Danish architecture firm Henning Larsen Architects has won a competition to design a 15.5-hectare urban masterplan south of Gothenburg, Sweden. The project, named Humlestaden, reinterprets a community model that refocuses urban energy around green foundations.

Covering a total of 155,000-square-metre plot in Gothenburg’s Högsbo district, formerly home to the Pripps brewery, the new masterplan will accommodate 3,000 residents with a central public garden, and multi-use commercial space. The project will define a new community, which aims to establish outdoor green space as the primary setting of public life.

Described as the new Garden City, Henning Larsen Architects' garden city concept dates back to the turn of the 19th century, originating in England as a reaction to the hectic, crowded life of industrialized cities. "Garden cities sought to balance city life with rural agriculture, emerging as networks of smaller, self-sustaining communities," explained Henning Larsen Architects.

Developed in coordination with Stena Fastigheter and Ikano Bostad, Humlestaden presents an urban framework for sustainable future development in the region.

"We drew inspiration from the thriving street life of Gothenburg’s Haga district, and reframed that energy in a green context," Søren Øllgaard said.

"Planted gardens can be just as strong a gathering point as a town square or shopping mall – at Humlestaden, we’re using nature as the driver for the community."

Humlestaden is an urban reimagining of the concept, laying the groundwork for an active urban community based primarily in public green spaces. Grounded in the green central commons and in close proximity to the Sandås forest and Änggårdsbergen nature reserve, Humlestaden masterplan also seeks to emphasize and activate natural space among commercial and industrial surroundings.

Humlestaden, which translates to "hops city," references the local history as the site of one of Sweden’s largest breweries. Prior to the brewery, the area was dedicated to local agriculture, home to commercial gardens and fruit orchards.

Construction on Humlestaden is set to begin in 2022, slated for completion in 2024.

All images courtesy of Henning Larsen Architects

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