Sweden. A public space that connects the university with the water landscape

The landscape situation at Lund Institute of Technology campus, Sweden, is a large, green field; sloping gently to the east. There is one section which stands out; an area around two ponds. They are remnants of an old clay quarry, formerly used to supply material for the making of bricks. The concept was to make the steep edges of the ponds accessible but in differing ways. The purpose was to create socially attractive places, and promenades, around the ponds.

A design principle of dual sides was established. The western rim of the larger pond offers places to stop by at, sit down, enjoy the view, and meet with friends and colleagues. Here, sun decks and platforms are located high above the water, close to the rim. The east side is the contrary. It is equipped with a winding promenade, and containing smaller social spaces. A system of staircases moves up and down along the drop, at some places reaching all the way down to the water. The design and the materials of the two sides consequently differ as well. The west side with the decks are made of wooden planks. The east side is a meccano of stretched sheet steel panels and staircases of the type you find at a construction site.