Review of 2010 – USD version - Skanska

Ullstorps Gårdar —
Country life more appealing
than downtown
Location: 25 km (15 mi.) north of downtown Gothenburg.
Units: 125 single-family homes and 32 BoKlok cooperative
apartments were developed and sold until 2010. All are
now sold. Another 84 BoKlok rental apartments were
sold to the Kungälv municipal housing company.
Investment: USD 53 M. Some remaining costs for the
final 18 homes, which will be occupied during 2011.
Ullstorps Gårdar (Ullstorp Farms) is located in Kungälv, a
short commute from Gothenburg. The neighborhood is
located in a field surrounded by meadows and dense forest.
It includes modern two-story wooden homes inspired by
western Swedish building tradition and neo-functional
style, along with BoKlok apartment buildings.
Ullstorps Gårdar is growing in popularity and is particularly
attractive among families with children from
Gothenburg. It is a rural setting, close to nature and with
mixed housing that residents appreciate. Meanwhile the
big city excitement of Gothenburg is only a short distance
away. Among families with children who have moved here
from Gothenburg are Anna and Martin Randle and their
seven-month-old son Samuel.
“It was clear to us that we should not continue living in
Gothenburg with children. Yet moving to Ullstorps Gårdar
was a big transition. We were living the urban life style,
and neither Martin nor I had any connection to Kungälv.
We had to move into the house before we got a feel for it.
But now we’re really happy here,” says Anna Randle.
Buying a newly constructed home was not an obvious
choice for the Randle family. Anna admits that she easily
falls for the charm of rickety old houses. But after searching
for a home to renovate, they got tired of all the bidding
wars and began looking for new construction instead.
“When I found Ullstorps Gårdar, it was the first time
something really caught my eye, and it seemed to be a
popular area. We looked at another lot first, but construction
was scheduled too far in the future and we wanted to
move in before Samuel was born. That’s why we bought
Skanska’s model house instead. We’re very pleased with
it,” says Martin Randle.
The family lives in the next to last house up a hilly street.
It has a neo-functional style. Behind it is a huge exposed
boulder, with a stairway built by Skanska.
Their 148 sq. m (1,593 sq. ft.) house is bright and spacious.
It has five rooms, with the potential to create another if the
upstairs living room is divided. The house is equipped with
an air-to-air heat exchanger and district heating, contributing
to its good energy performance.
“Skanska also built a very fine community center in the
neighborhood. Ullstorps Ängegård, nicknamed the Black
Barn, is very popular with residents. We’re already looking
forward to celebrating Samuel’s first birthday there,” says
Anna. Ullstorps Gårdar also has both a preschool and
a primary school.
Skanska Review of 2010 – USD version
Residential Development 41