Lindö Strand is a popular destination for both visitors and residents of Norrköping. It’s where the city meets the sea. The beach and marina invite activities and relaxation, and it’s easily accessible from Norrköping’s city center.

“Our mission for Lindö Strand encompassed the development of the park, square, and beach, with a particular focus on play and activity values,” says Helena Hasselberg, lead landscape architect.

By working with the natural conditions and qualities of the site, the ambition was to integrate the old and the new in an exciting yet natural way. A new town square connects to the pier. The park has gained new play and sports areas as well as additional trees and greenery.

Community engagement delivered results

The design of public spaces greatly affects how people perceive and navigate a city. Input from community dialogues led to the integration of new functions at Lindö Strand, aiming for a cohesive experience prioritizing accessibility, safety, and inclusivity. A key aspect of accessibility was avoiding special solutions specifically for individuals with disabilities.

“We wanted to make the entire area as accessible as possible for everyone,” Helena explains. “The goal was to create activities for all ages, along with quiet spaces for rest and recovery. Everyone should find their place, regardless of gender, age, or interests.”

Safe environments with improved lighting

Good lighting with illuminated activity zones and walkways was also crucial for accessibility. Clear sightlines and visibility create safe environments.

“Often, we work with perceived insecurity—how people feel about moving through an area,” says Helena. “An area can statistically have low crime rates but still feel unsafe to many.”

By using gradients of light, we avoided harsh contrasts between lit and unlit areas.

“Strong contrasts between light and dark make it harder to see in darker areas, creating a sense of insecurity”

Helena Hasselberg

A new square brings the area together

The new square by the water serves as a hub linking the area’s different parts. The hope is that Lindö Square will become a gathering place where people can meet, enjoy a coffee, buy ice cream, or simply sit and take in the view. The square features a raised, star-shaped stage for events.

“When there’s no event on the stage, it becomes a generous seating area where you can sit facing different directions depending on what you want,” Helena adds.

Grill, train, or relax on the docks? You decide

From the square, the pier stretches northward, forming a boundary between the marina and the beach. Along the waterfront, the Stråket walkway passes the marina, the square, and continues eastward. Along the way, you’ll find sports areas for basketball, floor hockey, boules, and beach volleyball. The beach features a dock now accessible to everyone. Further east, the walkway leads to outdoor gyms and barbecue spots, where new circular docks invite rest and socialization.

“It was important to use materials that harmonize with the site, such as wood, galvanized steel, and mulch,” says Helena. The turquoise accents also recur in structures within the marina.

Find solitude in the treehouse

The play area is located on the edge of the open grassy field and forest in the southeast. Its maritime theme with lighthouses, boats, docks, and boathouses connects to the seaside location. Larger trees provide shade and create “islands” between the play features.

“You can swing, climb, slide, or crawl up into a treehouse for some quiet and privacy,” Helena shares.

The ground materials include sand, mulch, and rubber asphalt. Wooden walkways link or separate these materials. In the water play area, water is pumped and channeled through a stone-lined creek back to the sea, connecting play to the beach.

At the forest’s edge, enticing trails with birdhouses, insect hotels, and balance paths encourage natural play, such as building dens or other adventures.

Insects and greenery for biodiversity

West of the play area lies Lind-ön, a raised circular area with five species of linden trees, tying the space to its name.

“As the area is developed with housing, some trees will need to be removed,” Helena explains. “Our goal is to compensate for this in public spaces. Trees and shrubs of various native species have now been planted in the park and square.”

To enhance biodiversity, birdhouses, insect hotels, and deadwood have been added.

“During a visit to Lindö Strand for a photo session, we met a family from outside the area who were grilling by the dock. They shared how they often come here because it’s so pleasant now,” Helena recalls. “That’s exactly what we hoped for – it’s very rewarding.”

Densely built apartment buildings with very few playgrounds and green spaces dominate the area south of Holmentorget in central Norrköping. Naturally, Hemvärnets Park needed to meet many needs, with accessibility for everyone as the top priority. One major challenge was the 7-meter north-facing slope between St. Persgatan and Kvarngatan, which significantly impacted accessibility. Another challenge was an old graffiti-covered transformer station that was too expensive to move.

“Sometimes, the limiting features of a site can actually be a good thing for creativity. That was the case here,” says Helena Hasselberg, project architect at Tengbom. Instead of seeing the lack of flat ground as a problem, that feature became the backbone of the park’s design. A slalom course with some expertly placed shortcuts was the solution.

A serpentine path encircles each level of the park

By designing the park as a large, winding slalom course or a switchback, we created a path down the slope that never gets too steep, for example, for a wheelchair. At the same time, anyone in a hurry can take the stairs as a shortcut. Retaining walls, lined with greenery, chisel out the different levels that are all encircled by the winding path. These levels form unique spaces with varying features. In the entry space, there’s a fountain that people can splash around in on a hot day. There is a prairie with tall grass, perennials and jumping stumps. Higher up there is a larger grassy area for lounging, as well as two play areas with different features.

No one is left out – the park is meant for everyone

The idea of a park for everyone guided the brainstorming process around the graffiti-covered transformer station. By making the roof flat, we transformed it into a raised platform. A walkway leads up to a tube slide that takes you back down to ground level. Who doesn’t want to run around, then up to the raised platform, and then down the tube slide? Just like with the area’s natural slope, the transformer was turned into an opportunity rather than a problem.

Hemvärnets Park – a popular meeting spot

Trees and vegetation line Hemvärnets Park. We deliberately avoided planting tall trees in the middle of the park to keep the beautiful industrial landscape visible. Along the serpentine path, we placed evenly spaced benches, each facing a different direction and offering a unique view.

“It’s exciting to see the park turn into a popular meeting spot that serves the public, both young and old, every day,” Helena Hasselberg says. No one is left out – the park is meant for everyone.