Norr Mälarstrand
Encyclopedia
Norr Mälarstrand is a street on Kungsholmen
in central Stockholm
, Sweden
. Bordering Riddarfjärden
, the eastern-most bay of Lake Mälaren
, Norr Mälarstrand is a southbound boulevard
stretching 1,4 km (4.500 ft) west from the Stockholm City Hall
to the southern end of the street Sankt Eriksgatan. The most notable structures along the street are the series of functionalist
residential buildings lined-up along its western part. The park facing the waterfront south of the street is popular for walks.
A first proposal for a boulevard
on the location in 1863–64, intended to embellish the area with a westbound entrance to the city similar to Strandvägen
, the simultaneously proposed eastbound boulevard which, in contrast to the former, was actually built and became the grandiose front of the eastern district Östermalm. For Norr Mälarstrand, however, it would take another half-century before construction work on the Stockholm City Hall
(1911–23) resulted in the urbanization
of the area.
A garrison of engineers stationed along the shore prevented an extension of the street until they were relocated elsewhere in the early 1920s. By that time, new garden cities
in the suburbs had resulted in an increasing need for new western approach into the city. In 1928 the city bought the land from the Crown and a plan for the area designed by Albert Lilienberg the same year was accepted in 1930. Stepped gables
then present were removed and replaced by the evenly spaced functionalist silhouettes — the nine floors of which resulted in comparisons with cities in America and the epithet "Manhattan of Stockholm".
The traditional dark, enclosed city blocks were opened up south and made into public parks, inviting light, air, and people in. A park designed by Erik Glemme was realised south of the street which transformed the street into a modern "riverside drive". The park forms the first section of a series of parks stretching west across Kungsholmen — a style of urban parks known as the "Stockholm Style" (Stockholmsstilen) which was internationally acknowledge at the time. The buildings, most of them completed within two years, were adorned with characteristic Functionalist details, such as windows on corners, accentuated balconies, and flat roofs. Many of the buildings are, however, also adorned with classical details
, including a building designed by architect Ragnar Östberg
, an ambivalence which reflects the transition from the National Romantic
Swedish architecture of the 1920s to the Functionalism introduced with the Stockholm Exhibition 1930.
Björn Hedvall, an architect who had realised the first Functionalist building on the street before 1930, is responsible for three of the southbound properties and more than a dozen of the other buildings in the blocks. On the John Ericssonsgatan street, architect Sven Markelius
designed a radically new residential concept for collective accommodation. Influenced by the ideas of Alva
and Gunnar Myrdal
, the building, constructed 1934–35, featured small flats with many shared utilities throughout the building, including a food elevator bringing telephone-ordered diners up from the restaurant on the ground floor; a chute for laundry; cleaning staff; and kindergartens. While this was one of the first such projects realised in Europe, a new concept which appealed to the radical intellectuals who settled there, the 50 apartments were served by 22 employees — a luxury few could afford.
Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of Stockholm City. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland....
in central Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Bordering Riddarfjärden
Riddarfjärden
Riddarfjärden, literally the Knight Firth, is a bay of Lake Mälaren in central Stockholm. Stockholm was founded in 1252 on an island in the stream where Lake Mälaren drains into the Baltic Sea . The island is today called Stadsholmen and constitutes Stockholm's Old Town...
, the eastern-most bay of Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
, Norr Mälarstrand is a southbound boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
stretching 1,4 km (4.500 ft) west from the Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm in Sweden. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It houses offices and conference rooms as well as...
to the southern end of the street Sankt Eriksgatan. The most notable structures along the street are the series of functionalist
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
residential buildings lined-up along its western part. The park facing the waterfront south of the street is popular for walks.
History
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
on the location in 1863–64, intended to embellish the area with a westbound entrance to the city similar to Strandvägen
Strandvägen
Strandvägen is a boulevard on Östermalm in central Stockholm, Sweden. Completed just in time for the Stockholm World's Fair 1897, it quickly became known as one of the most prestigious addresses in town....
, the simultaneously proposed eastbound boulevard which, in contrast to the former, was actually built and became the grandiose front of the eastern district Östermalm. For Norr Mälarstrand, however, it would take another half-century before construction work on the Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm in Sweden. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It houses offices and conference rooms as well as...
(1911–23) resulted in the urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
of the area.
A garrison of engineers stationed along the shore prevented an extension of the street until they were relocated elsewhere in the early 1920s. By that time, new garden cities
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
in the suburbs had resulted in an increasing need for new western approach into the city. In 1928 the city bought the land from the Crown and a plan for the area designed by Albert Lilienberg the same year was accepted in 1930. Stepped gables
Crow-stepped gable
A Stepped gable, Crow-stepped gable, or Corbie step is a stair-step type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building...
then present were removed and replaced by the evenly spaced functionalist silhouettes — the nine floors of which resulted in comparisons with cities in America and the epithet "Manhattan of Stockholm".
The traditional dark, enclosed city blocks were opened up south and made into public parks, inviting light, air, and people in. A park designed by Erik Glemme was realised south of the street which transformed the street into a modern "riverside drive". The park forms the first section of a series of parks stretching west across Kungsholmen — a style of urban parks known as the "Stockholm Style" (Stockholmsstilen) which was internationally acknowledge at the time. The buildings, most of them completed within two years, were adorned with characteristic Functionalist details, such as windows on corners, accentuated balconies, and flat roofs. Many of the buildings are, however, also adorned with classical details
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
, including a building designed by architect Ragnar Östberg
Ragnar Östberg
Ragnar Östberg was a Swedish architect who is most famous for designing Stockholm City Hall. He is the most famous architect within the so-called "national romanticist" movement in Sweden...
, an ambivalence which reflects the transition from the National Romantic
National Romantic Style
The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the national romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th century. Designers turned to early Medieval and even prehistoric precedents to construct a style appropriate to the perceived character of a people...
Swedish architecture of the 1920s to the Functionalism introduced with the Stockholm Exhibition 1930.
Björn Hedvall, an architect who had realised the first Functionalist building on the street before 1930, is responsible for three of the southbound properties and more than a dozen of the other buildings in the blocks. On the John Ericssonsgatan street, architect Sven Markelius
Sven Markelius
Sven Gottfrid Markelius was one of the most important modernist Swedish architects. Markelius played an important role in the post-war urban planning of Stockholm, for example in the creation of the model suburb of Vällingby .Born in Stockholm in October 1889, he attended the Royal Institute of...
designed a radically new residential concept for collective accommodation. Influenced by the ideas of Alva
Alva Myrdal
Alva Myrdal was a Swedish sociologist and politician. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982. She married Gunnar Myrdal in 1924....
and Gunnar Myrdal
Gunnar Myrdal
Karl Gunnar Myrdal was a Swedish Nobel Laureate economist, sociologist, and politician. In 1974, he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences with Friedrich Hayek for "their pioneering work in the theory of money and economic fluctuations and for their penetrating analysis of the...
, the building, constructed 1934–35, featured small flats with many shared utilities throughout the building, including a food elevator bringing telephone-ordered diners up from the restaurant on the ground floor; a chute for laundry; cleaning staff; and kindergartens. While this was one of the first such projects realised in Europe, a new concept which appealed to the radical intellectuals who settled there, the 50 apartments were served by 22 employees — a luxury few could afford.