Bo01

Bo01 (also known as the "City of Tomorrow") was a housing expo in the southern Swedish city of Malmö. It was created as part of the European Housing Expo in 2001 and is notable for its sustainable character. The most notable building built for Bo01 was the Turning Torso skyscraper, which became the tallest building in Scandinavia. It was however not completed in time, and was not ready until 2005.

Bo01 and the Western Harbour with Turning Torso in the background.

History

The Western Harbour in Malmö had long been the host for the Kockums shipbuilding industry. However following the decline of the company the area was left largely abandoned. A SAAB factory was founded in the 1990s, however this was soon closed down.

An expo on Ön in Malmö was planned for 2000, however following the council's acquisition of the Western Harbour it was decided that this former industrial area would be a more suitable location. Therefore the expo was moved to the Western Harbour and delayed by a year.

Ecological sustainability

Bo01s strong environmental profile is evident in many of the districts features. Solar cells and solar thermal collectors are present on many of the buildings, other renewable electricity is provided by the districts own wind turbine Boel situated in Norra Hamnen. The original plan envisioned a system of '100 per cent renewable energy', however energy consumption proved to be higher than estimated. Heating and cooling is provided through district heating and waste is disposed of in a number of ways – some houses are fitted with food waste grinders in sinks, others are supplied with paper bags which are dispensed into a vacuum waste disposal unit.

Urban Design

Head architect Klas Tham envisioned a network of street with a broken-up character, much like that of the inner-city of medieval towns. This was to have a dual purpose, partly it would break up the urban environment allowing for a more pleasant experience, partly it was to break up the harsh sea winds.

References

Persson, B., 2013. Västra Hamnen - lärdomar och erfarenheter. Arkus Skrift.

Further reading

• Roger G. Tanner, translator (2005). Bengt Persson (ed.). Sustainable City of Tomorrow: Bo01—experiences of a Swedish Housing Exposition. Formas. ISBN 9154059496.

• "Bo01 Sustainable Housing Development, Malmö, Sweden". Innovative buildings. 2005.