DEGREE PROJECT IN ARCHITECTURE, SECOND CYCLE, 30 CREDITS STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 2021

OPENNESS AND CITY A public square and its surroundings as a tool to break the consumerist approach of the city

LAMPROS PACHOULAS

KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT A public square and its surroundings as a tool to break the consumerist approach of the city.

LAMPROS PACHOULAS

SUPERVISORS: PATRICK VERHOEVEN & FRANCESCA SAVIO

KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DEGREE PROJECT IN URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN SUSTAINABLE URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROGRAM BOOKLET CONTENTS

CHALLENGE

PROJECT

METHODS

AREA

DESIGN

CRITICAL REFLECTION

REFERENCE LITERATURE

TIMELINE CHALLENGE

The evolution of Stockholm can be dated back to the thirteenth century. It was then when Stockholm became an exacting issue to be transformed from the Swedish capital to a leading metropolis. A crucial point in the planning history of Stockholm was the Lindhagen’s plan in 1866 which more or less set the guidelines on how the city would reshaped towards a more healthy, beautiful and functionable space. Open and public spaces were addressed as an important social resource and an essential apparatus to ameliorate health conditions.

The dramatic reconstruction of the city centre started in the 1950s and 1960s with the regularization of the city’s core. Lower Norrmalm the core of Stockholm’s business district faced a near total renewal over the period that expand from 1950s to the early 1980s. It’s been characterized by the demolition of hundreds of buildings, construction of the underground hub, a tunnel for cars and approximately over 1.5 million square meters of new but non-residential floor space. The renewal of Norrmalm can be perceived as an effort to accommodate modern modes of transport but more characteristically the new demands of economic restructuring of the built environment. Between 1960 and 1975 the industrial employment fell by 81% while as of 1963 office and commercial employment rose from 55% to 98% after the renewal. From a mixed economic activities and land use that it used to be Norrmalm became homogenized and transformed to an office and commercial district with good transport network. Also the depopulation that started in the 1940 in the area accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s. Some thoughts :

The last decades of the twentieth century have been characterized by a very strong An interaction of a number of individuals affect the society to exist, then also the urban could metropolitan growth and de-industrialization. Moreover a heavy expansion producer services, be perceived as an interaction of elements and not just a substance. high-tech industries, telecommunications and an increasing social, geographical and economic The city and the urban have been designated as an indissoluble unity consisting of physical segregation. networks of transportation and communication and the human behaviours caused by their use. This can be called as ‘the civilization of the urban’. Today public places that exist in the city centre remain inactive considerably their history and their original purpose while people visiting the area with only two purposes which are to work The term urbanization could be characterized as a set of rules and principles that should be and to consume. applied in order the buildings and their conglomerations and furthermore the faculties of social humans move towards their development and essentially after improving individual Hence, considering the above a challenge arise: wellbeing and furthermore the public prosperity. It could be said that the policies and the actions we commence are affected by the way we see our cities. Research question: How can a public place and its surroundings become a tool and therefore break Numerically 2% of the earth’s surface is occupied by cities and the 53% of the world’s Norrmalm’s consumerist and commercial approach? population lives in cities. The commercial pattern through the maps showing the sovereignty of big as well small companies and stores in the district of Norrmalm that leads to social, geographical and economic segregation. SERGELS TORG as a PUBLIC PLACE KULTURHUSET AND ITS OPENNESS

IMPORTANCE : IMPORTANCE :

∙ Accessibility Cultural education

Sergels torg was made the most central place in macro space, With time, it has indeed become something of a symbol for reached easily by all underground lines, commuter and long Sweden’s very first – and widely acclaimed – national cultural distance trains. policy.

∙ Open activities The house is frequently highlighted as a direct and concrete response to the policy goals formulated therein, mainly entred A cultural institution with activities open to the public. on ideas of cultural democracy and equality.

Constructed to counterbalance the commercial world of the It was born in a particular time to address: new City. 1) The formulation of Sweden’s very first national policy for culture Almost from the beginning, the square was made into a 2) The radical transformation and modernisation of Stockholm’s meeting-place city centre. for young people. Many of them came in to the centre from the suburbs. Political discussions that all citizens should, by means of the state, be offered and engage with high-quality cultural A space for demonstrations. expressions (art, music, and literature) in order to augment the level of general formation. This is still the most common demonstration ground in Stockholm, for large demonstrations and for more personal The project aims in questioning the existing public initiatives such as hunger strikes by refugees making Sergels space of Sergels torg and Kulturhuset, their torg into a global place too. theoretical background and their surroundings as a whole, in the core of the economical district in It is open for everyone and also, for all kinds of uses, not only a Norrmalm, re-identify and re-approach them by few predefined ones. Sergels torg plays a visible role in the establishing new uses and activities in the area in Stockholm (and Swedish) public sphere. order to bring openness to this monocultural consumerist district. The Sergels torg square and the house of culture will interact with the new uses and programs around them and will generate the presence of people by creating a network that will interact with the wider urban fabric-space targeting to break the monocultural consumerist approach. PROJECT Project

The vision is to create an active neighbourhood where knowledge, production, culture units and by giving a bigger impact to Sergels torg and Kulturhuset can lead to self sufficiency and a more open system. By that the harmful effects of consumption industry such as transportation overuse, waste, pollution and finally economical and social exploitation can be resolved. Towards a more sustainable development.

