Converting an old Swedish mine into an eco-friendly neighborhood by Snøhetta and White Arkitekter
Converting an old Swedish mine into an eco-friendly neighborhood by Snøhetta and White Arkitekter,
Construction has begun on the residential project that will transform an old mine outside Gothenburg into an environmentally friendly and socially sustainable neighbourhood.
The residential project has been called Wendelstrand, and will be developed by Next Step Group,
designed by Snøhetta and White Arkitekter, along with Tham & Videgård, Andreas Martin-Löf Architects and Liljewall.
The project will feature 1,000 homes of various types and a range of amenities,
and the first phase of the development has begun with Snøhetta designed Lakehouse,
a communal building that blends in with the landscape.
The Wendelstrand development also aims to reshape the area torn apart by quarries and proposes the interaction between new buildings and existing nature.
The housing styles vary from terraced homes to villas and apartments,
accompanied by a variety of public facilities.
Tham & Videgård’s contribution is a wooden version of the vertical village scheme,
while White Arkitekter is responsible for the design of the apartment buildings.
When we talk about sustainable architecture often, we add sustainability at a late stage,
but in this case, with Wendelstrand, we start talking about sustainability and what sustainability criteria we can use.
Converting an old Swedish mine into an eco-friendly neighborhood by Snøhetta and White Arkitekter
In this way, it is fully integrated from day one,
and the Lakehouse designed by Snøhetta will provide a backdrop to the community life of the new neighbourhood.
It will include a restaurant, café, shops, event spaces, offices and a gym.
The design follows the topography of the site, rising from north to south,
and the garden continues through its surface.
The project also prioritizes local materials with high energy and low carbon emissions,
resulting in wood and stone being considered as the dominant materials in the composition.
The Lakehouse is due for completion in 2024, with five homes, and plans are underway to include a kindergarten and school within the Wendelstrand development.
Wendelstrand’s dream
Wendelstrand is a new residential area created by Landvettersjön in Mölnlycke.
It is a sustainable area for those who want to live in the present without leaving nature,
where the abandoned quarry will be converted into 1,000 homes,
as well as the common landmark Lake House with a restaurant, co-working office and gym.
A district school is now being planned next to the adjacent nature reserve,
as well as a pre-school and mobility building with charging stations and smart services.
Thanks to connected public transport, Gothenburg is only 15 minutes away.
Snøhetta and developer Next Step have envisioned an ambitious masterplan for a pedestrian and green neighborhood near the idyllic Lake Landvettersjøen.
By converting an existing quarry into a scenic residential area,
this new, sustainable neighborhood with log dwellings allows slow living just 15 minutes’ drive from Gothenburg,
Sweden’s second largest city.
Once the quarry is stopped, the sloping south-facing landscape will be converted to fit the 70,000 square meter log residences.
Including 10,000 square meters of pre-school and seniors residences,
the pedestrian area will also provide a variety of play and recreation spaces,
ideal for families with young children.
Wendelstrand also has the potential to become a pilot project for testing our innovative and sustainable transportation solutions.
The area is also ideal for bicycles and pedestrians, and projects for car-sharing, electric cars,
bicycles and autonomous buses are envisaged.
