Erik Giudice Architecture has unveiled its proposal for a transit station at Södra Munksjön, in Jönköping,Sweden, a design that was created as an entry for the station area ideas competition.
In Order to connect the city and its surrounding nature together,the station proposal aims to create a portal from Jönköping to Munksjön, a lake on its opposite side.
The philosophy behind the design is based on the connection between the city of Jönköping and surrounding nature demonstrated through the use of a light and playful wooden canopy structure, partly transparent and open towards the city on one side and Munksjön lake on the other. The matchstick structure pays homage to the city’s past as Tändsticksstaden, famous matchstick capital of Sweden.
Courtesy of Erik Giudice Architecture
The use of wood and curbed, creates irregular surfaces helping to absorb and diffuse noise from the train and other traffic and adds to a more peaceful atmosphere, a place where people are invited to linger and relax – said the architects.
Nature is calming and soothing. Lush urban green is a perfect match for a busy transit hub. Evidence is mounting on the how effective urban nature is by calming and refocusing the stressed and hyper busy mind. With trees we bring immediate visual exposure of nature – and flowering plants and shrubs draw in birds and insects and thus sounds of nature. This complements the organic wood structure ‘our living room in the forest’ and makes it truly come to life
Transparency and openness helps sunlight reach below the cover and onto the platforms and other areas, ensuring that all areas of the station have access to light with entrance areas on all sides, making the spaces above as well as below the viaduct feel safe and secure for all users – described the architects.
Courtesy of Erik Giudice Architecture
The lower level of the station will host a number of different uses including ticket offices, shops, cafes and restaurants. It is where other modes of transportation connect with and within the train station. It has been designed to favour easy access for all users and a good flow of both pedestrian and motorized traffic in and around the station through the use of wide sidewalks, large entrance areas and transparency which offers excellent visual orientation.
Courtesy of Erik Giudice Architecture
project info:
Architect: Erik giudice architecure
Client: Jönköping municipality
Team: systra (urban/rail public transport civil engineering), noema culture & place mapping (cultural planning), calluna (urban ecology)
Program: station area
Dates: 2016 competition
Surface: 10 000 m2
Isabelle Laurent is a Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, recognized for her editorial insight and passion for contemporary architecture. She holds a Master’s in Architectural Theory from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Before joining Arch2O in 2016, she worked in a Paris-based architectural office and taught as a faculty adjunct at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Isabelle focuses on curating projects around sustainability, adaptive reuse, and urban resilience. With a background in design and communication, she brings clarity to complex ideas and plays a key role in shaping Arch2O’s editorial