Heimstaden acquires housing in Germany for 1.9 billion Swedish kronor

Read all about how the new Årstahusen neighborhood is growing

In total, there will be more than a thousand apartments, both condominiums and apartments for rent. The strstahusen, which lies between Liljeholmstorget and Årsta centrum, was formerly an industrial area but is now being converted into a residential area with an emphasis on simplifying the daily life of those who move into it.

Much of the simplicity lies in the place. There are incredibly good connections with junctions, buses and a bike path that goes all the way to Södermalm, where the bike takes six minutes. In the end, there will also be a metro station, says Josefine Wikström, director of housing development at Ikano Bostad.

“Home” is increasing

But it should also be easy to live in Årstahusen because all the services will be on site. There is already an F-9 school in the area and several buildings are being built for preschoolers. On the ground floor of the houses there are opportunities for a café and common areas.

– We see in studies that what we call ‘home’ is no longer defined as a house or one’s own apartment. The “home” could easily be the nearest neighborhood. We still carry large parts of our lives in our devices and a nearby coffee shop can easily become my home office like an extra living room. The planting boxes in the yard will be just like your own garden and in the community rooms you can have your student record. This means we need to develop the local area a little differently than we did ten years ago, says Josephine.

The app makes it easy to connect

Other keywords for Årstahusen’s development are community and security. Mixed forms of housing create opportunities for people at different stages of life to find a home and with green yards and common areas the conditions are to get to know their neighbors better. They also have digital tools that facilitate communication between residents.

– It will be easier to communicate with neighbors when this is done digitally. You may need to borrow a training or wonder if someone can take care of your cat when you’re away. Connecting via the app means a lower threshold, and we’ve noticed this in areas where it’s already in use. Plus, it’s good from a sustainability perspective, because it encourages the sharing of things and services rather than consumption, says Josephine.

So far, 278 apartments have been completed in Årstahusen and before the end of the year, it will begin moving into another 170 homes. Sales of the next project, a 26-story building, will begin in the fall. This is the third block of five in the area. In the same building, rental apartments are being built with occupancy in 2023.

Ikano Bostad is a committed, long-term residential developer and property owner – read more here