Take-over at Torget – Anna Whitlocks Gymnasium 

During the autumn term of 2023, students from Anna Whitlock’s gymnasium embarked on an extensive and creative design project that took place on six streets in the Kungsholmen district of Stockholm. On the weekend of 16-17 November, you will have the chance to experience the students’ design process through sketches, postcards, drawings, and models, as well as the module proposals they developed – ideas that illustrate how these streets could become more sustainable, healthy, and vibrant.

The project is inspired by ArkDes’s Vinnova-funded initiative, Street Moves and aims to transform these streets into spaces where sustainability, health, and liveliness are at the forefront. The goal is to create urban environments that foster both community and well-being, where people can move, meet, and dwell in ways that enhance the city space.

Over an intensive twelve-week period, the students immersed themselves in a detailed design process. This journey began with thorough needs assessments and site studies to understand how these spaces were used and identify areas for improvement. With these insights as a foundation, they began sketching and developing conceptual proposals. The process was marked by iterative feedback and revisions, allowing students to explore and refine their ideas further. Ultimately, their proposals were presented at ArkDes, offering a platform to share their visions and inspire others.

The project involved students from various programmes—the Aesthetic, Social Sciences, Technology, and Natural Sciences programmes—all with a specific focus on design. By integrating the project across multiple courses, including Swedish, Digital Creation, Construction, and Aesthetic Communication, a cross-disciplinary approach emerged, fostering both creativity and critical thinking. In this way, the school’s guiding principles of learning and innovation for a sustainable future were reflected in the students’ work and in the educational environment cultivated by the project.

The project is part of ArkDes’ ongoing efforts to bring the Policy for Designed Living Environment into schools, empowering young people to become co-creators in the development of their urban spaces. This initiative seeks to instill the core values of Sweden’s architectural and design policies in a new generation, equipping students with practical tools and experiences to actively shape their surroundings.