Foster + Companions Wins Competitors to Design Central Station in Stockholm

Foster + Partners Wins Competition to Design Central Station in Stockholm

An integrated team led by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Marge Arkitekter have won a design competition for the redevelopment of Stockholm’s central station, Sweden’s largest transportation facility. The winning design aims to bring together several modes of transport in an integrated hub, while prioritizing pedestrian circulation and creating a new mixed-use urban district that combines old and new architecture.

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Having been built in 1871, the station now caters to more passengers than it was originally designed for. In addition to the existing number of passengers, the city’s future plans include further increasing the number of trains coming into the city, which will also catalyze the rejuvenation of Stockholm’s central district. The new district, which is built mostly over the existing tracks, will connect the surrounding streets to create an active and safe public realm that will stitch together the east and west sides of the city without impacting the historic skyline. The winning masterplan also includes a new public square, allowing the station to become a natural part of the urban fabric.

Inspired by the scale and colors of Klara’s buildings, the southern area of Stockholm’s center, the design builds on the existing urban layout to create an array of dynamic mixed-use functions. The proposal recreates the historic Station Railway Park on the southern side, forming a new meeting place in the city center with views over the old town of Gamla stan, Södermalm, and the City Hall. The design also narrows the Klarabergsgatan Viaduct to create a natural extension of the historic central waiting hall and reduce traffic flow. The master plan also allows for the possibility of extending the tunnel to provide underground connections in the future, bringing together four modes of transport to create a single intermodal station. 

As the world’s collective focus shifts to more sustainable ways of living, working and travelling, it is vital that we enhance and redevelop our transport nodes and repair and connect the urban fabric around them. We look forward to developing these proposals with Jernhusen, Trafikverket and the City of Stockholm over the coming months. — Luke Fox, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners

The project team includes LAND Arkitektur, Thornton Tomasetti, Ramboll, Wenanders and TAM Group. Covering the track area and doubling passenger capacity is scheduled for planning consultations in 2023.

Last autumn, Foster + Partners were shortlisted for the second round of Budapest’s international design competition for the comprehensive renewal of the Budapest Nyugati Railway Station and its surroundings. Budapest Development Agency (BFK) launched the initiative to expand the train station’s capacity in order to reach Budapest’s railway transport goals of doubling the number of trains on the suburban and metropolitan network.