Enhörningen
Award-winning living space in Japanese harmony
The block Enhörningen, featuring 54 flats and a shop, is the northern section of a square which together with two other blocks frame Jönköping’s newly constructed central park – Aspholmsesplanaden – which runs up to Munksjön and Rocksjöån’s nature preserve.
Key word Japanese harmony
The Japanese word Yasuragi means harmony, and that idea guided the entire design of this block. Our goal was to create a place where city life and tranquillity go hand in hand. To give residents the most peaceful and beautiful views possible, the buildings face the lake and embrace a U-shaped courtyard.
In the yard, Japanese cherries and mountain bamboo grow alongside hops and lavender. Climbers weave through taut wires, forming green portals over the footpaths. Residents and visitors can stroll through sedum-planted areas or pause on the wooden bridge. Social spaces, framed by larch wood, gravel, and stones, invite quiet moments with a friend. All around, the soft murmur of water from the pond completes the atmosphere.
The building’s facades feature brick and stucco in calm colours. Lime green glass fronts on the balconies and red entrances add contrast. Bamboo panels enclose the private outdoor spaces. Stairwells open onto the surrounding streets, shaping a dynamic and active streetscape.
Award-winning living spaces
In 2012, the neighbourhood Enhörningen was awarded Jönköping’s Town Construction Price in the category Good living space. The motivation: “With its outstanding architecture and courtyard setting, the buildings in the neighbourhood Enhörningen 1 is a very valuable contribution to good living space in central Jönköping”. Enhörningen also won an award for Best HSB project 2011-2012 with the motivation “A neighbourhood has been created here that contributes to the overall feel of this entire part of town. The strength of the project lies in the creation of volume and the interaction between colour and material on the exterior”.
