Sweco finalist in prestigious international competition

Sweco is one of five multidisciplinary corporate groups chosen to take part in a prestigious competition to design a new community for 30,000 residents in Edmonton, Canada. The community will be planned on the site of a now closed airport.

Interest in the project has been overwhelming, with 33 well known corporate groups submitting applications for prequalification.

Sweco has been chosen for the competition thanks to the company's internationally acclaimed experience in sustainable urban development. Ulf Ranhagen, a Professor at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and Chief Architect at Sweco, has previously gained widespread attention for his expertise in urban development, among other things in China.

“We are delighted at this opportunity to create an example in another northerly region. We will be taking up the thread from our Toronto project in 2004-2005, but can now contribute all the new experience in sustainable urban development that we are continuously accumulating in different parts of the world,” says Ulf Ranhagen.

Ulf Ranhagen sees potential to create a sustainable “Winter City” and notes that Canada and Sweden have many shared references from a sociocultural and climate perspective.

“The chance to work in collaboration between broad multidisciplinary architectural and engineering firms in both countries is especially inspiring,” says Ulf Ranhagen.

Sweco will be teamed with local Canadian companies in the project. The proposals will be submitted for evaluation in mid-January 2011 and the intention is for the new community to be completed around 2020.