Daniaparken, Malmö
Thorbjörn Andersson in charge, was declared the
winner. The following quotation is from the jury’s
assessment:
The connection and exposition to the sea has
been given new dimensions without com-
promise in the control of the four elements.
Strong design elements forms events and
space in a large overall design. A unique out-
door environment in a project to be remem-
bered.^2The design process and the construction of the park
had a tight schedule due to the date of the opening
of the exposition. Daniaparken can be compared
to Strandparken in Copenhagen, which is similar in
size and is also located in an urban environment,
the initiative and the design process were different,
but both resulting parks have proved equally popular
with the citizens.
Design philosophy
Thorbjörn Andersson has, in his book Places. plat-
ser (2002), given his own views on landscape
architecture and the role of the landscape architect.
The American landscape architect and theorist Marc
Treib has interpreted the landscape architecture of
T. Andersson in an article published in the same
book,^3 where he also gives a more general view of
Swedish landscape design traditions and character-
istics. The following is partly drawn from the book,
but with some supplementary reflections.Andersson claims that landscape architecture has
a social mission. The main issue is to design public
open space that is durable, in terms of both form
and materials, for many years to come. The places
should give a reflection of our culture, our present,
our mutual aspirations and the kind of city life peo-
ple desire. To handle the complexity is not easy, but
if you make the existing site a starting point and add
a layer to fulfil the needs, you have set the basis for
the design. The work of the designer should not be
a reflection of his or her personality, but of people
living their everyday lives on the site, in the city.These ideas of design restraint and understatement
position Andersson in a long-standing tradition in
Swedish landscape architecture. Like the Stockholm
School and Swedish Romantic Modernism, the
design is propelled by social purpose and a predi-8.6
Early perspective sketch of the east promenade