Krabbe

Background

 

The Wernstedt Sketch is an annual competition at Chalmers University of Technology. This year, the aim was to design a waiting pavilion for the shuttle boats that arrive and depart at Järnvågen, Gothenburg. 

 

The program asked for a building with both climatized and outdoor areas. The footprint of the climatized areas were limited to sixty square meters, while the canopy-covered outdoor areas were limited to thirty square meters. 

 

Urban Serenity was awarded second prize with the following motivation of the jury. 

 

“The ennobled shed, the primitive hut, taken to the urban context is here understood as an all-brick building. Symmetrical and confident, under the unified roof, rests an enclosed waiting area, accessible in three directions. The waiting area opens up to the water allowing views of the approaching ferry. The toilet is symmetrically duplicated giving a solid backdrop landside. The enclosed space adds little new to the understanding of the art of waiting, but it brings a shelter of precision, a monument of the ordinary. A poem of construction of bricks.”

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Concept

 

The proposal takes its starting point within the hectic and bustling environment of Gothenburg, by noting that its inhabitants are rarely given any serenity. While the typical solution is to escape to a recreational park, this proposal is aiming for the every-day by offering commuters a daily moment of urban serenity at Järnvågen. 

 

Commuters enter through gaps within the enclosed arcade, leaving the presence of the bustling city behind. Instead, the enclosure frames & empowers the presence of the river. 

 

The high-pitched ceiling invites the commuters to take a seat and enjoy the view, moreover drawing the attention towards the sky through the oculus. 

 

The two empowered views both share a static quality without distractions that rather allows for the subconscious reflection to occur; a daily moment of urban serenity until the ferry arrives.