In spite of the proximity to the water the city does not always make use of this quality. Fisktorget is a plaza facing the sea and has traditionally been the market place for selling fish. Once also market hall stood here for such purposes, although torn down in the 1960s. The plaza has since been left open and unarticulated, separating the city from its waters rather than taking use of it.
The 17th century city Karlskrona is situated in southern Sweden and is a Unesco World Heritage. Originally designed as a naval base, it is surrounded by the water of the Baltic sea. This is the place where a Soviet Submarine accidentally stranded in 1981.
The restoration project has meant reclaiming the urban contact with the water, adding attraction to the city of Karlskrona. The plaza has a clean design not to compete with the splendid views towards the archipelago. A granite floor has been edged with a L-shaped wooden deck that hangs out over the water. It is a fairly small landscape intervention that has made a big difference for urban life in Karlskrona. Seating, trees and secluded corners are part of the design, as well as a granite/glass sculpture, “Doldrums”, by artist Pål Svensson.
Fisktorget Plaza | Karlskrona Sweden | Thorbjörn Andersson with Sweco Architects
Landscape design: Thorbjörn Andersson, Sweco architects.
Design team: PeGe Hillinge, Andreas Johansson.
Artist: Pål Svensson
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