Green vision for Gothenburg

Kjellgren Kaminsky, an architecture firm based in Gothenburg, has published a fascinating mixed-use proposal for Heden, a greenfield site in the Swedish city. The development would feature parks, apartments, offices and sports facilities.

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Housing would be built as sliced hills with walkable grass roofs. The buildings would grow higher towards the middle of the development, with the roofs hosting allotments and small parks. Kjellgren Kaminsky envisages the site hosting 5,000 apartments and becoming a 'green lung' for the city. All vehicles would be kept outside the area, and in an underground car park.

The firm says that demand for housing in Gothenburg is high, and that Heden is being increasingly seen as a potential site for the development. The company's proposal would satisfy the demand for new housing while keeping the site, which is currently home to sports facilities, 'green'. The company proposes the sports facilities be moved outside the city, and says the development would leave Heden with more biomass than now. The firms says: 

Grass roofs and parks enrich the animal life and plant life and let nature become an integrated part of the city centre. They also absorb rain water that can be purified and reused as household water. The buildings are well insulated with low energy consumption. Since situated closely to existing public transportation the residents are not depending on cars in their daily life

The proposal was the work of Daniel Anderrson, a student at Jönköping University, and was supervised by Fredrik Kjellgren and Joakim Kaminsky.

Construct Ireland published an in-depth look at 'living' buildings last year.