In the heart of Stockholm, the Slussen district has been redesigned for the latest in sustainable travel patterns and climate resilience in a way that everyone can use and enjoy. The Mälarterrassen project is in one of the most picturesque and historically rich areas, between Södermalm and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gamla Stan (Old City), where Lake Mälaren meets Saltsjön.

Placemaking

Stockholm's inner city uniquely blends metropolitan life with the archipelago landscape. Now, the Slussen area is evolving from a traffic hub into a lively, human-centered space, offering experiences and peaceful spots. The Mälarterrassen project is set to become a landmark destination offering a unique blend of resteraunts, architecture, and natural beauty. With its strategic location, innovative use of renewable materials, it exemplifies the future of urban placemaking with a mass timber kit of parts.

Since 2010, White Arkitekter, in collaboration with Foster+Partners, has been leading the landscape architecture for the Slussen project. This transformation tackles urban planning challenges, long-term environmental goals, and complex traffic issues, all with high design standards.

The development consists of two buildings next to the Södermalmstorg square with connections to underlying premises further down towards the quay. The buildings are terraced on three levels with a total of six restaurants. Between the buildings is an open and welcoming staircase that connects the quays of Söder to the Södermalmstorg square and Gamla Stan.

Accessible

Elevators and escalators make the space accessible to everyone. The plaza will have a smart façade system that can adapt to winter and summer conditions, providing maximum comfort to its visitors throughout the year.

Climate-adaptive architecture

Resilient design was essential for the area to be able to adapt to climate change and increased rainfall. Once completed, the lock will be able to release more water from Mälaren, protecting Stockholm from future floods and securing its drinking water supply. Additionally, the city will gain new public spaces and parks in prime locations, along with improved accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.

Developers

The overall project is a joint venture by Atrium Ljungberg and the City of Stockholm. The municipality is responsible for the overall placemaking design, architecture, and the exterior construction and Atrium Ljungberg is responsible for the interior design, including the restaurants that will bring the area to life. 

Application of a mass timber prefabricated kit of parts

Mälarterrassen uses 124 cubic metres of prefabricated Sylva™ CLT Walls and Floors applied by Solna-based Woodconstruction Sweden AB (a subsidiary of Stora Enso’s partners, Woodcon AS), a leading player in the field of sustainable construction, specializing in the use of mass timber. The application of the kit of parts, solved two key architectural challenges:

-Sustainability: Sylva™ CLT elements are a renewable material with a low carbon footprint, aligning perfectly with the project’s ambitious low-emission construction goals.

-Structural integrity: The strength and stability of Sylva™ CLT Walls allowed for the creation of large, open spaces without the need for additional supporting columns, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the commercial spaces.

This project took advantage of Stora Enso's Sylva Services and preinserted lifting devices in the mill so when the elements arrive on-site, they are ready to safely install immediately.

Carbon Footprint

The Sylva CLT elements generated less than seven tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO₂e) to manufacture and only two tonnes to transport. Compared to the 95 tonnes of carbon dioxide that the trees removed while they were growing and will store in the facilities, this is a small fraction. Choosing a Sylva instead of non-renewables avoided 142 tonnes of greenhouse gases. Source: Stora Enso carbon calculator.

About the architects

Foster + Partners  have also completed world-famous projects including The Gherkin, Hearst Tower in New York City, and the Reichstag renovation in Berlin.

White Arkitekter is one of Scandinavia's leading architectural firms, known for their sustainable and regenerative designs. Notably, they are designing the first building in Stockholm Wood City, which is also supplied by Stora Enso. The overall scheme is set to be the world's largest urban development using mass timber. 

Timeline

Atrium Ljungberg takes possession of the leasehold in November 2024, and the location will be activated in the summer of 2025. Operations will then open gradually in 2026.

Read more about Mälarterrassen 

The European Investment Bank's contribution to this project

Funding sustainable projects a podcast

Advantages of mass timber construction in our whitepaper

View other placemaking projects built with a mass timber kit of parts:

Timber Square

Six Degrés

Arboretum