The Pep Park “100 metres Pep” in Huvudsta, Solna has been awarded the IOC IAKS Award in Bronze and has also received an additional award for its accessibility.
The IOC, the International Olympic Committee, and the IAKS, the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities, awarded the Pep Park “100 metres Pep” in Huvudsta the IOC IAKS Award in Bronze at an awards ceremony that took place in Cologne on 26 October. Since 1987, these organisations have awarded an architecture prize to recognise sports and leisure facilities that integrate sustainability, strong functionality and exceptional architectural design. This is to encourage the creation of new high quality, functional and sustainable sports facilities and to enable relevant stakeholders all over the world to inspire each other.
–“We are very proud to receive this award. The Pep Park in Huvudsta contributes to social sustainability, as its careful design aims to allow more people to discover the enjoyment of being active. By making a well-conceived addition to an existing, well-functioning park with high cultural-historical values, new features have been added that encourage outdoor activity,” says Lennart Olsson, Project Manager at Fabege.
The “100 metre Pep” is a 100 metre long and 4.5 metre wide park that, like all Pep Parks, is designed to be used by everyone, regardless of age, ability or functional impairment. A system of ramps is integrated into the park’s design and these, instead of being just a necessary addition, are actually part of the activity opportunities. The equipment and ground materials have also been chosen to make the park accessible for wheelchair users. The ensuring of accessibility has been highlighted by the IAKS and the IOC, who also gave the park additional recognition in the form of The Distinction for Accessibility.
–“By using an unusual aesthetic expression, the park aims to appeal to people who don’t usually go to playgrounds or outdoor gyms. The boundary between play and exercise is blurred in the park, and this can help attract people who don’t quite feel at home at playgrounds or outdoor gyms. The park encourages people of all ages to exercise together, so the whole family can use it,” says Carolina Klüft, Head of Operations at Generation Pep.
–“With the “100 metres Pep”, more children, young people and adults in Solna have the opportunity to play, move about and get everyday exercise. It is great that the park is now getting international recognition, and I am particularly proud of the award for accessibility,” says Pehr Granfalk, Chair of the Municipal Council of the City of Solna.
The Pep Parks are a collaboration between the City of Solna, Fabege and Generation Pep, an organisation created at the initiative of the Crown Princess and her consort. The parks are a pilot project aimed at developing a model for partnerships between municipalities and local businesses, which can be rolled out to other parts of the country. “100 metre Pep” was Sweden’s first Pep Park and opened in autumn 2019. The park includes a trampoline, a balance bar, a running track, an outdoor stage, and bushes of edible fruits and berries, and can also serve as an outdoor gym for adults. The park was designed by Outer Space Architects, who also designed the latest Pep Park in Arenastaden.
Watch the film about the project with the jury motivation from IOC and IAKS: https://youtu.be/3MiMUIv0Qis
FabegeAB (publ)
