Täby (SE)

How can the site contribute to a productive city?

Arninge-Ullna is a district within the municipality of Täby, north of Stockholm. Originating as a commercial and light industrial area in the 1970s, it is now moving towards becoming a complete city, including residential and recreational components. This development is promoted by a grid structure that allows for a natural expansion and change of functions, as well as the very good connections through regional railway and roads. The project site is at the moment mainly forested and waiting to be exploited. The task is to make an innovative masterplan for this area (the project site) with residencies, production capacity, recreational facilities, and public functions in order to affect the balance of the whole of Arninge-Ullna (the study site) and further its path towards a rich and mixed city.

City strategy

The municipality’s aims for the project site are to:
- devise a mixed-use development with workplaces, commerce, housing, recreation, school and pre-schools and public spaces, using the location of the site to make a playful and lively city;
- improve connectivity within Arninge-Ullna for different means of transportation, including public transport, pedestrians and bicycles, with smart links to different areas in the district;
- achieve innovative solutions for new urban and architectural forms and uses, especially in overlapping and co-operational programmes, in innovative uses of means and materials, and by inducing productive and creative powers in the population.

Site definition

Arninge-Ullna is located in the eastern part of the municipality of Täby, some 20 km North of central Stockholm. It is a mixed-use district delineated by roads and surrounded by natural areas with many recreational opportunities. The important connections are directly east, with the E18 motorway and the regional railway line. The whole of Arninge-Ullna constitutes the study area for the competition. In its industrial core, the area is divided into blocks with a gridded road structure. The district as a whole is fairly condensed and well defined. There are currently no prominent places or taller buildings. A dominant feature is an artificial hill, which will soon be ready for new development, mainly within the leisure sector.

How is production inserted in the urban diversity programme?

Arninge-Ullna consists to a large extent of areas with commercial buildings and industrial businesses. The area was designed for transportation by car and contains few public spaces. However, the district is currently under development towards becoming a dynamic city with mixed functions and activities, where living, work, services and meeting-places coexist. Recently, residential quarters with a variety of types for different living situations has been added, complemented with recreational facilities. A sizeable park was recently inaugurated, and a new recreational area with year-round activities is planned. These developments attract people with different interests and backgrounds, creating possibilities for a diverse area. In the regional plan for Greater Stockholm, Arninge-Ullna is part of eight designated city centres. This entails unique challenges where communication is a crucial factor. The district will open up to extensive public transport as a new station on the regional railway is scheduled to open in 2021. This will add to the already working artery of the E18 motorway. All in all, the district has a potential to serve as a productive city core for a larger region. Investigations are to be conducted within this competition on how to best accommodate the production of services and spaces, including cultural and recreational, in the evolving ecosystem. Here, an important key lies in the present project site. With proper steps, the site may contribute what is missing, and the whole area may strike the right balance.

Ullna strand with 250 recently built residencesNatural features of the project site

Hägerneholmsparken, inaugurated in 2017Shopping area, near Kundvägen