White: For a long time, the square Kungsbacka Torg acted as a car park which left little space for hustle and bustle. Now, the square has been transformed back into a meeting place for the town’s inhabitants. The design of the square respects its history, but reflects modern life. A chequered pattern defines the spaces and creates a bond with the surrounding properties. It also respects the town’s old grid pattern of roads. The chequered pattern creates flexibility, ensuring that the square can be used for many different purposes. The granite covering is varied, marking out main walkways along streets and façades. The square is once again a place where meetings happen. A natural stage for hosting events has been created and Norra Torggatan, one of the streets running along the square, has been pedestrianised, allowing space for open-air cafés. The old church ruins are marked out using a different ground covering than the chequered pattern of the square. Simple benches are positioned close together, like a sculpture inspired by the old church pews, to further demarcate the location of the old church.
In contrast to the hard surface of the square, the southern part is home to a grove of cherry trees. The canopy of the trees helps create a square that changes with the seasons. White also designed two pavilions on Kungsbacka Torg as well as the square’s lighting design.
Landscape Architecture: White Arkitekter
Client: Kungsbacka Municipality
Project start/end: 2009 – 2012
Completed: 2012
Area/size: 7,500 sqm
Cost: 22 million SEK
Photographer/illustrator: White
Team: Sam Keshavarz, Paula Mackenzie, Ulla Antonsson, Mikaela Åström Forsgren