Jönköping Station Area

Design Intent

The philosophy behind the design is based on the connection between the city of Jönköping and surrounding nature demonstrated through the use of a light and playful wooden canopy structure, partly transparent and open towards the city on one side and Munksjön lake on the other. The matchstick structure pays homage to the city’s past as Tändsticksstaden, famous matchstick capital of Sweden.

Nature is calming and soothing. Lush urban green is a perfect match for a busy transit hub. Evidence is mounting on the how effective urban nature is by calming and refocusing the stressed and hyper busy mind. With trees we bring immediate visual exposure of nature – and flowering plants and shrubs draw in birds and insects and thus sounds of nature. This complements the organic wood structure ‘our living room in the forest’ and makes it truly come to life. 

Identity

Using a combination of wood and polycarbonate panels, this iconic structure will provide shading, sunlight and natural ventilation while protecting against the elements. The organic nature of the design offers the station a strong identity and the elevated platform coupled with the semi-transparent cover will give the traveller arriving aboard the high speed train an instant view over the surrounding lakes and forests. The station will offer Jönköping instant recognition on the new high-speed railway link and in line with the ambitions stated in the Design Vision, Jönköping- staden och sjöarna.
 

Green design

Our living room in the forest is inherently ‘green’, partly through the use of natural materials such as wood but also through the incorporation of nature into the design. Local tree species such as ash, pine and oak will be planted within the areas where the canopy dips down and is anchored into the streets, the tracks will come to life through the planting of local plants.

A habitat that today is increasingly rare is open sand that is warmed by the sun. This is a habitat that the tracks could re-vitalise and plant species that today vulnerable could be supported - such as Fågelarv that has been observed in the area. There are other species of plants and mosses that also are associated to this habitat. This opens a very interesting possibility of supporting biodiversity without creating nectar-rich habitats that may be harmful to bees.

The polycarbonate covering can be integrated with solar panels on the south side, offering the station the possibility of generating energy for its own use. Rainwater will naturally run off the curbed structure and will be harvested and reused within planted areas with the trees. 

Proximity & Diversity

The lower level of the station will host a number of different uses including ticket offices, shops, cafes and restaurants. It is where other modes of transportation connect with and within the train station. It has been designed to favour easy access for all users and a good flow of both pedestrian and motorized traffic in and around the station through the use of wide sidewalks, large entrance areas and transparency which offers excellent visual orientation.