Malmo Western Harbour (Vaestra Hamnen)


The ecological district was built for a housing exhibition in 2001 it is part of the first phase in an ongoing plan to brand Malmo as a pioneering city in sustainable living. It's aim is to lead the way in environmental adaptation and social sustainability. It was transformed from a former industrial site into a trend-setting ecological district.

The Turning Torso is an iconic piece of architecture which acts as a magnet for initial attraction drawing people to the district.

Ecological sustainability - The architecture is a mix of styles as different firms were employed onto the project. Many people criticised this and felt that it caused a lack of order and felt no connecting link. I felt that this actually strengthened the landscape design, as a running theme of water became the strongest linking element.  However, whatever the opinion of the facades it is the underlying principles that  are most interesting. The buildings are competing against one another to be the pioneer of the newest and greenest technology. All the energy used in the area is produced locally. Renewable forms of energy are used, such as wind and solar power and ground and seawater heat extraction.

The housing opens out to the sea front revealing a fantastic view over to copenhagen. However, my criticism would be that the housing is designed in such a way that the tallest buildings are on the sea front, in the aim to create pockets of shelter within the housing complex. This is successful but obviously disastrous if you would like to sit on the sea front where now a vortex of wind is created and on a cold wet day can be rather uncomfortable. 

Grey-water and surface run-off was collected and moved through a system of open reed beds. This feature ran through the district linking the spaces together in a very attractive and innovative way. 


Laura Parsons