The Campus area of Karolinska Institutet in Solna dates back to the 1940s. Large parts of the area is characterized by a sensible city plan, signed Ture Ryberg, consisting of elevated houses in a park setting between pine trees and open spaces. Recently, new development with buildings in never tested scale emerges in the area´s edge zone towards Solnavägen. This development, a newly developed hospital area – KS – and the emerging Hagastaden will change the context and form new spaces and movements through the campus area.

The objective for the project assignment was to develop three park connections for the Campus: Tomtebodavägen, Nobels väg and Akademiska stråket. Our starting point was to refine characters by adding and strengthen the existing environment. Tomtabodavägen was developed to a “path in the park” with a bikepath and avenue plantings in the path´s beginning and end. Along Nobels väg an already well-functioning environment is refined with an addition of a bricks in the form of a path and a wall to enhance the orientation. Akademiska stråket is developed around tree parts – an open pelouse encircling the existing restaurant Jöns Jacob, a brand new series of spaces for activities close to the new lecture hall and a secret garden in what today is an old orchard. The tree parts of the connections are tied together by a wide swath themed with water, and at the highest point, an articulated meeting place for the entire campus is created.

The project assignment was a parallel study where the proposal made by LAND was chosen for further processing: From the jury report: “The proposal has a good analysis and suggests an articulated gesture for each path, which gives identity and orientates the visitor. The proposal has a distinct structure creating a strong overall character and unites the area in an appealing way. The design is carefully done and the details are comprehensible and worked out thoroughly. The proposal is very well elaborated. There is a meaning and a purpose for every suggested intervention.”