Stortorget, Kalmar

Stortorget in Kalmar is situated on Kvarnholmen in Kalmar's historic center. It was built during the 1600s and became the center of religious life in Kalmar Cathedral, justice, education, commerce and municipal management.

Center of the square was also a municipal well until the early 2000s. In the 2000s, an extensive regeneration occurred on Kvarnholmen by including Larmtorget and Västerport Bridge and North and South streets. Great Square re-equipped in the early 2100s with the aim to recreate the square as a place for crowds at the various activities and events and to create a beautiful open space in the dense urban core as an antithesis to the busiest shopping streets.

Kalmar by the Municipality in 1999 with the National Public Art and Society New Dryad an architectural competition, won by architects Caruso St John Architects in London and Eva Löfdahl proposal Field Of Stone / A stone floor.

Stortorget's renewal was completed in 2003 and the project and the responsible architects and artist was awarded the following year's Siena Prize. Stortorget became a historic building in 2002.

Design

In the square a number of water chambers have been constructed in which water is pumped around. From the five wells, fitted with barred concrete lid, you hear water gurgle and splash of an association with the former city well.

The Square, dominated by former and freshly laid cobblestones and paving stones in walkways, has been designed to provide a large uniform surface to form a cohesive impression without sticking events.

Above the square surface is mounted a few narrow master with little red lights on top. Also on some of the surrounding buildings roof is such lanterns.

Literature

Helena Mattsson (redaktör): Kalmar stortorg - konst/arkitektur i stadsrummet, Statens konstråd, Stockholm 2005,ISBN 91-974868-2-5

Sources

Om förnyelsen av Stortorget i Kalmar av "Hjalmar", på Kalmar kommuns webbplats, läst 2011-02-04

Noter

External links