Kyrkviken’s Strand

Masterplanning a small town waterfront

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The small town of Arvika’s industrial waterfront is undergoing a transformation. The Town commissioned a project to develop a cohesive vision for the area. The site is vital for the town because it connects Arvika’s downtown, central train station and waterfront together.

Kyrkviken’s Strand creates an urban structure by extending the Arvika’s strong and robust grid. The new structure binds old and new; connecting to the existing public space network, introducing a mix of building typologies and opening up the waterfront.  As the grid approaches the waterfront it is twisted and compressed to provide maximum space and views for the public realm. The new shoreline invites the residents and visitors to experience the qualities of when small town urbanity meets the Kyrkviken Bay landscape.

The waterfront is strategically activated early on through the use of citizens initiatives and temporary interventions. In harmony with the area’s overall vision, the citizens’ ideas and the first practical steps of the urban plan are implemented to give the community an inspiring push into the future by the simple means.