Magasinen

At last, the eastern city centre reconnected with the water. As a result, the warehouses transformed into a new commercial block and created a natural setting for people to meet. After completion, the project received the City Planning Prize in 2010.

Today, the three warehouses are an integral part of Jönköping for shopping and social life. It now seems almost impossible that this area was not always full of people. The three buildings stand in a row along the northern Munksjökajen, offering southern exposure for those who wish to enjoy the sun or have a coffee on the timber deck outside.

Cedar cladding and the reuse of stormwater

The narrow strip of development draws inspiration from the historical wooden buildings that once stood along this shoreline. An atmosphere we have preserved in the three Tengbom-designed warehouse buildings. They are clad in cedar panels with large glazed sections and a plinth floor in polished black granite. Green roofs filter stormwater slowly on its way out into Lake Munksjön.

“Magasinen is a hallmark for Jönköping but also for how we work. In a place where few people previously stayed or met, we created a meeting point that is now self-evident for everyone who lives here. In all our projects we ask ourselves: ‘Which people are meant to meet here, and how will they use what we create?”

Gunilla Gustafsson, architect

Trade in the front row of central Jönköping

The warehouse buildings form the link between the eastern city centre and the water. Our challenge was to provide welcoming and transparent façades in all directions to unify the district and attract people to gather. A challenge we believe was truly successful. The commercial activities housed in the buildings today enjoy an inviting environment on Jönköping’s front row. This is a hallmark project in which the building materials, the programme, and the interactions between people embody resilience and long-term quality.

Magasinen also received the City Planning Prize in 2010. The motivation reads: “This newly built part of Jönköping’s city centre contributes in an excellent way to a high-quality living environment in Jönköping.”