It was in January 2022 that it became clear that a team led by Foster + Partners and Marge Arkitekter won the architectural competition. The urban development project is the largest in central Stockholm since the Norrmalm regulation and is also one of the absolute largest in Sweden.
– It has been a workshop of rank since then, says Daniel Markström, regional manager of project development Stockholm at Jernhusen to Fastighetsvärlden.
– There are Americans, Brits, Swedes… There has been a high pulse with an enormous amount of meetings, mostly via Teams but also physical meetings.
In addition to Foster + Partners and Marge Arkitekter, there are also Land Arkitektur, Thornton Tomasetti, Ramboll, Wenanders and TAM Group behind the winning proposal that you will realize. Tyréns, the Fire Protection Team, Structor and a number of other companies contribute specialist expertise. In addition, all possible experts from the Swedish Transport Administration, traffic operators and knowledgeable people from other authorities and from the County Administrative Board who contribute knowledge.
Nothing can go wrong. And everything must be done in the right order. Train traffic and other traffic must be able to continue as unaffected as possible during the time of the large project where there is hope for construction to start in 2027 and where the entire area, with six brand new blocks, could be ready in 2035-40.
– There is an incredibly high level of ambition from all involved parties to develop Stockholm in a good way. There are many issues that need to be coordinated.
One such is, of course, security. The load-bearing capacity is most important and there, for example, a train must be able to run on pillars without the construction being largely affected. Smart and well-proven solutions mean that you don’t have to use as much steel as you first feared, which contributes to the project’s sustainability ambitions. It has been one of the focus issues since last spring. Several of Sweden’s leading designers are involved, as well as some from abroad. There is a lot of calculating going on.
The place to be developed is special.
– It is a huge communication hub with not only passenger trains but also freight trains, buses, light rail, metro, commuter trains, cyclists and pedestrians and more. Soon maybe even an extended Roslag track. Everything is connected. We must consider everyone in the project – for how it will be when everything is ready and also how it will be during the project phase, says Daniel Markström.
The main reason for the large urban development project being carried out is to enable Stockholms Central to be able to receive more passengers. The tracks today are also curved in the track area and the platforms are far too short.
When the project is finished, 500,000 travelers will be able to use the station daily, compared to approximately 250,000, which is the maximum capacity today.
– We work extensively and closely with the Swedish Transport Administration and the operators. Railway capacity needs to increase. The tracks are planned to be straightened and the platforms will be twice as long, so we can accommodate more or longer trains. There will also be platforms on the northern side of the Klaraberg viaduct, says Daniel Markström.
Of the six blocks planned above the roof deck, two are south of the Klaraberg Viaduct (so behind the current main building for the Central Station) and four on the north side (between the WTC and Schibstedhuset). Of the six blocks, five will function as station houses with access to the track area.
Since the winning proposal was presented, few major changes have taken place based on the original concept, so often on one thing.
– We are considering switching to an all-wood frame, says Markström.
That too would contribute to a better sustainability certification.
– There will need to be a lot of steel as it is a roof, but where possible we are planning for a wooden frame. It will become an important part of the interior architectural design.
– We are also reviewing the possibility of dividing the project into two detailed plans after the planning consultation, one for the southern and one for the northern part. It can contribute to us perhaps being able to move forward a little faster.
The project volume being discussed is still around 150,000 square meters LOA, the majority of which is in the blocks to the north where buildings as tall as the surrounding blocks are planned. In the south, down towards the water and the town hall, lower construction is planned.
Jernhusen has previously told FV that it is open to external real estate players in the northern part.
– There is a lot of interest in the market, but there are a few years to go until we approach that discussion.
When the platforms are extended to the north, it means that the service platforms that are a bit to the north (where quick cleaning takes place, among other things) have to move, and the plan is for these to be moved to the railway yard area that is at Tomteboda. The train staging area is still Hagalund’s depot in Solna.
The timetable for the major urban development project? As always difficult when it comes to large complex projects in central locations. Plan consultation could begin at the beginning of 2025. An approved detailed plan could be in place in 2027 if one is not forced to restart. First construction completed in the early 2030s and the last in 2035–40.
The total cost is currently estimated at around SEK 25 billion. The largest part lands at Jernhusen and a smaller part at Trafikverket, where Jernhusen’s investments are market-financed.
