Slussen

Slussen - Proposal by Foster & partners

Tuesday 12th April, the three alternatives for the future of Slussen were displayed in an exhibition at Hilton Hotel. In less than two months, there will be another exhibition and proposals will be consecutively put to public opinion by the city of Stockholm. These three are the municipality's proposal (Nya Slussen), restoration of existing structure and a third proposal Knutpunkt Slussen.   

Knutpunkt Slussen

Slussen is agreed upon almost by everyone as a problematic example of urban design. A variety of transportation modes (car, metro, bus, bicycles, passengers, etc.) have been placed together in a limited area where at the at the same time, the lock between Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren separates islands of Södermalm and Gamlastan in central Stockholm.

Reshaping of Slussen has been under discussion since 1970s and a master plan by Foster & Partners was approved by the city of Stockholm following a competition. The main emphasis of the design was separation of motor vehicles and passengers and increasing the overall height so as to compensate the excess of water level and eliminate future risks.
  

Among existing alternatives, Knutpunkt Slussen is quite radical and suggests digging all motorways and railroads down into the ground and freeing up the space for a central park and new construction. Hot debates are going on and deteriorated physical structure of Slussen urges for a resolute action.

Sources:

Wikipedia

http://www.dn.se/sthlm/slussen-under-park-i-nytt-motforslag

http://www.yimby.se/2009/04/foster-partners-och-berg-_726.html

http://knutpunktslussen.se/filer/file/Slussen%20inbjudan%20mail1.pdf