*Photo: Luleå kommun. 2024.* The iceway, Luleå.

Visions in the North step 2

Luleå: The iceway

Luleå Vintertorg. A landmark and meeting place on the ice in the form of the city square that was previously missing.

Conditions: An ice way runs around Luleå’s city centre peninsula, with detours to Bergnäset, Mjölkudden and the island of Gråsjälören on the other side of the strait. The ice way was established in 2003 and is managed by the municipality. Since its establishment, the ice way has been appreciated by many and is today seen as a modern (temporary) cultural heritage. The ice rink – the temporary permanent space?

Challenge: To build on this local gem, which draws thousands of people each year during the winter months, only to melt away under the midnight sun. Despite its popularity, the potential of the ice rink has not been fully realised in winter, and development plans for the surrounding waterfront have mainly focused on the barefoot season. The team will focus on the question: How can we enhance the status of the site and its surroundings as a modern heritage site all year round through design? What models are there to strengthen the management systems and how does it connect to the civil society self-organised networks that are and can be linked to the site?

Through new routes on the ice way and windbreaks made of ice and snow, team Isspår wants to strengthen the identity of the ice way and create Luleå Vintertorg. A landmark on the ice with sculptural snow walls that protect against wind and create visually appealing and functional spaces where people can gather, rest and socialise. The snow walls are given a basic form that is allowed to change over time, through precipitation, wind, temperature and use.

Team Isspår wants to integrate culture and art into the ice way environment by creating snow and ice installations. To build participation and community, the team involves artists, schools and local residents in the creation process. During the winter of 2024/2025, the team is proposing prototypes that test the long-term impact of widespread loads on the ice, the establishment of snow walls, the illumination of ice blocks, and a new route on the ice. In addition, many of the team’s proposals are based on new ways of utilising internal knowledge and resources within the municipality’s departments across administrative boundaries.

The plan is to fully implement Vintertorget by the winter of 2025/2026. The long-term goal is to clarify the ice way as an expanded urban space in winter and strengthen the role of the ice way as part of the city’s identity, where nature, people and culture are united in new ways.

Designed Living Environment

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