Housing companies are building on the height - a growing trend

Building new floors on old houses has become a growing trend among housing companies over the past decade. This is explained by Kristian Isberg, who works for HSB Gothenburg.

- Demand for apartments in Gothenburg is high and by thinking about, for example, extensions, we can efficiently produce new housing in a central location, he says.

HSB is already rebuilding a multi-family house near Korsvägen in Gothenburg - but there is no talk of any skyscrapers, assures Kristian Isberg. The house, which was built in 1939, will have a number of new apartments - on a newly built floor. The house is expected to be ready for occupancy in the spring of next year.

- And it is young people, between the ages of 18 and 29, who will be given priority in the apartments, he says.

But the apartment block on Korsvägen is far from the only house in Gothenburg that follows the trend. At Heden, the housing company Wallenstam has been given a detailed plan to build on four floors of three existing apartment houses each, and to expand with a total of 100 apartments at the addresses.

- We definitely see more of these projects coming in. Finding new land centrally can be tricky, so there can of course be benefits to building on an existing house, says Johan Hagsgård, unit manager for the building department in the City of Gothenburg.

Another example is the nearby Scandic hotel, which was built on five floors already nine years ago. Even in Västra Frölunda, there is talk of a property that is to be increased by several floors.

- If you want to make room with more things here in town, it is at the height you can do it, because most of the land is already occupied here, says Johan Hagsgård.

When compared to building new houses on new land, there is relatively little impact on the surroundings as well, he says. In addition to the dust at the bodywork itself, however, there is the risk of shadowing neighbors, or destroying prospects, when houses become taller.

But the superstructure is not just a desire of property owners to create more housing centrally. It is also part of a political will, says Arvid Törnqvist, planning manager for the center and Majorna-Linnaeus at the City Planning Office Gothenburg city.

- There is a clear political and official orientation towards densification, no matter what political color one has. And then there is a densification of the areas that remain in the city center, such as parking areas, he says.

- But then we also see that you look at both superstructure, wind fittings and conversions of premises. That kind of densification also happens.

When asked if Gothenburg will be the next New York City, HSB's Kristian Isberg answers:

- Maybe in a minivariant.