Sketches

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Exchange semester at Lund University, LTH, Lund, Sweden 
Sustainable Urban Design Course

 

2014

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It was mid-August when I landed early morning in ferry harbour in Ystad and by train reached my final destination in Lund to start my exchange semester at Lunds Tekniska Högskola. After my trip to Italy the same year in spring I was so excited to spend next six months in Sweden. Having seen picturesque piazzas in Florence, sketched classical details and learnt a lot about urban tradition, now I was hoping to study more about Nordic values and sustainability in modern urban design.

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Walking around the new housing developments in BO01 district in Malmö or Ørestad quarters along elevated subway line I was filling pages of my sketchbook with plenty of quick notes and observations about quality of public space, water treatment techniques, socially and environmentally responsible design solutions. Especially educational was the BO01 project as an urban regeneration of waterfront with its varied and reach in detail public spaces, well-balanced mix of plot sizes and housing typologies, peaceful and welcoming neighbourhoods. Thanks to this experience I came to understand that sustainability is not only a set of principles and design concepts but more importantly it is a way of life defining our daily routine, transportation habits and shaping our habitat as humans.

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After some time when I visited Chinese and US cities later on, I appreciated even more all the efforts invested in creation of sound urban environment in places I’ve seen in Sweden and Denmark.