jordens holmar
A New Village Model for Sustainable Living
From Soil to Shelter
Agriculture gave birth to permanent human settlements and with them, architecture. Since then, food and architecture have evolved hand in hand. But over time, we’ve lost touch with food production; it has disappeared from both sight and mind.
Jordens Holmar seeks to restore this vital connection. We believe that cultivating a deep relationship between food, architecture, and community where people care, participate, and thrive — could be the ultimate strategy for creating sustainable cities.
The dream of a simple life is not about convenience, but about making space for wonder.
A Flexible and Inclusive Future for Gnesta
To build a future-proof Gnesta, we need flexibility in both design and function. Diverse building types serve changing needs over time.
Our proposal embraces the idea of the “5-minute city” where daily needs like work, leisure, and shopping are within walking or cycling distance. Each neighbourhood becomes a self-sustaining micro-community, reducing dependence on cars.
Spaces can be shared and shift function over time: a school might host workshops on weekends, and small-scale, independent shops and restaurants are prioritized to foster a vibrant local economy and strengthen social bonds.
The ambition is to create inclusive environments for everyone, especially youth and older generations, through shared public spaces and community services that serve both the new district and greater Gnesta.
Landscape as Living Infrastructure
Nature plays a central role in the urban design. Buildings are arranged in open formations, allowing the surrounding agricultural landscape to flow into the heart of the new community like slices of a pie.
Instead of creating barriers, nearby land becomes a shared resource; with grazing fields, orchards, meadows, or woodland inviting movement and interaction. A network of trails links Jordens Holmar to the wider landscape, encouraging exploration and everyday contact with nature.
Rainwater management becomes a visible and enriching part of the ecology, offering both environmental benefits and moments of calm. Native biotopes are preserved and enhanced to create a rich, diverse environment with strong connections between people and place.
The Holmar (Islands)
Each residential island, or “holme”, consists of five to six mixed-use blocks with varied building heights and open forms that allow light, rhythm, and openness into the neighbourhood.
Buildings step down in scale from the center toward the edges, forming safe, semi-private courtyards. Ground floors house small-scale commerce, studios, or community functions around a shared square at the heart of each holme.
The layout invites informal encounters and communal living, avoiding back sides and instead offering spaces that blend public, semi-public, and private realms.
Typologies and Architectural Identity
Housing types include a mix of row houses and multi-family dwellings, integrated within each holme to support social diversity.
Our goal is to create down-to-earth, utilitarian architecture that resonates with the traditions of rural Sörmland — contemporary in form, yet deeply rooted in place.
