"We're building something Stockholmers can be proud of"
"We're building something Stockholmers can be proud of"
"We're building something Stockholmers can be proud of" – in Stockholm Exergi's ongoing initiative, carbon dioxide is to be captured and stored permanently, a project that ranks among the most advanced in Europe. For Stockholm Exergi, the work is not only about the technology – equally important is that the facility fits into the city's environment, harmonises with the history of the area, and becomes a role model far beyond Stockholm.
One of the people behind the facility’s design is Martin Malm, architect at Urban Design.
– We have designed a facility that Stockholmers can be proud of. A role model for all future carbon capture projects, he says.
Martin and his colleagues are responsible for the facility’s exterior design, the dialogue with the City Planning Office, and obtaining all building permits. They have been involved since the first sketches in 2019 and are now in the midst of realising the vision together with the project’s many technical teams.
The sheer scale makes the work unusually complex. The facility is as large as a typical city block in Östermalm, but without windows, entrances, or other elements that normally create street life.
– The challenge is therefore to find other ways to break up the scale and create variation as you move along the building. You really need a strong idea that stands the test of time, says Martin.
The strong idea became a facade of reclaimed brick with a pattern inspired by the geological layers in which the carbon dioxide is stored. In this way, the facade reflects what otherwise happens hidden from view – namely the slow process by which the captured carbon dioxide mineralises in the bedrock deep beneath the North Sea.
– The facility is being built in an area with a long industrial history. We have chosen to use reclaimed brick partly to fit in with the area’s architecture, and partly because it is a durable, carbon-neutral and beautiful building material that reflects the facility’s function in a fitting way. We are currently preparing a test wall and are in dialogue with several suppliers, he says.
We have also moved the building a few metres back from the street to create a green forecourt along Norra Hamnvägen. This will strengthen biodiversity and make the streetscape more welcoming despite the industrial environment.
– This area will always accommodate important energy infrastructure. But even such places can be made greener, more open, and more appealing, he says.
Martin explains that Stockholm Exergi’s facility for removing carbon dioxide is one of the first and largest of its kind, and therefore requires collaboration across multiple technical disciplines, countries, and fields – something that has been both educational and decisive. But despite the project’s technical weight, there are several moments that have made a more personal impression.
– The inauguration with the first ground-breaking in June was a milestone for me. We had worked for several years and suddenly we were there, taking the symbolic step from idea to reality. That was big, says Martin.
Looking ahead, he hopes the project will have a ripple effect:
– The hope is that more similar facilities will be built and that they will be inspired by how we integrated architecture and urban planning from the very beginning. That could be decisive in creating acceptance and sustainable cities going forward.
