Jönköping Masterplan

Jönköping, Sweden

Project details
Client

Jönköping Municipality

Architect

Wingårdhs, Gothenburg, Sweden

Duration

2016 – ongoing

Services provided by Buro Happold

Building Services Engineering (MEP), Structural engineering, Sustainability

Södra Munksjön, located south of Lake Munksjön in central Jönköping, has been chosen as a district for urban development. The area is known for its larger than life atmosphere and people, it has over 300 hectares of land, 12-14,000 residents, and provides 15,000 jobs.

Jönköping wanted a sustainable solution that would increase the city’s overall quality of experience and life. It decided that the best way to achieve this would be to create a masterplan of exciting architecture and engineering to completely transform its urban environment.

Challenge

Our team were challenged to create key design concepts that delivered the client’s vision using revolutionary and sustainable engineering, while providing an environmental catalyst for future growth.

Due to the nature of the district our engineers encountered a number of key design challenges. For example, the existing land area consisted of old small businesses meaning that the proposed site was extremely constrained with little room for growth. Our team needed to develop a highly-sustainable solution that would be minimally invasive to current citizens, though large enough to truly transform its current state.

Glulam beans throughout the railway station will provide a natural and sustainable support structure, while providing a light and airy atmospheric feel. Image: Wingårdhs

Solution

Our engineers created a winning concept for a high-speed railway station that would act as an urban hub for transportation. The project places high focus on social and environmental sustainability, and optimises the transport sector with new facilities for all visitors. This includes new parking for bikes and vehicles, as well as a kiss-and-ride area for those in need of picking up/dropping off. Whether cycling, driving or catching public transport – the new rail station will improve city links across the area.

We proposed multi-disciplinary engineering to solve the current problematic traffic conditions of the district, while enhancing overall experience. This encompassed clever structures with a mix of long span, column free and glulam beams providing a strong and sustainable support foundation.

In addition, we developed an MEP design that incorporated natural ventilation, integrated audio visual systems, low-energy lighting and wireless technology. With a fast-track construction plan and off-site pre-fabrication, the team were able to truly devise an urban solution that would be minimally invasive and deliverable within a short time frame.

Jönköping, Sweden
The railway station will act as an urban hub for both visitors and citizens of Jönköping, providing direct links across the city. Image: Wingårdhs

Value

By carefully creating a design tailored to our client’s unique needs, we were able to develop a highly sustainable solution that will transform Södra Munksjön. The district will no longer face transport limitations, instead will own and operate a high-speed railway that acts as an urban hub for links across the entire city.