apartment buildings and single-family houses, and appeal to a broad group of people with different needs and conditions. The area will be rich in variety and contrasts with places that encourage play and movement. The fine location next to Ekostråket is utilized and the entire Gottorp area is characterized by a sustainability approach, says Magdalena Hedman, responsible architect at FOJAB.

Long-awaited center
A new center will be built in blocks around a district square, which will be a natural meeting place not only for the residents of the area but for the whole of Bunkeflostrand. There is room for both play and outdoor seating. The plan enables, for example, a grocery store, library, medical center, pharmacy, gym and café.

- Today, many people drive to nearby Hyllie to run their errands. Now the 10 000 residents of Bunkeflostrand will have services and meeting places within walking or cycling distance. "It will be easier to live sustainably in this part of Malmö too," says Magdalena Hedman.

A work of art that encourages play and interaction is proposed for the square, preferably with water in some form. Many of the ideas for the site's content and design come from a dialog with residents in Bunkeflostrand.

Small town character
The blocks around the center are built in brick and with gable roofs and have a clear small town character. In turn, the blocks further out from the center draw inspiration from the garden city with clear entrances and greenery, preferably with hedges on the plot boundaries for a leafy impression.

A fine-meshed street network with good connections to the greenery in and around the area holds the buildings together and connects them to their surroundings. The streets help to populate and activate the area.

Part of the Eko Strait
To the south of the residential quarters, a park will be built adjacent to Ekostråket, the green area that extends from Pildammsparken in the center to Bunkeflo beach meadows at Öresund. In Gottorp, Ekostråket itself forms an approximately 14 hectare nature and recreation area, where open grasslands alternate with wooded forest environments.