Sweden
Evaluation
Daniaparken is, by Swedish standards, a very large
and costly project. The design and construction in this
district have higher quality standards than is usual.
It is a kind of adaptive reuse project that at present
occupies several landscape architects in the country
and that has become something of a speciality for
Thorbjörn Andersson: to transform a landscape pro-
duced by prior human use, where old structures might
have been removed or still occupy the site. This raises
some interesting questions when approaching the
design process, for example, do we destroy the exist-
ing cultural landscape and replace it with another? Or
do we keep the structure but modify the function?
In the case of Daniaparken there were very few
remaining structures and elements on site. Although
the land was formerly an industrial area, it was com-
pletely cleared and filled. In this respect, Daniaparken
is not a typical project of Andersson’s work. In other
respects it is, on the contrary, very typical in its ana-
lytical and simple concept, its predilection for linear
structures, the sensibility of its detailing and its use
of local materials (mainly granite).
Andersson explains about his general guidelines of
design as follows:
I want five strong design ideas in a project.
They are the basic principles. I can accept to
let go of two. Three strong ideas could still
make a good design, but it is difficult to keep
up the quality with less ... It is not only my
responsibility, but my obligation to produce
a project with an acceptable level of quality
... During my first years in practice, this was
a burden. In course of time it has become a
little easier, I presume experience helps.^8
The design concept, or scheme, of Daniaparken is
very simple – a linear overall structure with hard
surfaces along the shore and the border to the
buildings, an elongated grass field without any
specific assignments of use and a few features that
have a strong attraction to visitors. A problem with
a striped structure – a landscape of ribbons – is the
lack of relationship across the lines. In Daniaparken
you can sense this lack of relation across the Lawn.
At present, the walk along the east border feels
remote from the city, but this might change over
time, when the district is more dense and has more
buildings. And, of course, the waterfront has a very
strong attraction that is difficult to compete with.
One opinion about the park is that it has a very seri-
ous atmosphere, almost sacred. Andersson does
not oppose this opinion, but argues that landscape
architecture does not necessarily have to be amus-
ing in itself. It is a framework, a background where
people should have fun and be funny. The landscape
design is for the people, not contrariwise.
