Inre Hamnen pergola
37 meters of room within a room
Can a pergola define an entire courtyard? In Inre Hamnen, Norrköping, a playful 37-meter-long wooden pergola now stretches across a residential courtyard. Acting as a central feature, it connects different parts of the courtyard and encourages festivities, relaxation, gardening, and long evenings filled with conversation—a shared green room.
As one of Norrköping’s newest neighborhoods, Inre Hamnen is rapidly taking shape. Among the first completed buildings, Tengbom’s landscape architects in Linköping designed a verdant courtyard situated four meters above ground, overlooking a park and water. At the heart of this courtyard stands a 37-meter-long pergola made of solid pinewood—a striking centerpiece that serves as both a privacy shield and a meeting place.
The core of courtyard life
“Our aim was to create a unifying element for the courtyard that provides privacy between the houses but also serves as an obvious gathering spot for the residents,” explains Helena Hasselberg, lead landscape architect. “The pergola is a playful addition inviting various activities—from parties to relaxation and gardening.
“It’s thrilling to see such a simple idea support the entire courtyard.”
Helena Hasselberg
Eastern end: a greenhouse in use
The pergola’s eastern section is enclosed in glass, functioning as a greenhouse. Residents have already begun cultivating and harvesting crops. The structure also houses a long table for communal meals and courtyard parties. The western end concludes with a balcony offering scenic views of Inre Hamnen’s waterways.
A playful visual experiment
Constructed from untreated pinewood and treated with tung oil to maintain its warm tone, the pergola’s design plays with proportions. Its saddle roof gradually rises, becoming taller and narrower towards the west, creating a captivating visual effect while blending seamlessly with the courtyard’s architecture.
“Working with a design without right angles was a fascinating challenge,” says Helena. “We collaborated with a structural engineer for calculations, especially for the intricate glass sections of the greenhouse. Almost every part of the pergola is unique.”
Bringing the sketch to life
The courtyard itself features lush greenery and winding paths made of clay bricks, leading to seating areas and play zones. Children can jump on wooden stumps, explore small hideouts, or watch adults tending plants in the greenhouse. Ground-floor apartments with private patios add to the lively atmosphere, encouraging neighborly interaction over garden beds and outdoor coffee breaks.
“Collaboration with the client was rewarding and based on trust. It’s exciting to see how closely the final design resembles my original sketches,” shares Helena.
“The elevated courtyard with the pergola is a unique selling point of the project,” says Per Nordin, Head of Construction and Real Estate at HSB Östra. “It’s an aha moment for first-time visitors. The pergola shapes the courtyard into a social space while providing privacy for individual entrances and patios. Tengbom has done a fantastic job designing a courtyard that adds significant value to the entire project.”
With sustainable materials and a thoughtful design addressing both scale and function, the pergola sets a new standard for future courtyards in Inre Hamnen.
