A development plan for one of Scandinavia's largest shopping centres, aimed at transforming a modernist, auto-centric retail hub, to a mixed-use, destination neighbourhood.

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Kungens kurva development plan

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Developed in the 1960's as an industrial and retail district south-west of Central Stockholm, Kungens Kurva is known for being home to the world’s second-largest IKEA store. Today over 30 million people visit the iconic round Ikea, and other surrounding retail outlets, making it one of Stockholm's most successful retail hubs.

As specified in the Regional development plan for Stockholm 2050, this car-oriented and retail-driven environment will be transformed into a green urban district, a vibrant destination introducing a variety of functional programs to complement the existing retail program. Given its location and infill potential, Kungens Kurva has great urban development potential and which, together with neighbouring Skärholmen, will become increasingly important as a regional urban center.

Mandaworks worked closely together with Huddinge Municipality to create a comprehensive development plan that would guide the development of the area over the coming decades. The new vision aims to ensure long-term sustainable urban development and a coherent planning direction while remaining flexible to be able to meet future changing conditions and new challenges.

Kungens Kurva’s character as a national, regional, and local destination remains and its accessibility is further strengthened. To maintain the area’s attractiveness, the retail functions will be developed on a compressed scale and the district will be supplemented with housing, workplaces, supporting services, and other destinations. Kungens Kurva is more strongly linked to Skärholmen and benefits from the total number of people moving through the area. The vision for Kungens Kurva is a vibrant urban district where people can meet, live and work. The area has unique green qualities and the proximity of nature is further strengthened through supporting green qualities within the structure as well as creating entrances to the neighbouring nature reserve.

To meet the challenges of the future and reach the vision, the development plan is based on four thematic strategies, which address different sub-aspects of the development (the built structure, mobility, green structure, and identity). The strategies guide the transformation of Kungens Kurva from a functionally separated external retail area to an attractive, mixed-use urban district.