Snabba Hus Råcksta is the second of three Snabba Hus projects that Andreas Martin-Löf Arkitekter has drawn for Svenska Bostäder and developed together with construction company Junior Living. The project is a study in what is possible with complete prefabrication of apartments while at the same time using raw and inexpensive building materials in order to create prize-winning rental apartments for young adults in Stockholm.

The property Grimsta 1:5 where the project is built lies in Råcksta, a suburb in north-west Stockholm. The 247 compact and area-efficient apartment modules are factory-produced and installed on site in a structure of prefabricated concrete. The apartments are arranged in four building volumes which are connected in pairs and are placed in an offset parallel configuration along Råckstavägen and Björketorpsvägen. The buildings pivot away from each other around the staircases and open up towards a large inner courtyard which orientates further towards an existing green space.

Flexible shared common rooms, shared laundries, bicycle parking and storage rooms are alternated at ground level. The apartments are equipped with a kitchen and storage wall which includes and conceals the mechanical ventilation unit. A custom bookshelf defines a sleeping zone large enough for a double bed. The large sliding glass doors which flood the apartment with light gives the space extra quality and charm.

All apartments are reached by a semi-enclosed corridor which is screened with a mesh outer façade comprised of light-grey perforated steel panels that are mounted in a concave steel system. The bowed forms break up the long corridors and create a dynamism between the buildings’ façades. The panels act as rails in the openings in the facades. The perception of a façade in two layers is strengthened by the inner corridor wall which is alternately treated in raw concrete and painted concrete in a checkered pattern. Together, the checkered pattern concrete and steel façade create a three-dimensional visual effect.

Two clear glazed entrances are placed in the middle of each building. Custom staircase railings break with the palette of materials that is otherwise comprised of standard building components.

Location: Råcksta, Stockholm
Status: Completed 2019
Gross Area: 13.100 square metres
Client: Svenska Bostäder
Budget: Undisclosed
Photography: Johan Fowelin