Östra Kvarnskogen in Sollentuna, a residential area with 40 buildings that almost floats in the air in a well-preserved nature area, has won the Wood Prize 2008.

The architectural firm Brunnberg & Forshed and the owner Folkhem built the buildings and received the award, the golden horse and the prize of SEK 100,000, from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf during the inauguration of the Forest Industry Week on April 22.

The wood prize jury, consisting of architects Love Arbén (chair), Åsa Kallstenius, Petra Petersson, and Tina Wik and the engineer Jan Lagerström (Skogsindustrierna’s representative) had a difficult time choosing a winner among the record 205 nominations.

Of the eleven finalists, the winner was chosen thanks in large part to the location and choice of design on the natural wooded lot. ”Nature has been incorporated and played a major role when designing the fan-shaped area,” explained Love Arbén, architect and Wood Prize jury chair. “Several of the buildings are on seven-metre high poles because of the steep slope, something that makes the houses seem to float in the air.”

There was tough competition and the architectural level of the nominees was very high. The jury, however, was unanimous in its choice of winner and praises the residential area in its motivation: ”The area has a surprising sense of informality and incomplete tree house architecture where the forest’s presence is evident.

"Residents live near the treetops. The fan-shaped area with several groups of buildings is both playful and well thought out. Even though the area’s wild nature has been retained, there is a clear order with the central yard lined by split-level buildings toward the hill on one side and dramatically placed buildings that spread out over the hill and balance on slender steel poles on the other side. The buildings, which almost float in the air, required a light material. Their unusual location has given them an intense architectural expression.”

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