Visit to the North: Stockholm

I was lucky enough to see the King of Sweden on his way to meet the Italian President

The Stockholm vibe to me was the Kingdom of the North. In mid November is gets dark at 3:30 in the afternoon and it is always chilly. The city is made of solid, stately buildings on dramatic rocky bluffs and impressive views across the many waterways. It felt like Swedes could be humble and friendly because they are confident they have built a great country, exemplified by their capital, Stockholm.

Downtown

Our visit to Stockholm started with an architectural landmark, the city library. My architecture student friends told me they learned about it a week after I switched out of the architecture program for landscape architecture! I love the clarity of the concept of the building: a circle inside a square. The walls of the main room are completely lined with books, a nice way to highlight the main feature of a library. The multicolored spines and warm wood tones made for a cozy yet grand experience.

Stockholm's Stadsbibliotek or City Library by architect Gunnar Asplund 1928

Continuing the theme of everyday grandeur, instead of bollards or planters, Stockholm marks pedestrian zones with large, stylized lions. They also work well as benches or somewhere to set your things for a moment. You can buy a small paperweight version in a train station design shop which revealed they were designed by a Swede.

The Stockholm lions both functionally and symbolically mark pedestrian zones

A large slice along the pedestrian shopping street creates the largest plaza in the city and entry to a lower level including the central metro station and a mall. This design came out of modernist planning and was realized in the 1960s. To me it was a great example of the what a major and simple design move can do on the urban scale. I'd like to experience how it functions in everyday life, but I have to say I was impressed by the initial view and it's interesting to occupy the city at different levels. 

Sergels Torv, the main square of Stockholm

Sergels Torv lower level

A Biodynamic Wonderland

Going back to things for which Swedes should be proud, Rosendals Tradgard is biodynamic farm that connects people to sustainable agriculture. I arrived at the same time as an elementary school class that got a lesson from a gardener dressed up in a fuzzy hood and cape seen in the background of this picture. Was she supposed to be a bird?

The planting design had a beautiful composition of color and texture even in the winter

The Tradgard complex includes fields, garden "rooms," a cafe, playground, hedged labyrinth, shops for plants, crafts and garden products, a bakery, and art pieces. There is lots to do and see and while people are there enjoying the Instagram-friendly consumer experiences, they slowly realize that "everything is connected" as the brochure points out.

An art piece. This is a corner of a larger field in several ways

Planting design in the herb garden features unique colors and textures

A very cute insect hotel in which every apartment is unique, probably the result of a workshop

The brochure said that many people learn about Rosendals Tradgard through the cafe but then realize that everything here is connected. They give subtle hints like having chard on the tables instead of flowers.

Plants for sale are arranged in inspiring compositions

A Green Neighborhood

Hammarby Sjöstad is a model sustainable urban development project. It's website outlines its key "lessons":

1. Sustainable urban development requires a holistic approach. 
2. Prioritize densifying areas that are adjacent to the city, even if these are brownfields. 
3. Various departments from the government, private sector, and academia must all be deeply involved in the planning process. 
4. A variety of channels (design and financial) must be used to change behaviors and mindsets. 
5. Life-cycle assessments can reveal the true value of high environmental design standards.

A constructed wetland with an attempt at a floating wetland in the upper settling pond

The soft edge of the lake with a public boardwalk

Public boardwalks just past the emergent vegetation

A stepped structure on the inside and out is a landmark of the new district

The Archipelago

On the last day of our trip we took a two-hour ferry ride to Grinda, a beautiful island of the archipelago of which Stockholm is part. I love clever Swedish design like this shelter near the ferry dock. The slats let in light from the back and give a view to the water and even turn into a bench on the front side. 

Shelter by the ferry dock was funded by the EU

And as a huge bonus, I got to experience this all with my friends and fellow Valle Scholars Kelsey, Veronica, and Greg (not pictured). Thanks for a trip, guys, it was grand!

Kelsey and Veronica after being dropped off on Grinda, inhabited by only one other person.