Gothenburg Cable Car

11
Apr

2018

Gothenburg Cable Car in 3D


Bit by bit, the proposal for the Gothenburg Cable Car is starting to take shape.

After a panel of judges selected the winners of its cable car design competition in February, the team behind what may be Sweden’s first Cable Propelled Transit (CPT) system has produced a fantastic 3D animation of the twelve minute aerial ride.

Over the years, we’ve seen many thoughtful and well-meaning proposals. However, when it comes to developing a well-coordinated and comprehensive project development plan, the Gothenburg proposal really stands head and shoulders above its competitors.

From the aforementioned design competition, the project team has incorporated many unique ideas to not only build support for the proposal, but to engage the local community in a fully transparent and interactive manner. To name a few memorable items, the team have designed 360 degree videos (see below), hands-on information booths with 3D goggles, and an informative website.


The development team behind the proposal has undoubtedly done their homework and aspiring CPT project proponents would be wise to learn and integrate some of these best practices into their proposals. If the project continues to hit its targeted timelines, the cable car should be operational by the time the City celebrates its 400th birthday in 2021.



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14
Feb

2018

Competition Winner Selected for Gothenburg Cable Car

Modern station and tower designs developed by UNStudios pay homage to the City’s harbour cranes.

Sweden’s first urban gondola, the Gothenburg Cable Car, is one step closer to realization. The US$137 million (SEK 1.1 billion) system will mark the first time a new mode of public transport is introduced in the country since Stockholm’s subway was built in 1930.

The proposal, which started in 2013, set off on a design competition in June 2017 where several teams were invited to submit their concepts. To up the stakes and sweeten the pot, selected participants were compensated US$50,000 (SEK 400,000) for their submissions while the winner won a cool US$125,000 (SEK 1,000,000).

After careful deliberation and several rounds of public consultations, the team made up of the Amsterdam-based UNStudios and Gothenburg-based, Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture were chosen as the winners. The jury’s decision was guided by a competition brief and four main principles:

  • Architectural quality and design
  • Function, logistics, and accessibility
  • Feasibility and development potential
  • Sustainability: economic, administrative, environmental and social

While the cable car has been proposed as a four station system with six towers, the committee tasked the participants to develop generic concepts for just an intermediate station, an end station, system lighting and two towers (65m and 100m). The City wanted the architects and engineers to develop a plan where the proposal had flexibility to be revised in the detailed design stage but without losing its core concept.

The winning concept, known as New Beacons, was ultimately chosen as the jury described it as a, “sensitively presented proposal that combines poetry and playfulness with flexibility and development potential.” The jury made specific comments on the towers ability to reference Gothenburg’s history as a working harbour and how the stations were designed with ecological sustainability in mind.

Route map of Gothenburg Cable Car.

Stations designed with a minimal footprint to ensure flexibility for each station site.

Photovoltaic thermal roofing designed for stations.

Harbour cranes provided inspiration throughout entire project’s concepting.

Conceptual tower design may be constructed with fiber reinforced spun concrete or steel section with hollow cross section.

UNStudios will act as the project’s design consultant who will work alongside a team in a “turn-key” contract. A main contractor will be responsible for the final feasibility study, planning and construction of the cable car.

As strange as this may sound, while the competition is now over and a project contractor has been chosen (currently awaiting court ruling on an appeal), the project is technically not fully approved yet.

A feasibility study is underway and will not be complete until summer 2019. At the same time, the City Planning Authority is coordinating development plans to not only allow the construction and operation of the cable car but to determine how the cable car will interact with its surrounding environment.

Until then, the project team will have plenty of work ahead as Gothenburg City Council will make a final decision in June 2019 on whether or not they want to invest in and construct the cable car. If everything goes according to plan, project proponents hope to have the cable car up and running by the City’s 400th year celebrations in 2021.



Want more? Purchase Cable Car Confidential: The Essential Guide to Cable Cars, Urban Gondolas & Cable Propelled Transit and start learning about the world's fastest growing transportation technologies.

06
Nov

2017

Gothenburg Cable Car Reveal Competition Designs

Four final conceptual designs selected for Gothenburg Cable Car. Image from forlivochrorelse.se.

As part of Gothenburg’s 400th year anniversary celebrations in 2021, the city is working towards building Sweden’s first Cable Propelled Transit (CPT) system. The proposal, first initiated in 2013, is envisioned to improve public transport access to four different station areas — Lindholmen, Västra Ramberget, Wieselgrensplatsen, and Järntorget.

This year in January, the City Planning Committee (Swedish: Byggnadsnämnd) gave its support for the proposal and by the end of this year, the city will complete its procurement for the project’s Technical Supplier. Before City Council makes a final financing decision on the cable car in 2019, several studies will be ongoing throughout 2017 and 2018. Included in this work program was an architectural competition where four final designs have now been presented to the public.

Urban gondola conceptual design by Group A. Image from forlivochrorelse.se.

Urban gondola designs by Group B. Image from forlivochrorelse.se.

Urban gondola designs by Group C. Image from forlivochrorelse.se.

Urban gondola designs by Group D. Image from forlivochrorelse.se.

Between now and December, residents have the opportunity to view the cable car designs in five different exhibitions throughout the city. Afterwards, the four proposals will be assessed by a panel of experts before the final winner of the competition is announced in February 2018. Until then, the teams behind each of the designs will remain a mystery.

All of the designs presented provide glimpses into how Gothenburg’s skyline may be altered in the near future. Compared to renderings of other urban cable car projects, the ones from Gothenburg are amongst the most creative and imaginative we’ve ever seen. Some seem to take their inspiration from existing urban gondolas such as the Koblenz Rheinseilbahn and the Emirates Air Line. Given the high quality submissions, judges will likely have a difficult time selecting the winner.

Based on our gut feeling at this time, we certainly have a feel for our favourite design. What about you? To see the complete collage of conceptual renderings, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 



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26
Jan

2017

Gothenburg Cable Car: Procurement Pre-Announcement

Gothenburg Cable Car. Image by Göteborg Stads.

The urban gondola proposal in Sweden’s second largest city, Gothenburg (pop: 500,000), made an exciting announcement this week. The Traffic & Public Transport Authority will release a tender in April 2017 to choose a team that will help guide the project from now until system opening.

The winning bidder will work with the contracting authority to finalize the feasibility study, develop a timeline and prepare detailed designs for construction. Assuming the proposal is approved and investment is secured, the second phase of the tender (for cable car construction) will be activated.

The Cable Propelled Transit (CPT) system is currently designed as a 3km Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S/TDG) connecting Järntorget to Wieselgrensplatsen with mid-stations at Lindholmen and Lundby. It will travel at heights of 75m across the Göta Älv river with an hourly capacity of 2,000. This urban ropeway is envisioned to open by June 2021 as part of Gothenburg’s  Quadricentennial celebrations.

If everything goes according to plan, Gothenburg could be one of the world’s first cities to implement a 3S system for public transit use.

For more information about the project, click here.

 



Want more? Purchase Cable Car Confidential: The Essential Guide to Cable Cars, Urban Gondolas & Cable Propelled Transit and start learning about the world's fastest growing transportation technologies.