An industrial and harbor city divided in the north and south by the river Göta, Gothenburg is currently lacking a coherent relationship between the city and the river. The great differences between the north and south sides of the Göta River are in scale, function, and density. The project, proposed by JAPA, Javier Ponce Architects, re-introduces the Göta river to the citizens by means of a urban re-generation; the river seen as a green system connected with the existing landscape. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The City of Gothenburg was founded in 1621 in the middle of struggle for both land and commerce. During the 19th century an increase of scale and systematization of mechanical workshops and early textile industries took place. Later on, the big scale shipyard industry and harbour industry took over. From the 1960’s and onwards several shipyard and industrial crises hit the city,leaving many plots empty and abandoned port machinery. High Toxic contamination levels can still be found along the river front and some port areas like Ringön and Frihamnen areas. The Gothenburg region is a growing one with approximately 930,000 people living in the Gothenburg region 13 member municipalities.
