En ny bymidte i Kiruna

Minebyen Kiruna i Nordsverige har bogstavelig talt fået undermineret sit historiske centrum. Malmåren, man udgraver, går ind under byen, og den fortsatte menneskeskabte erosion har gjort det nødvendigt at flytte byens centrum tre kilometer mod øst.

Opdraget for den internationale arkitektkonkurrence efterspurgte en strategisk masterplan for etableringen af et nyt centrum og forslag til ny placering af de institutioner og historiske bygninger, der skal nedrives eller flyttes.

Projektet foreslår etableringen af en ny urban netværksstruktur af bebyggede klynger organiseret indadtil omkring veldefinerede byrum forankret i centrale offentlige institutioner og med en klart defineret ydre kant mod landskabet. En moderne landskabsbaseret netværksby, hvor den eroderede historiske bydel indgår som et aktivt element og et historiefortællende oplevelseslandskab.

“The scheme is based on the development of a network of various nodes all over the city. The nodes, which can be thought of as pawns or platforms in an urban development strategy, can be visiting points of varying character and dignity, ranging from a school to the City Hall. The analysis of the nodes which already exist or can be created in the old city, Lombolo and Tuolluvaara is interesting and makes clear that these places will acquire a new significance in the new Kiruna. It is anticipated that the network will be enlarged step by step: as one node is extinguished in the old city, another will light up in the new city. This dual strategy is both defensive, in the sense of demonstrating that the lights of the old city are being put out, and offensive, in that other places in the city are recharged.”

– Uddrag af dommerbetænkningen