- A more active engagement where people can design and produce their needs.

- To create a new disruptive system that will enter and break the existing commercial capitalistic formation and that will introduce openness to the city through production, education and art clusters available for all the people.

More specifically:

Investigating light production and 3D printing as ways of production.

Re-organize libraries for knowledge purposes

Establish open libraries with easy access embedded to everyday life

Re-think and re-programming production of culture and the use of Kulturhuset

Integrating schools with libraries for knowledge purposes

Establish housing units to integrate common facilities such as kitchen

Reform of the public space to maximize openness and peoples flow and movement

Integrate recreation facilities

Mixing different people with different purposes (Education, working, recreation, living) A synergy of the new uses

THE MOSAIC OF THE NEW USES Method(s)

RESEARCH The aim is to gather information about the economical district of Stockholm and to LITERATURE REVIEW _ theories, concepts, approaches understand the plans and the transformations that took place in the area. ARCHIVE _ historical background A research review about the historical importance and background of the area will help me understand its evolution. The LEGISLATION _ defining regulations, policy and planning, statistics theoretical and historical background of Sergels torg public square and Kulturhuset + is highly important to base the openness. ANALYSIS An in depth analysis of observations and mapping will follow in order to understand the contemporary role and substance of the OBSERVATIONS _ site visit- field notes, photographs, current activity, people, programs, functions space. After the above based on the analysis, the current activities, the people MAPPING _ site analysis, approaches, methodology that going there, the programs and the functions the next step is to set some protocols in order to test and to bring new PROTOCOLS _ elaborating on different uses, times and space throughout the day activities and uses to the area. Protocols of different uses, times and places throughout the day. After that all the above will start to be tested to the draft drawings and finally the outcomes will take place to the final proposal and drawings. DESIGN PROPOSAL_ concept, strategies, proposal, drawings AREA

Sergels torg public square, Kulturhuset and the context of them.

Sweden Norrmalm / Stockholm Lower Norrmalm district Norrmalm district STRATEGIES

DESIGN CRITICAL REFLECTION

This project started as a reflection to the current situation of Norrmalm. The situation according to the project is perceived as problematic and the reason is the capitalistic formation of the city centre. I have to mention in that point that everything started with unconscious visiting and walks in the area. I started to question myself and observe around on what people are doing in this area, what are the reasons that they are going there and what are their activities. The answer came after I start to study the area and it is that people are going there mostly either to shop or because they work there.

If this project can be considered as an equation then the commercial smooth city centre is the first parameter in the equation. The second is the public spaces and buildings that exist in the area but they remain considerably inactivate or they have become part of the consumerism missing their initial goals and foundations. Sergels torg square and Kulturhuset’s theoretical background became the foundation for this project and based on the terms accessibility, open activities, cultural education and openness. Terms that don’t exist in the area because privatization, predefined commercial uses and working offices dominate the area.

The analysis of the broader area is crucial due to the presence of significant elements such as public spaces, the Stockholm’s library, the university, and other buildings for public purpose. It was important that these elements would be included in the design.

The specific actors and the current life pattern in the area have led to an increasing social, geographical and economic segregation. The above reason is why this thesis is challenging the consumerism and trying to establish new life patterns in the area based on openness.

The thesis project aims to re-identify and re-approach Sergels torg and Kulturhuset and by establishing new uses and activities around them to work as an open disruptive system that will enter and break the existing commercial capitalistic formation. The new uses consists of light production(consumer electronics , bicycles, clothes), 3d printing (furniture, artifacts), and small manufacture units mainly in the most commercial road of Drottninggatan mixing the commercial way with the above units as well with co-working spaces/labs in order that all the people can visit, see and be part of the production process. The other uses that are established mainly in the right wing where Sveavägen is, are the Education – Knowledge units to enhance the presence of the libraries and open libraries to the everyday public life. This aims that anyone can just read books everywhere and also to be more easy to be part of the production process supported as well by specific schools. So the schools are diverse in the area and except for basic knowledge exist also the innovation schools that works hand in hand with the production and the co-working labs approach this learning and active practicing. The two wings mingles towards each other through the corridors and the open public space. In the middle of this two the other use that is taking place is the art clusters to enhance the cultural identity of the city. Taking advantage of the knowledge units that also serves the cultural approach as well the production units that manufacture artifacts in some of them. At the last floors of each building housing units are re-established with common facilities such as common kitchen and recreation spaces in order to bring people with different background together. People that are working there, students, teachers, artists can have their room there. The reform of the public space is crucial in the ground level to achieve communication within the units of each building in the ground floor but also to maximize the openness and the accessibility from the people. The public space is designed also for recreation purposes and more spontaneous initiatives such as playground, outdoor gyms, places for the kids, places for the open libraries and finally places just to have a walk or stop to relax. Also the vertical connection is essential in the project. The units are not taking place only in the ground floor but they also mix in the upper floors.

