In a bid to save the historic Gamla Lidingöbron bridge in Stockholm from demolition, Swedish studio Urban Nouveau has proposed transforming the structure into 50 luxury apartments topped with a High Line-inspired linear park. Created as part of a petition to protest the tearing down of the structure, the design aims to spark greater dialogue and media attention in hopes of galvanizing support for the bridge’s preservation. The design practice has also proposed using the sale of apartments to fund the restoration process.
Built in the 1920s, the Gamla Lidingöbron bridge has served as a rail and pedestrian connector between Stockholm and the island of Lidingö. The City Council of Lidingö has announced plans to demolish the bridge in 2022 and thus far rejected Urban Nouveau’s proposal to repurpose the historic bridge on the grounds of potential “risks and delays.” The studio has launched a petition to counter the decision with the backing of the project’s master structural engineers Adão da Fonseca and Cecil Balmond who say the project is “both structurally sound and entirely feasible.”
“Our architectural understanding of the bridge has inspired us to come up with a plan for saving Gamla Lidingöbron that not only creates a striking public park but in the process also saves the government a minimum of 113 million crowns (€11m),” said Urban Nouveau chief executive Sara Göransson. “We believe demolishing a landmark bridge like this is truly a backward step, particularly when we have a fully costed and technically sound alternative that means we can save the bridge and provide a beautiful park for the whole of Stockholm.”
In the adaptive reuse proposal, the bridge could experience new life as a residential complex of 50 apartments embedded within the steel structure, while the bridge deck would be converted into a linear park with tram and bicycle access. Each apartment would be equipped with a private elevator and staircase for access. The west-facing apartments would feature double-height living spaces and glazed facades on either side to frame sweeping views of the water.
Urban Nouveau proposes to turn a historic Stockholm bridge into housing and a park [Inhabitat]