Slussen is falling apart
Stockholm has to be rebuilt. That has been a fact since 1980s. The present plan of Slussen has gotten many complains. The majority of the people do not want new buildings occupying the view. Exploding this public place and selling its spaces to companies and property owners to be able to finance the reconstruction of Slussen. Are the people willing to pay through taxes in order to save the view?
In October 1935 the construction of the present Slussen was completed. Engineer Gösta Lundborg and architect Tage William-Olsson was behind the idea of a traffic unit in three plans as a design of a cloverleaf shape which was the first one built in Sweden.
The Future of Slussen has been a hot topic for several years. In the 1980s it was discovered that the poles that Slussen are built on is sinking. In 1991 one of many architectural competitions was launched.
In 2004 another architect competition for Slussen was held. The winning draft in this competition did not rise any enthusiastic cheering. In fact, many people criticized whether it was right to replace the cloverleaf solution with the suggested bridge between Södermalm and Gamla Stan.
In 2008 the Swedish politicians decided that Slussen is going to be replaced by something completely new. But the new Slussen will not look like the winning draft from 2004. This subject of rebuilding Slussen has interested many of Stockholm’s habitants.
- Slussen is an incomparable place. Do not waste the golden opportunity, says Kjell Carlsson.
What he means is that we should use the openness and the unique view of the horizon with its sunsets and sunrises. The new buildings would ruin this. Kjell Carlsson is an architect working at Visby arkitektgrupp’s office in Gamla Stan. He lives on Södermalm and bicycle for work, passing Slussen daily.
Today, most politicians are not happy with the plans for Slussen. But they all agree that one building or some buildings must be struck off to save the view and the open space of Slussen. They do not wish the view to disappear and are prepared to put more of the city’s money to reduce the amount of buildings on Slussen. Stockholm is unique in that way that you can see the nature with water and mountains. Slussen is a great example of this and it would be a shame to ruin it, some people say. Others are positive to the changes of Slussen like the Swedish political party Center. They do not think the view is the most important in this case. It is more important that Slussen will become a place full of life and new opportunities. Slussen has become a dangerous place for travelers that are passing here. Slussen are literally falling apart even after the repair last year that cost 12 million kronor. In April this year an iron beam fell down on a salesman of bread, Pär Hallin. The man got driven to the hospital, Södersjukhuset.
- The doctor told me I must have an guardian angel and that I probably would not of survived if the iron beam had fell on me with the pointed side downwards, says Pär Hallin.
He made it with five stitches, a concussion and pain in the head, back of the head and his arm.
- There are thousands of people traveling there every day. They have to fix this, says Pär Hallin.
Politicians and the people in charge of the reconstruction of Slussen are still debating how Slussen should look like. They are all certain of one thing; Slussen must be rebuilt. But how?
Sources:
Kjell Carlsson, arkitekt VISBYARK
http://www.dn.se/sthlm/socialdemokraterna-vill-bygga-nytt-landmarke-vid-slussen-1.1034394
http://www.dn.se/sthlm/del-av-slussen-foll-pa-forsaljare-1.1076532
http://www.direktpress.se/sodermalmsnytt/Asikt/Debatt/Ar-det-sa-har-vi-vill-ha-Slussen/
pictures:
(old picture) http://www.stockholmskallan.se/index.php?sokning=2&action=visaPost&foto=true&fritext=slussens+invigning&start=0&mediaId=4398&post=0
(fly picture) http://www.stockholmskallan.se/index.php?sokning=1&action=visaPost&fritext=slussen+flygbild&start=0&mediaId=4449&post=6
Report written by:
Julia Bahri and Emilie Lefèvre
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