The reformation that took place in the buildings in the area of intervention had a purpose to change them and from modernistic stiff with predefined uses buildings to turn them to more hybrid elements. In that scenario the skeleton of the buildings remains the same but in each floor different units with big openings and panels to become accessible are talking place. Also the height in some of the units adjusted to accommodate the specific use.

The project aims to tackle consumerism. From the big companies and shops is trying to shift things to a more sustainable way were the harmful effects of consumption industry such as transportation overuse, waste pollution, knowledge for the few, and finally economical and social exploitation can be resolved through the production, schools, knowledge units , libraries and co-working spaces. The findings, the results can be distributed and exhibited to Sergels torg and Kulturhuset along with the culture products available for all. Instead of someone to visit the area to shop from a known brand now can have the opportunity to support small production units or even produce its own needs. In this way people can improve and enhance the local knowledge and production process instead of a the profits of a big company.

Economical part is important for a community to exist, this project proposed measures to tackle consumerism but it could have been explored/investigated better the economic survival of the neighbourhood and the units that mentioned above and consisting it. An ideal measure could be a de-privatization. Also another part that could have been illustrated and explored further is the specific formation of the different units based on their needs.

In our days the metropolitan cities facing the big rising issue of consumerism/capitalism. It is the time to reform them to a more self sufficiency and a more sustainable development in order for them to thrive and to provide healthier communities. That was what this project tried to do. REFERENCE PROJECTS

Estonian academy of arts_by Effekt Bastide Niel_by MVRDV Experimentarium_by Effekt ‘’A public plaza that extends into the building and spirals up ‘’The question was how to create a vibrant ‘’We see the combined functions as a ‘mini city’ through the floor plans, creating a series of indoor social neighbourhood in the tradition of, as well as as an of science when joined together at the site. All spaces connected to the various programs in the building.’’ update to, the European city center: architectural functions are wrapped around a continuous diverse yet dense; open and well lit but intimate, exhibition space – an interactive playground for Source: www.Effekt.dk and sustainable as well as literally green.’’ learning and exploring science.’’ Source: www.mvrdv.nl Source: www.Effekt.dk Urban protocols

Athens trench project_by AristidesAntonas Agglomeration of empty shops_by Aristides Antonas Urban Hall_by Aristides Antonas “Athenian Trenches” tackle the city as a condition that ‘’The functions that can occur in these empty shops ‘’There is something immediate when we operates with an apparent duality. On the one hand, what is follows the most flexible rationale; they can be used as perform in the frame of a protocol. But our stressed is the city’s current condition, which classifies Athens possible places for many different, idiosyncratic, legal actions could prepare for a different order of as the paradigmatic city in the era of this particular financial occupancies. They are not proposed for a specific program living. They could transform an experience of moment of the globe. On the other hand, the proposal but as a question about program. The structure of the void radical privation, a passivity, into a conscious measures the importance of the city as an urban formation is here elaborated out of the knowledge of simple affirmation.’’ inhabited by traces of both an ancient and a recent past. furniture and out of their particular placing.’’ Source: www.aristideantonas.com REFERENCE LITERATURE

- Antonas, A. (2010) The buildings. Athens: Agra

- Clark, E. (1995) An Arrow-Cycle Interpretation of the Redevelopment of Stockholm's Central Business District. Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography

- Clark, P. (2006) The European City and Green Space : London, Stockholm, Helsinki and St Petersburg, 1850-2000. Taylor & Francis Group.

- Doughty, K. , Lagerqvist, M. (2016)The ethical potential of sound in public space: Migrant pan flute music and its potential to create moments of conviviality in a ‘failed’ public square, Emotion. Space and Society, Volume 20, Pages 58-67

- Franzén, M. (2002). A Weird Politics of Place: Sergels Torg, Stockholm (Round One). Urban Studies, 39(7), 1113-1128. Retrieved January 11, 2021

- Hall, T. (2009) Stockholm: The making of a Metropolis. London: Routledge

- Hallin, A. , Dobers, P. (2012) Representation of Space. Uncovering the Political Dimension of Guided Tours in Stockholm. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 12:1, 8-26

- Höjer M., Gullberg A., Pettersson R. (2011) Stockholm’s Urban Development. In: Images of the Future City. Springer, Dordrecht

- Svensson, J. (2017) Visions and politics in the making of Stockholm's House of Culture: Institutional complexity within extraordinary projects. Culture and Organization, 23:3, 197-219 When?

FINAL DESIGN FINAL PRESENTATION

REFINING DRAFT DESIGN

COCEPTUAL DRAFT DESIGN PROTOCOLS/ DRAWINGS

SITE STUDY + ANALYSIS OBSERVATIONS/ MAPPING

RESEARCH LITERATURE REVIEW/ ARCHIVE / LEGISLATION

January February March April May

Timeline

TRITA TRITA-ABE-MBT-21164

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