Carpe Futurum - Kraftvärmeverk Uppsala

A new combined heat and power plant is a green milestone in the history of the Swedish city of Uppsala. It slashes CO2 emissions by 45% compared to the old plant. The architectonic intention was to erode the distinctions between town, nature and industry – and to illustrate the story of energy production gradually regaining balance in its surroundings.
The plant is a compact power station, comprising four rectangular building volumes on a square ground plan. The individual buildings are surrounded by an ethereal membrane of lightweight, translucent façades, through which the observer glimpses the contours of the complex' internal processes.
An energy park with biofuel trees, such as poplar and hybrid aspen, will be planted around the complex. The energy park is a place in which employees can relax. It will also be a new feature in a long green zone running from the historical town centre. Upgraded paths and cycle tracks will help to get the process off the ground.
The careful separation of the four buildings from each other is a clever architectonic trick. Inside the complex, the dramatic clefts between the buildings serve to create light and airy relaxation spaces, while the canteen,, offices and technical room appear to elongate the interspersions between the buildings – and create an interface with the surrounding park.
The highest point of the complex, its chimney, is cunningly designed with a rectangular cross-section to make it as unobtrusive as possible in the town's historical skyline.