Stockholm Royal Seaport shows the way towards a sustainable future

Stockholm Royal Seaport is a sustainability-profiled area designated by the Stockholm City Council with the task of testing and developing new solutions and processes for a more sustainable future.

Stockholm Royal Seaport, one of Europe's largest urban development areas, aims to build 12,000 new homes and 35,000 workplaces. Former industrial land is being transformed into a green and vibrant part of Stockholm. The mission is defined by the steering document Programme for Sustainable Urban Development in Stockholm Royal Seaport (revised in 2021). This website serves as a knowledge bank for those who want to learn about our work.

A place characterized by diversity and contrasts

Stockholm Royal Seaport boasts a variety of urban and natural environments, each with its own character and expression. The area spans from small-scale residential buildings and scenic surroundings to large-scale industrial environments for ports and energy. Here, the old meets the new, and the large intersects with the small.

Water is a constant feature and contributes to the dynamics of the area. Port areas are planned so as to become a natural part of the city. When the city is opened up and connected, people can move more easily on foot or by bicycle within and through the area.

Building on what already exists is a necessary prerequisite for long-term sustainable urban development and at the same time the basis for creating a dynamic and attractive urban environment.

Stockholm Royal Seaports close proximity to the waters of Lilla Värtan and the Royal National City Park provides unique opportunities. The old buildings in Hjorthagen link to Gasverket, where gas production ceased in 2011. Gasverkets old industrial buildings have considerable potential for new inspiring uses and the area is gradually opening up.

Some of the industrial activity, will be further developed, such as energy production at Värtaverket and the port's operations, while others, such as oil management at Loudden, will be phased out

By creating and strengthening dispersal zones for flora and fauna throughout the area to the adjacent Royal National City Park, natural values and connections are strengthened. Parks and green spaces also strongly characterise this part of Stockholm.

How we work

Stockholm Royal Seaport is a collaborative project with shared learning across organisational collaboration. Common goals have been developed that are integrated into early planning and permeate the entire process.

The goals are broken down into requirements by cross-administrative and corporate focus groups consisting of city experts. Requirements are imposed on both the developers and the City of Stockholm's own projects and are monitored and verified at all stages – from early project idea to management phase. The developers report compliance in a web-based monitoring database, and the results are published online. The focus groups continuously evaluate the work and its outcomes.

Monitoring the goals contributes to continuous improvement where new work practices, strategies, and methods are developed to drive innovation. Results are evaluated and scaled up in applicable parts to the rest of the city.

To reflect the ongoing knowledge development and to complement plans and planning programmes for the whole or parts of the area, the goals are regularly reviewed. The fourth revision of goals is currently underway.

Continuous skill development is crucial for achieving the high ambitions. This, combined with sustainability challenges, results in extensive development and innovation work that is well integrated into the work process.

When Stockholm Royal Seaport was designated in 2009 by the Stockholm City Council as a sustainability-profiled area, it was to take over the baton from Hammarby Sjöstad as one of the city’s leading sustainability projects. The first sustainability programme was adopted in 2010, and cross-sectoral working groups were established in 2011.

Related links:

Explore Stockholm Royal Seaport in two minutes:

Staffan Lorentz, Head of Development, talks about Stockholm Royal Seaport to the UN Environment Program, UNEP, in May 2022. A two-minute film that gives an informative introduction to the work and the area.