
LOCATION
Arvika, Sweden
DATE
2015
SIZE
20.7 ha
TYPE
Invited land use competition
STATUS
Assignment completed
CLIENT
Town of Arvika
PROJECT TEAM
Patrick Verhoeven, Martin Arfalk, Nicholas Bigelow, Danny Bridson, Andrei Deacu, Sevasti Gektidou, Maria Gregorio, Chuhan Zhang
COLLABORATORS
Adept Architects
Kyrkviken’s Strand
Masterplanning a small town waterfront
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.



Phase 1
A proactive phasing strategy invigorates the waterfront from day 1

Opening up
Tapered waterfront blocks maximise views and create public rooms on the shoreline


Central axis
The pool at the waterfront Is a key part of the Centre - Station - Bay axis




Extending the grid
New and old city structure’s blend together to form a cohesive whole