ArkDes and City of Stockholm launch open call: “RE:purpose Kista”
Transdisciplinary teams to explore how Kista’s large-scale office and business district can be transformed as working patterns, demand for premises and economic conditions change.
A new open call invites transdisciplinary teams to explore how Kista’s large-scale office and business district can be transformed as working patterns, demand for premises and economic conditions change.
RE:purpose Kista is run by ArkDes and the City of Stockholm. It is described as a practice-based research project within ArkDes’ research focus on Transformation. At the core stands a clear question.
How can existing buildings, urban spaces and infrastructure be given new uses while preserving and developing Kista’s architectural, cultural-historical and spatial qualities?
The project builds on experiences from a previous RE:purpose project conducted in Gothenburg. In it, possibilities of how existing buildings can be developed and used in new ways was researched. With Kista as new case study, the perspective is now deepened to the transformation of entire city districts.
“Kista was built with a vision of the future and has since been a place where innovation and development are at the heart of its identity.” says Maria Gräns, Development manager for Kista at the City of Stockholm.
“Today, the district is entering a new phase of transformation. Through initiatives like RE:purpose Kista, we are building on what already exists and exploring new ways to create a sustainable, attractive and vibrant urban district. It is an opportunity for Kista to once again be at the forefront of urban development.”
The transition to a more sustainable urban development means that cities need to develop to a greater extent by taking advantage of and building on existing buildings. This applies not least to office and business areas from the latter part of the 20th century. Infrastructure that today faces changing economic, social and functional conditions.
The call is aimed at interdisciplinary teams of three to four people. Through site-based, design-led and investigative approaches, the teams will develop strategies and scenarios for the continued transformation of Kista’s business district.
The results should contribute knowledge and concrete ideas for Kista. It should also generate insights that may be relevant to other areas with similar conditions.
More information on the open call can be found at ArkDes.
