Lead Landscape Architect Niels de Bruin for White
First Prize in Design Competition | Design Programme and Redevelopment of Clemenstorget, Lund
Awarded first prize in a design competition, the project involved the transformation of Clemenstorget into a contemporary transport square in connection with the introduction of Lund’s new tramway.
The design takes its starting point in the square’s exceptional mature linden and plane trees. Their established canopy is a rare feature in a Swedish urban square, and these sculptural trees are the protagonists of the design.
To highlight the trees and reinforce the character of the place, three simple ground surfaces were introduced: granite paving around the tram stop, stone dust creating a new urban lounge, and traditional cobblestones forming the city’s shared ground.
Developed in collaboration with artist Ebba Matz, the project also incorporates a sculptural installation inspired by the tree canopy. Her artwork creates delicate, shifting patterns of light, adding another dimension to the experience of the square.
The project demonstrates how the thoughtful redevelopment of an existing public space can reveal and strengthen its inherent qualities. By placing the mature trees at the heart of the design, the intervention builds on the square’s existing character while adapting it to new urban functions.
The collaboration with art from an early stage was fundamental to the project, showing how landscape architecture and artistic expression can be integrated to create a richer and more distinctive public realm.
photo by Leksunim