Conservation and creative transformation in Aarhus

Kjellander Sjöberg’s Johan Pitura was one of the invited speakers at the ‘Conservation and Creative Transformation’ conference in Aarhus on 18th March 2025.

The need for expertise regarding conservation and transformation is one of the most crucial topics for the construction industry right now. For several years, the organisation Building Green has held conferences on sustainable development – which have become key places to meet up, discuss challenges, and learn from each other.

This time, the aim was to get a solid understanding of why and when adaptive reuse makes sense, and how transformation can contribute to social regeneration. The conference will offer inspiration for repurposing old buildings while ensuring both quality and financial viability.

The construction industry is in a period of substantial change, where the existing building stock plays a central role in the necessary shift. We can no longer afford to demolish buildings and replace them every time they don’t meet our requirements or needs.

Instead, we must focus on making the most of the square footage we already have. This requires us to get better at investigating and realising the opportunities and potential within existing buildings, and at finding creative solutions to adapt them for future needs.

Conservation, renovation, revitalisation, and reuse are strategies that can breathe new life into existing buildings.

Swedish Architects Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency

Kjellander Sjöberg, as part of the Architects Declare initiative, will host the first networking event in 2025 in Malmö. On Tuesday, 4th March from 12-1 pm, the new series of monthly lunch meetings will kick off. These sessions, held simultaneously in Malmö, Stockholm and Göteborg, will take place every first Tuesday of each month for all participant of Architects Declare to discuss the 12 commitments of call to action, two points at a time.

Architects Declare is a network of architectural practices committed to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. The initiative was launched in the UK in the spring of 2019 and has now spread to more than 28 countries around the world. Swedish Architects Declare has been signed by over 300 Swedish architectural practices.

Styrmansbron: public opening

This weekend marked the grand opening of Styrmansbron in Malmö – the new pedestrian, cycle, and public transport route to the Varvsstaden neighbourhood. This awaited milestone designed by Kjellander Sjöberg marks a significant step in the ongoing regeneration of the area.

More than just a bridge, Styrmansbron is intended to be a lively new public space by the water and to serve as a vital connection between different parts of the city, while also symbolising Malmö’s dynamic evolution. Where Kockums shipyard workers once cycled to their jobs, residents and visitors can now cross a bridge linking the city’s past with its future.

The opening ceremony was attended by leading people, including Andréas Schönström, chairman of the technical committee of the Malmö City Council; Jesper Göransson, CEO of Peab; representatives from the property and street management office; Hanne Birk from Varvsstaden; and architect Hannes Haak from Kjellander Sjöberg. Each shared their insights on the project’s significance for the city and its inhabitants.

Thank you to Björn Forsberg for the stunning drone photography.

Hartree shortlisted for The Pineapple for Future Place

Our mixed-use masterplan Hartree in Northeast Cambridge has been shortlisted for The Pineapple awards by The Developer and Festival of Place in the ‘Future Place’ category.

For People, City and Planet. Hartree is one of the largest urban developments in Cambridge, driven by engagement, people’s present needs and placemaking. It will provide over 19 hectares of public open space and a significant net gain in biodiversity, thousands of carbon neutral homes, shops, workplaces, education, community and leisure facilities.

Working together with LandsecU+I and TOWN, Cambridge City Council and Anglian Water, we have developed a new, much-needed type of responsive 5-minute place with good streets and quality public realm – open to everyone – connected and rooted in Cambridge.

Thank you to the whole client team, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service, councillors and the general public and of course, the fantastic team of specialists including LOLA, Useful Projects, Pell Frischmann, Bell Phillips, Carter Jonas, Haworth Tompkins and ECF, with a special mention to 5th Studio, Feilden Fowles, NOOMA Studio and Alison Brooks Architects.

Winners will be announced at the Festival of Place in London, April 2025.

New catalogue about Gjuteriet in Malmö

Kjellander Sjöberg releases a comprehensive new catalogue documenting the process of the award-winning transformation of Gjuteriet for Varvsstaden – the journey from a derelict ruin to a vibrant new social hub in the heart of Malmö.

Gjuteriet is a prominent, listed building in Malmö, a historic player in the shipbuilding industry and a key part of the city’s identity. It was originally built in 1910 as a foundry producing components for ships and bridges. The main approach to the renovation was to preserve the heritage; to leave and reveal as many traces and stories as possible. Material sustainability was the key design strategy, seeking to minimise the use of resources and climate impact through extensive reuse and smart material choices.

Read the catalogue here

Torshamn welcomes new residents

The beautiful brick block Torshamn in Kista for the Stockholm Housing Co-operative Association is nearly ready for residents to move in. 165 households get the opportunity to live around a generous green courtyard, enjoying high-quality, long-term living conditions, and a new neighbourhood square, with walking distance to the local Kista centre and a metro station.

The scheme enhances urban definition and gives prominence to the intersection of the main routes Borgarfjordsgatan and Torshamnsgatan, defining a place where the newly emerging Kista Äng district meets the existing built heritage of Kista, framed by a robust and substantial scale. The project has been developed in a close collaboration between the architects and the client; from the first idea and concept design, through planning stages, technical design and construction to on-site monitoring. The scheme responds to SKB’s long-term commitment to creating high-quality and sustainable living environments. Kista Äng is a regeneration development supervised by the Stockholm City Council, in collaboration with multiple developers and architects.

Season’s Greetings and best wishes for the New Year

Sometimes, a single step can feel overwhelming and difficult. This year, we’ve made huge strides and are feeling grateful and inspired by how far we have come.

We have worked together, brainstormed, workshopped, planned, designed, and improved projects every step of the way. We have had the privilege of contributing to and strengthening neighbourhoods, with new connections and healthier places, preserving and transforming what already exists.

We have had the pleasure to see people move into homes we designed, to engage in dialogue with future residents and users, and to focus on generous environments and buildings that contribute to a sustainable transition.

A huge thank you to everyone who has played a vital role in this journey. Your dedication and tireless efforts in realising our shared ideas and visions have been invaluable, especially in a year that has presented numerous challenges for the industry.