Following our first visit to Kista, it was evident that there is a disconnect between the different parts of Kista, both within and between the built and the natural environment. This was further brought up in our conversation with Bling and Kista Science city where the district was described as having a cold and a warm area, with a mental barrier between the two. The warm area, being the residential, feels accessible and familiar while the cold business hub seems empty and unwelcoming. Our vision for the future of Kista will bridge that gap, bringing more of the residents into the business hub, creating a more unified area with a stronger identity. The goal is to work off the quadruple helix model where academia, business, research, and residents can find a common ground and benefit equally from the city scape. By looking at the changes in office culture and what is expected and demanded from the spaces, they can no longer compete with working from home, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Working through a timeline our vision starts with activating the business hub by incorporating restaurants, bars, and music venues in the existing buildings that bring life to the area even after office hours. Alongside this we're creating new green corridors that link existing and new parks, creating a more fluid, comfortable and inviting way to walk through the district. In these green spaces we are also proposing temporary structures that can be outdoor cinemas, bars or meeting places for the different actors in Kista. By placing these in the “cold” area we are inviting more people in the community to go there. Looking more long term, we're imagining the future of office work taking place in a mix-use buildings where residential, work and play can co-exist. Since a lot of office buildings are unused today, they can be reused and reworked to make the area more attractive to live and work in. Both within and between these buildings new ecosystems arise and exiting meetings can take place where business, research and academia can collaborate and share recourses.
Authors
karin wiman / berta meironaite / august achtman
Guests
amir sebdani, bling startups / mikaela fänqvist, kista science city
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