The Breeze, Gothenburg - Kragh Berglund

Category

Public Space

Location

Gothenburg, Sweden

Client

City Planning Department of Gothenburg, Göteborg & Co, Älvstranden Utveckling AB

Collaboration

Pontus Johansson, Julia Andersson, Rise

Contract period

2023 (project submitted)

Contact

Niels de Bruin

Landscape area

Construction cost

350,000 SEK

Image Credits

Pontus Johansson

Show details

Together with Blivande, Rise and Pontus Johansson, Kragh&Berglund participated in an open call competition for the 400th anniversary of Gothenburg. The proposal is a recycled plastic fabric and the product is a prototype of a bench designed for an urban space along a pedestrian and cycling path in Frihamn. The project contributes to the development of the city’s urban identity and enhances the experience of the urban space in the harbour of Gothenburg.

The project title, The Breeze, is a wordplay on the term (marine) debris which refers to trash dumped into the ocean – while also alluding to Frihamn and the winds encountered here.

The prototype is a playful installation consisting of 400 sticks of recycled plastic symbolizing and visualizing the age of Gothenburg.

The fabric consists of three containers, each designed for a specific part of the plastic recycling process. When the fabric doors open, visitors can stop by and explore what’s inside. Between the containers, a work table is placed to foster creativity, discussions, lectures and collaborative planning.

In addition to the focus on sustainability and reusability, the dimensions of each stick (400x30x30 mm) carry a symbolic meaning: altogether the amount of recycled plastic is approximately the same as an average Gothenburg citizen’s yearly consumption of plastic – 130 kg. The creation remind us of the fact that our current way of living is not sustainable.