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The New Exhibition Kiruna Forever Opens at ArkDes

How do you move an entire city? June 2, the exhibition Kiruna Forever opens at ArkDes in Stockholm. It is an exhibition about one of the biggest urban transformation projects in recent history, and that we have been working on since 2012.

In early 2013, we won the international competition for a 20-year masterplan of Kiruna’s phased relocation by 2033 together with Ghilardi+Hellsten Arkitekter and Spacescape. Since then we have continued to work on the masterplan for the new Kiruna, how it should work and be implemented. The team included architects, landscape architects, sustainability specialists and social anthropologist.

 

At the exhibition, which has got the same name as our competition proposal, we will showcase the physical plan for the new city. This is done with a projection on a landscape model that shows how the city is phased out in the west and developed in the east, but also with a physical model of the square in the city center.

 

We show the city that is in constant change, but still whole during the entire urban transformation. The model shows, among other things, the first stage of the square, which is the main meeting place, and how the streets extend and capture the areas that already exist as suburbs of Kiruna. Suburbs that will become part of the new city center.
Krister Lindstedt, Lead Architect at White Arkitekter

Photo: Johan Dehlin

At the exhibition a film will also be shown, which is a conversation within the architect team about the assignment to design the new Kiruna. The urban transformation is a unique opportunity to build a city that supports the Kiruna residents to meet the city’s challenges and find a sustainable development. Important elements have been the citizen dialogue, the square and meeting place with a diverse economy that is less dependent on the mining.

 

In a region that is located so far from other regions, it is a matter of resources to utilise the fine resources that already exist, but also to bring character to the new city. That the buildings that have a cultural-historical value and a great significance for the residents of Kiruna will be moved to the new city in order to create a continuity of what has given and can contiune to give Kiruna its identity.

It has been very interesting to get to know Kiruna and discuss how to bring its identity into the new. We, just like the Kiruna residents, are delighted and proud that Kiruna has been put on the map and raised on the national scene for architecture.
Krister Lindstedt

Today, June 1, at 12.00 CET, Dezeen Virtual Design Festival will showcase the premiere of ArkDes’ virtual vernissage of Kiruna Forever in 360°. The physical exhibition opens June 2 at ArkDes, Sweden’s national centre for architecture and design. 

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