Sustainability Model for the World

Day Three; 08/01/2019

Waking up in the Generator, we once again had a simple yet delicious breakfast.  Day three in Stockholm was dedicated to learning about sustainable infrastructure and planning.  Our day started by heading to Slussen.  Slussenområdet is an area of central Stockholm, on the Söderström River connecting Södermalm and Gamla stan.  The area is named after the locks that were built in 1642 between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.  In 1935, the locks and area around it were rebuilt as a “four-leaf clover” road structure for motor vehicles to cross the waterway.  However, a recent survey of the concrete road structure found that it had a zero year life expectancy and was severely eroded, giving way to plans for new construction.  While in Slussen those in charge of constructing the "new Slussen", Stockholm stad, presented their masterplan for the construction which was being overseen by Foster and Partners.  Their overall goal is to rebuild Slussen so that it will become an “effective and safe juncture for both pedestrians, cyclists and public transport”.   By 2020 the hope is that it will be turned into one of Stockholm’s most attractive meeting spots with cultural events, entertainment venues, parks, restaurants, and cafes.  The most important part of this visit was to discover what Stockholm stad was doing with the project in order to make sure it was making the most sustainable and environmentally friendly decisions possible.  The architect and team decided to minimize the now twelve lane bridge to eight lanes, maximizing space for pedestrians and cyclists while also helping to restrict the number of vehicles that are going into the Old Town.  In addition, fish populations would be regulated through a series of dark lit tunnels with a slow for them to pass through the lock as well as controlling the flooding of water in order to create wetlands for migrating birds. The new Slussen once finished will provide a refreshing new feel to the city, returning it to its status as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world while also modernizing it.

Once again, lunch in Stockholm did not disappoint.  Our course meal commenced at Herman’s, a vegan buffet near Slussen.  I and many of the other students expressed that had it not been for the trip we were on, we would have never chosen to eat at this restaurant yet it was some of the best food we ate while in Stockholm.  Homemade bread, vegan butter, salads, vegan shepherds pie, and unlimited cups of coffee and tea.  We filled our plates and took in the view of the lake and the skyline.  While much of Scandinavian cuisine included meat and fish, vegetarian and vegan options seemed to be more readily available and crafted just as deliciously as the other menu choices.  Not only were veganism and vegetarianism practiced on part of animals, but also because of the environmental impacts.

After a fantastic lunch, we headed to Hammarby Sjöstad in order to look at another sustainability project going on within Stockholm.  The original plan for the village was to develop the former industrial area to an ecological sports arena and athlete’s village for the Olympics 2012.  The bid for the Olympics was lost to London, but architects decided to go along with the project allowing more time to perfect and build.  Still unfinished, the village implements and will continue to implement environmentally friendly infrastructure.  Visiting this village was amazing, almost something you see out of a utopian movie.  What struck the group most was the infrastructure put in place for the removal of trash.  The high-tech waste sorting and waste transportation system uses a vacuum waste suction system which disposes of a variety of waste including compostable and burnable waste.  In order to use the system, you bring your waste to an array of pipes where you separate your trash between plastic, paper, food, batteries, etc. and open a door which allows your trash to be sucked away.  When those who sort the trash at the plant found that inhabitants were not separating paper, as a burnable waste, from recyclable waste such as plastic they implemented special doors on certain pipes so that people had to think about what they placed in that vacuum.   Large-scale local wastewater and stormwater harvest and filtration were also implemented and now the Hammarby model is being mimicked around the world.  In addition to the sustainable and environmental aspects of  Hammarby Sjöstad, the village is absolutely beautiful.  With a simple modern aesthetic and a system of paths throughout, it also sits on the water which connects those who live there back to the environment that they are helping to save without truly ever having to think about it or change their habits.

After looking back on the two projects, it became apparent that they are using technology that has been implemented very little in America.  Both spaces emphasized their creation of green space in order to boost the happiness of the environment and the people who call that environment home.  With a longer timespan to perfect their construction, Hammarby Sjöstad seemed to have a better grasp on environmentally friendly solutions in order to make the village sustainable, including the recycling of rainwater.  However, both projects were executed in a way in which they could make (or save) money without putting the environment at risk and also making the city of Stockholm a model of sustainability for the rest of the world’s great cities.

Our last night in Stockholm was eventfully uneventful.  Before leaving Hammarby Sjöstad to go back to the center of Stockholm, we stopped at a local candy store.  The smells, the colors, it was amazing.  I did not indulge, but rather looked with my eyes.  We ended our night once again at the hostel bar since the city itself wasn’t too lively late on a Tuesday night.  With Christmas lights still strung and snow in the air, it was a sad goodbye to the city but most definitely a see you later.