Mix to Max

Sammanfattning

Across Europe, housing shortages have become an increasingly urgent urban challenge. While housing demand continues to rise, many cities simultaneously contain large amounts of underused or vacant space, revealing a mismatch between spatial supply and actual use. These hidden capacities offer opportunities for more sustainable and socially equitable development through adaptive reuse. Kista reflects similar challenges. Despite Stockholm's housing shortage, office vacancy rates in Kista have increased significantly due to changing work patterns and hybrid office use, leaving many commercial buildings underutilized. At the same time, the district experiences strong tidal population flows, excessive hard surfaces, and limited greenery. Although residential, commercial, industrial, and educational functions coexist in Kista, they remain largely separated, resulting in an urban environment that lacks activity outside working hours. This project investigates how Kista can be transformed from an area with several segregated functional districts into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. Through adaptive reuse, vacant office buildings are converted into housing and community-oriented spaces, while new public spaces, green corridors, and rain gardens improve walkability, ecological performance, and stormwater management. The proposal aims to create a greener, safer, and more active district throughout the day and week.