Piteå is an attractive tourist town in North Sweden, well-known for its scenic location and rich musical and cultural life. With the recently decided architectural competition, the municipality’s wish for a comprehensive development of the town centre will be realised – based on an innovative, activating and yet rational parking facility.
The ambition of Henning Larsen Architects and White Architects has been to connect Piteå town centre to the new square Sundstorget – with the parking facility as the active, uniting link. The west facade of the car park is designed as a luxuriant and recreational hill leading down to Sundstorget. The square connects to the street Sundsgatan, creating life and activity across the square. A new public space on top of the car park will give the citizens a new gathering point offering a beautiful view of the town and a variety of seasonal activities. Thus, the sloping west facade will function as a sledge run in the winter and serve as spectators’ seats in connection with concerts and film shows in the summer.
A four-storey residential building will bring life to the area around Sundstorget, while at the same time also protecting it from the wind. The two lower floors oriented towards the square and Sundsgatan could be used for a public function such as a culture or youth centre.
The holistic design of the architects adds value to the entire town, which was also one of the reasons why the proposal of Henning Larsen Architects and White Architects was not only the highest ranked project of the jury but also the favourite proposal among the Piteå public.