A Glimpse of a Sustainable Urban Future

On a recent trip to Copenhagen, a day trip across the Øresund Sound led me to the western shore of Malmö, Sweden, and the brand new district of Västra Hamnen (Western Harbor). Built on a former shipyard within walking distance of the city center, Västra Hamnen seems to get everything right. It features state of the art environmental performance--net-zero buildings, 100% local renewable energy, biogas from waste, public transit, pedestrian and bike-friendly design, green infrastructure—all wrapped up in a gorgeous architectural package.  Strolling through the intimate spaces of the recently completed Bo01 neighborhood, it's hard not to imagine yourself living the good life in this green seaside community     See the emerging Västra Hamnen district and the completed Bo01 neighborhood in Google Map view and check out my photos, taken on a gray Saturday morning in April.

Higher buildings line the waterfront, offering ocean views and blocking winds from reaching the neighborhood's interior courtyards.

Five-story apartment buildings line the larger public spaces leading to the waterfront. Cars are welcome as slow-moving guests in pedestrian and bike-friendly territory.
 

A view from the main plaza into the interior of the neighborhood, where lower buildings create a more intimate scale.

Malmo's wet climate is celebrated in the landscape design of Vastra Hamnen. During rainstorms, water is collected from roofs into street side runnels.

Moving water is channelled into central gardens where it soaks slowly back into the earth.

A central play area with rain garden.

Town houses along an interior lane.
 

Upscale buildings sit side-by-side with more modest structures, providing a range of housing affordability.

Narrow streets widen in places to form neighborhood greens.

Many buildings wrap around semi-public courtyards.

A central "parking lot" and rain garden

Cars are not necessary in Vastra Hamnen, with an overall total of .7 spaces per unit. Those who own cars, park them outside the neighborhood and retrieve them to be loaded up for a weekend outing

Upstairs balconies offer semi-private outdoor space for make up for the lack of front yard on narrow streets.

Just beyond the narrow lanes and small courtyards sits a larger green space.
 

The spaces that wind between buildings serve as street, sidewalk, bike way, playground, front yard and at this corner, basketball court.
 

Lanes narrow at the edges, offering glimpses into the neighborhood from the more public waterfront promenade.