Skärholmens Center was inaugurated in 1968 as part of the Million Programme. The area is defined today by the planning of the 60’s and 70’s, with traffic separation, motorway ramps and level crossings, but also a relatively low and dense scale with downtown facilities, alleys, squares, and meeting places.

Together with White Architects and Tyréns Traffic, we developed a structure plan for the transformation of Skärholmen’s central areas into a dense urban environment with a fine network of interconnecting streets and mixed use. The area is one of the eight zones highlighted in the Fokus Skärholmen project and it is strategic for the future regional node Skärholmen – Kungens Kurva.

Within the assignment we developed two alternative scenarios for a cohesive and well-integrated urban development, to be compared with a minimal measure alternative. The integration of the new multimodal node and of the future tramline “Spårväg Syd” into the urban structure has been an important issue throughout the work.

The structure plan is based on six urban design strategies that aim to (1) transform the area’s traffic arteries – Skärholmsvägen and Vårbergsvägen – into urban streets and to (2) develop a cohesive network of meeting places and (3) green spaces, while integrating (4) the new multimodal node and Spårväg Syd within the city structure. The downgrading of car traffic in favour of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport opens for (5) densifying the city centre area with new building blocks that shape the urban spaces, and which (6) add new mixed uses that enrich the existing offer.

Supported by the structure plan, a detailed development plan for Måsholmstorget and parts of Vårbergsvägen is currently being carried out, with the process having started in November 2020, and consultation planned for the autumn of 2021.