Kiruna is the northernmost town in Sweden with 18,200 inhabitants, located in the province of Lapland 145 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in a subarctic climate region, 530 meters above sea level. The town was founded 100 years ago. Today the town faces an unprecedented challenge – the whole town needs to be moved about 3 km (2 miles) towards the east, because of the continuously increasing ground fracturing due to the mining of a larger body of ore found underneath the western parts of the town. Moving such a town involves radical changes and puts high demands on the strategic planning, civic dialogue and the importance of maintaining the town’s identity and collective memory. This process also provides the opportunity to transform the city to the better – a socio-economically sustainable and resource-efficient town that addresses climate change and utilizes the local conditions.
The first phase of the re-development comprises the buildings forming the new Kiruna Square around the town hall. K + S together with Skanska have been granted a land transfer agreement as a result of a competition organized by the Kiruna Municipality.
Kjellander + Sjöberg and Skanska are to be among those developing the first part of the new Kiruna around its central square. This after having been awarded the land transfer agreement for a new urban block after a completed competition organized by the Kiruna Municipality.
The proposed urban block, called Fjällbäcken, is shaped with local conditions and the extreme northern climate in mind. The proposed urban block comprises new housing units around a green courtyard with a natural local character, introducing sustainable solutions for rainwater management and supporting opportunities for species dispersal transversal to the longitudinal urban structure. The main aim of the project is to provide seasonal social meeting places suitable for all generations, with an activity and leisure centre in combination with attractive housing and green sustainable infrastructure. The inner courtyard is connected to the Kiruna Square by a diagonal public staircase that turns into a ski slope during winter time. The ground floor facing the square offers an attractive social content with multipurpose areas for young people and sport and leisure activities for all generations that can be used year-round. The buildings are expressed in natural materials of local character, such as stone and wood.
Last fall, Kiruna Municipality announced a land transfer act for ten town blocks in the heart of the new Kiruna where the main square and the central high street will be. Ten construction companies showed their interest by submitting their applications for building in the new Kiruna.
