PROJECT BACKGROUND
Oskarshamn is a small harbor town on Sweden's east coast with a population of 17,258 in 2010. It sits midway between the summer town of Västervik and the university and cultural city of Kalmar. Characterized by the port industries and businesses, the city relationship with the water has changed dramatically within the past 100 years as the natural bay, Döderhultsviken, has been transformed by the city's harbor activities. After years of changes in the port industry , demands for larger areas and harbor depth has moved much of harbor industry out of the inner harbor and onto new quays further from the city center.  With the goal of developing new visions for their inner harbor, Oskarshamn municipality invited 3 teams to develop proposals for city's inner harbor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL
It is on the waterfront where Oskarshamn began and it is on the waterfront where Oskarshamn's future lies.  Our proposal, Döderhultsviken, utilizes the historic coastline to bring Oskarshamn's local identity down to the water by re-linking to the bay's natural history, revealing the hidden potentials of the existing context, and creating a diverse series of environments that together bring new qualities for Oskarshamn to grow around.

In our vision the historic coastline Döderhultsviken is the area's backbone and provides a structure which binds together the community's future  waterfront.  The coastline creates a buffer zone against high water (sea level rise) and frames the new development by integrating public spaces such as the Bohman's park, the city beach and the new square at Bradholmen. Additionally, the coastline tells the story of the city's rich history around the water by revealing the different time periods and transformations.

Over time the historic coastline forms a loop of  activities that reconnects the city to Döderhultsviken.  The future loop is composed of a diverse series of new developments that collectively creates a public promenade that links the existing & the new.  The loop connects to the existing context and utilizes the local identities that lie behind the plan area boundary to inspire the proposed waterfront developments.  By bringing the existing characteristics of Stadsparken, the city center, Besväret, and Döderhultsbäcken to Oskarshamn's new waterfront, the city's existing identity is strengthen and a diversity is created.

Our vision for Döderhultsviken is built up through a series of two intermediate loops & strategic steps that begin the process of reconnecting Oskarshamn to its bay.  The first steps are presented in the 2030 plan as strategic projects are aimed at defining the potential of the historic coastline, bringing qualitative public spaces to the water, and creating new opportunities for living along the water's edge.   And , in the 2050 vision, the power of the loop reaches its potential as the promenade is closed through a new bridge , lock connection that connects Norra Kajen across the water to the planned developments around the travel center.