A home in the urban fringe

Abstract

The wave of modernist architecture that emerged during the latter half of the nineteenth century has become outdated. Jane Jacobs advocates for the value of the perimeter block as a backdrop for city life, Aldo Rossi writes about the importance of historical continuity in the urban environment, and Robert Venturi praises classical architecture ‘s aesthetic and structural principles. Over time, their arguments have gained significant recognition in the field of architecture, inspiring many architects to follow in their footsteps. However, we must not overlook our recent history and modern heritage. Urban developments from the modern era have ensured a more democratic and higher standard of living. Many residences are larger, offering better access to natural light and vegetation. Looking towards the future, new developments need to answer to contemporary challenges such as the climate crisis and the need for affordable housing. Our discipline requires constant reinvention to meet our time’s demands while drawing lessons from both recent and distant pasts. The outer city of Gothenburg, with large spaces occupied by infrastructure and ground parking, holds a large potential for the city’s continued expansion. In the Frölunda-Högsbo area, the municipality plans to develop housing for 100 000 new residents until 2035. Considering the scale of this intervention, planners risk upsetting the existing qualities of the district, but there is also an opportunity to improve and complement those qualities which are already there. This project aims to develop a group of urban blocks in Frölunda, on a parking lot squeezed between the iconic high-rise towers from the 1960s and a future boulevard that will serve as a central artery of the envisioned Frölunda City. Ambitions are to balance the local identity of Frölunda and its existing qualities against the current trends towards a denser urban form and classical language of architecture. The design explores hybridity, typology, atmosphere, and style through an investigation of the building context and references drawn from the historical city.