Strategic Development for Kurjoviken

Category> Planning; Illustration; Landscape.

Role> Internship at the planning department of Skellefteå Municipality.

Location> Kurjoviken, Skelleftehamn, Skellefteå, Sweden.

Year> summer 2024

Collaboration> Petra Jonsson, Johanna Nilsson, Cassandra Westerlund Kallifatides & Alexander Berggren

Skellefteå has experienced rapid growth since the battery industry Norrvolt was established there. With 300 new inhabitants each month (in the summer of 2024), the municipality is exploring multiple alternatives to address the challenges of such transformation.

We focused on developing the area of Kurjoviken, located by Skelleftehamn, the harbour, the river, and with an industrial history still present through the invisible pollution of the ground. The heavy metal pollution on multiple levels is very well known to the inhabitants. Also, stigmatisation and flooding risks are the starting points for this strategic planning proposal.

We proposed a strategic planning process that included the existing situation and its inhabitants. The process was developed in six phases.

  • Kurjoviken - Phase 1

    Phase 1 - Activation

  • Kurjoviken - Phase 2

    Phase 2 - Densification and improvements

  • Kurjoviken - Phase 3

    Phase 3 - Infrastructure

  • Kurjoviken - Phase 4

    Phase 4 - Bioremediation

  • Kurjoviken - Phase 5

    Phase 5 - A living Harbour

  • Kurjoviken - phase 6

    Phase 6 - Development

New floodable park

Main street

Activity park

New housing