Fisksätra, Sweden
“Our aim was to create a design that would be popular among the numerous children who lives in the area, and to create a positive vibe and a sense that a change is coming – and a change is good for the community,” states Thomas Sandell co-founder of sandellsandberg arkitekter.
Designed Thomas Sandel this new temporary building lies in the heart of Fisksätra and will serve as a community and recreation center for its residents.
The new center offers a variety of activities; from public meetings and theater performances to dance and cooking classes.
In Fisksätra, a small, multicultural urban center in Nacka (located in Sweden’s Stockholm County), a large-scale development project was launched.
This project aims to give Fisksätra an urban makeover that will draw upon its culturally diverse charm to create an atmosphere of community and social acceptance, while also embracing environmental sustainability.
Since Fisksätra Folkets Hus is meant to be a temporary facility on the site, with a temporary building permit, the design relates to tents and temporary structures.
The unique triangle shaped windows resemble the opening of a tent when you pull away the drapes and opens up the space to make it appear larger than it actually is.
A similar example is the copper tents in Hagaparken in Solna, built in 1787-1790, which also were meant to be provisional but remains to this day and have grown to be a landmark of Stockholm.
One of the challenges was social sustainability.
The former Folkets Hus had played a key role in bringing the diverse population of Fisksätra closer together, but it was unfortunately located far from the center within premises that was far from ideal.
Therefore, it was crucial to place the local culture center stage this time.
The new Folkets Hus is located in the heart of Fisksätra, near the commuter station, and is designed to attract people of all ages and backgrounds and provides numerous cultural activities.
Drawing inspiration from both nomadic lifestyles and the tents of Hagaparken (located north of
Stockholm), Sandell created a unique structure that was defined by a distinct and playful expression and a hint of culture.
In addition, the seeks to create a structure with an appealing silhouette that would compel those seeing it from afar to come and visit Fisksätra.
The main design element is a 20-meter-wide eye-shaped window in the ceiling that brings light to the central room of the house.
The inside is as simple, durable and elegant as the outside, with few materials and colors, and the rooms are flexible, bright and with great acoustics.
Through the glass, retail and cultural activities inside are revealed to the city’s passers-by, while visitors in the interior acquire new vantage points to experience Gwanggyo.
Formed with a sequence of cascading terraces, the public loop offers spaces for exhibitions and performances.
“With a public loop deliberately designed for cultural offerings, Galleria in Gwanggyo is a place where visitors engage with architecture and culture as they shop.
They leave with a unique retail experience blended with pleasant surprises after each visit,” says OMA partner van Duijn.
What distinguishes the building from other department stores is that the Galleria Gwanggyo is the first department store in Korea to allow light to enter the building from all corners through the “Public Loop.”
This new attempt by OMA is revolutionary in that sense, as it has masterfully incorporated light as a mechanism to bring joy and entertainment, and in turn, tempting customers to linger longer.
The floors are sanded concrete and massive pine wood and the walls are clad with white painted wood.
The pale coloring of the interior was chosen to create a backdrop for the colorful activities that will happen there.
The building’s 20-meter skylight, along with triangular windows that complements, in a culturally inviting way, the building’s interior volume, thereby creating a bright and inviting indoor environment.
The minimalistic approach to the building’s interior subtly contrasts with the building’s exterior.
In May 2020, the initial phase of this project was completed with the construction of Fisksätra’s Folkets Hus (Community Center).
Project: Fisksätra’s Folkets Hus
Architects: sandellsandberg arkitekter AB
Clients: City of Fisksätra
Photographers: Stena Fastigheter
