Björneborg 11 : architectural reimagination

In an era marked by increasing urban density and a growing sense of individual isolation, this thesis challenges the dominant architectural paradigms that prioritize efficiency over wellbeing. Despite physical proximity, modern cities have paradoxically become spaces of loneliness, a condition exacerbated by conventional residential models. This project explores cohousing as a socially driven alternative, aiming to reclaim architecture as a catalyst for connection. Focusing on adaptive reuse, The project responds to the post-Covid surplus of empty office spaces by investigating how vacant urban buildings can be transformed into vibrant communal housing environments, rejecting demolition in favor of extension and spatial reimagination. Using an abandoned office building in Sundsvall, Sweden, as a case study, the design reimagines the existing structure across four floors, each serving as a platform for different cohousing typologies. The ground floor is activated as a social hub, inviting public interaction, while the upper levels test various balances between private living and shared spaces. From compact units with generous communal areas to larger apartments with shared amenities, each typology examines the spatial dynamics of community. By reusing and extending rather than demolishing, the project highlights a sustainable, socially responsive architectural approach that emphasizes transformation through coexistence, not erasure.