Sweco designs new metro connection

Sweco designs new metro connection to Nacka and Gullmarsplan in Stockholm

In 2030, Nacka, Gullmarsplan and T-Centralen will be connected by 11 kilometres of new tunnels and tracks – part of the largest investment in the Stockholm Metro in modern times. The new line will run through bedrock under Saltsjön, an inlet of the Baltic Sea in Stockholm, with one of the stations at a depth of 100 metres below ground.

The metro is a key component in a fast-growing Stockholm

To meet the needs of Stockholm’s rapid growth, the Stockholm Agreement was signed in 2013 between the government, the City of Stockholm, the City of Solna, Nacka Municipality, Järfälla Municipality, and what was then Stockholm County Council (now Region Stockholm). A decision was taken to expand three metro lines and create a total of 78,000 new homes in the four municipalities. Since then, more lines and stations have been added, and the entire extension now comprises of 18 stations and 130,000 new homes. In 2014, the joint venture between Sweco and TYPSA was commissioned by Region Stockholm to design the new section of the Blue Line: the metro to Nacka and Gullmarsplan.

Sweco has produced:

1. Legal documentation to secure planning permission
2. Environmental impact assesment
3. Conceptual design
4. Detail design
5. Tender documentation
6. Suport during construction

What the new metro line will be like

The new metro line to Nacka and Gullmarsplan will start at the existing Kungsträdgården station. The track will run through an underground, underwater tunnel and split into two branches below eastern Södermalm – one going towards Nacka and the other towards Gullmarsplan and South Stockholm. The new Sofia station will be served by both branches, both of which will be part of the Metro’s Blue Line. Four new stations will be built along the line to Nacka: Hammarby Kanal, Sickla, Järla and Nacka. The line to South Stockholm will have a new station at Slakthusområdet. At the Gullmarsplan station, a new platform will be constructed below the existing station. The South Stockholm branch will be connected to the existing Hagsätra branch (currently on the Green Line), just north of the Sockenplan station.

Attractive and safe stations

In designing the seven new stations, the objective is to create sustainable, attractive and safe environments for travellers. The stations are intended to be an architectural expression of our time while maintaining their attraction for decades to come. The depth of the new metro will also have an impact on the stations’ design.

“Due to the depth of the stations, the distance between entrance and platform will be long. This provides unique conditions for our design work. The design aims to give travellers a spatial, artistic experience of the station, with technical solutions largely hidden from view,” says Alexander Stålhandske, architect and station design supervisor at Sweco.

Each station has its own identity

A fundamental factor in the design is a distinct contrast between platform and surrounding rock excavation – the platform’s sharply defined materials, lighting and facilities contrasted with the rough-hewn character of the rock in the outer walls of the station space. All stations have the same typical solution, with floors of terazzo, walls covered by ceramic tiles and suspended ceilings of laminated steel sheets. All stations also have a common lighting concept, but each will be given its own identity by varying the use of colour. Art will be instrumental in defining station identity, with a unique artistic design for each station. The stations have been designed in close collaboration between architects and artists to create a comprehensive design that harmonises with Stockholm’s long tradition of having artwork in its metro stations.

It’s unique to have a project that so clearly advances the city’s development. The new metro line will fundamentally change Stockholm and create a host of new opportunities for everyone who lives here. This is a key driver for all of us who have the privilege of working on this project. – Axel Werner, programme manager, metro to Nacka and Gullmarsplan