Centrumstaden
Uppsala (SE) - Winner
TEAM DATA
Associates: Fabian Reppen (SE), Samuel Vilson (SE) – architects
fabian@reppenvilson.se / www.reppenvilson.se
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TEAM PORTRAIT
VIDEO (by the team)
INTERVIEW
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1. How do you define the main issues of your project in relation with the theme “Re-sourcing”? Re-sourcing thanks to nature, to social dynamics, to new materiality? In which way do you think your project can contribute to an ecological and/or social evolution? And in which way do you think your project can be called a “regenerative project”?
We understand Gottsunda Centre as a vibrant, well-used and appreciated area, while its demographic is relatively narrow with socioeconomically vulnerable groups. The area is car-oriented, dominated by 2–3 room apartments, and a centrally placed large scale centre building. The proposal is based on citizen dialogue, diverse public spaces, continuous green structures and as a last step, new buildings.
2. How did the issues of your design and the questions raised by the site mutation meet?
The proposal has emerged in the intersection between the centre building and its entrances, the planned tram stop and Stadspark in the north, existing buildings, paths and green structures, with the aim of creating clear yet open interfaces between public and private. New buildings support local needs by shaping linked public spaces connecting to the sites existing qualities.
PROJECT:
In a way, the question of how to relate to a place is constant: to find a balance between preserving and enhancing existing qualities while adding new values the place may currently lack, preferably in symbiosis with one another. No specific reference has been present, though many has passed by along the process. Examples are Karl-Marx Hof in Vienna, 50s Swedish housing units and experimentations on biodiverse walls by ChartierDalix.
SITE:
An implementation process is expected to be long, and any proposal will shape the site for many years to come. We see a key factor is to anchor the project through active local participation, generating a sense of belonging and ownership of the changes in the community. Dialogue with focus groups could begin soon, alongside isolated physical interventions such as the Greenhouse bridge, Cultivation square and the work on the Central axis.
REFERENCES:
We – Fabian and Samuel – who developed the proposal have been collaborating for a decade now and have been running our own practice together for the past four years. We have developed an intimate working method that combines an open and curious approach with short decision paths with an “under development” in-depth understanding of the complexity of the built environment.
6. How could this prize help you in your professional career?
Our hope is that the Europan 18 outcome will give us the opportunity to further develop the proposal in close collaboration with Uppsala Municipality, Hemmaplan, and the residents of Gottsunda, enriching and refining the place now and over time. In a broader perspective, we hope the result will open doors to projects of similar character and scale in Uppsala, Sweden, and Europe.
TEAM IDENTITY
Legal status: Aktiebolag
Team name: Reppen Vilson
Average age of the associates: 33,5 years old
Has your team, together or separately, already conceived or implemented some projects and/or won any competition? if so, which ones?
We have previously won an open competition for a new water tower in Hemmesta (2024) and have completed several smaller-scale projects. These include Villa Näset (2020–24) and Villa Asknäs (2022–24).
WORKS:
