Malmö: A Swedish Mix of Old and New

When I travel, I make it a point to visit buildings by my favorite architects all over the world. One of those favorites is Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect known for his sculptural forms and animated designs.

During my freshman architecture theory class, a student gave a presentation on one of Calatrava’s buildings: the Turning Torso. Located in Malmö, Sweden, this building is the tallest in all of Scandinavia, and is the first twisting skyscraper in the world.

When I discovered that Malmö was located just across the water from Copenhagen, I knew I had to pay a visit to this building. I woke up early on Christmas Day and began walking towards Copenhagen Central Station. Even at 9:00 am, it was still dawn outside. I knew I had to make the most of the limited sightseeing hours I had that day. I got to the station, bought my ticket, and stopped for coffee. Before you knew it, I was on a train heading across the Øresund.

From the bridge, I gazed out into what seemed like never-ending fog over the water. Soon, the Malmö skyline, along with the imposing Turning Torso, appeared in view. My phone buzzed with a text message: “Welcome to Sweden.” I was about to not only visit one of my favorite Calatrava buildings but also count off a new country. While I am not a country counter, I still like to add new countries whenever the opportunity arises.

The train made a brief stop at the first station in Sweden, where police came on board to check passports. They glanced at mine and said, “Have a nice trip!” Soon after, the train arrived at Malmö Central Station. I emerged from the underground station out onto the street and was surrounded by modern architecture.

I began walking towards the star attraction, the Turning Torso, but stopped at multiple places along the way to soak in my surroundings. The modern architecture of Malmö is similar to that of Copenhagen: beautiful in it’s simplicity. The overall designs are of a minimalist nature, emphasized by their use of simple geometry and materials. Some buildings take on a more organic form with sweeping curves instead of sharp angles. The structures are low to mid-rise, typical of most European cities.

Turning Torso

As I headed towards the water, I could already see the famous skyscraper towering above everything I had walked past. A few blocks later, I turned a corner and saw the full façade of the tower come into view. It was truly an amazing sight! Nine segments, each with five stories, twisted seamlessly up into the air! I wasn’t able to go inside since this is a residential building, but I took a thorough look around the outside. The main entrance sits over a pool of water, reflecting the glass windows of the ground floor.

Looking up at the tower, one side has a steel skeleton and a large curtain wall that looks like a twisted backbone stretching high into the sky. The other side takes on a simpler approach, with gentle, rounded edges and small windows. Up close, I could hear the wind whistling between the large segments of the building, giving it an almost eerie feel on a day when most people were indoors.

The contemporary architecture of the surrounding residential area highlights many approaches to design, with a distinct use of colors, materials, and geometry on each building. It reminded me of Miami’s Design District, a modern neighborhood where each building takes on a different form from its neighbor.

As I continued to admire this lovely Swedish neighborhood, I couldn’t help but appreciate the thoughtful urban design that went into it. Compared to most American cities, this neighborhood was about as pedestrian friendly as one can get, with plenty of open space alongside the buildings. You certainly did not need a car to enjoy this neighborhood. I ended by looking straight out onto the water, and could only feel how lucky these people were to live in such a great location.

I headed back into the center of Malmö to visit the old town. Although Malmö has many modern buildings, it still has the same European charm of other cities.

Malmö’s Old Town

I arrived at Malmö’s Stortorget, the main city square. The similarity of the Scandinavian languages is evident here, as “Stortorget” in Swedish is similar to “Strøget” in Danish: Copenhagen’s main pedestrian drag. The city square is lined with ornate buildings, very similar to those in Copenhagen. However, you can clearly tell you are in Sweden by the number of Swedish flags flying around the square.

The old town is filled with numerous shops and restaurants, many of which were open even on Christmas Day. The main celebration for Scandinavians happens on Christmas Eve, so many businesses open their doors at noon the following day. I stopped at one local shop to buy a souvenir. As I walked down a nearby street, I passed some more beautiful Germanic-style architecture, including St. John’s Church.

I ultimately reached a square that I was trying to find ever since I saw a picture of it online. The square, known as Möllevångstorget, has a large statue called “Arbetets Ära,” depicting workers bearing the weight of a large boulder, meant to honor the working class. It was also in this square where I ate lunch at a Swedish fast food restaurant: Sibylla.

After lunch, I circled back through the old town towards the train station. Malmö also has a small castle, which was not open on Christmas Day. However, I got to explore the park around the castle for a bit. After enjoying my final moments of this wonderful new city, I got back on the train and went across the Øresund back into Copenhagen.

Once again, it was already beginning to get dark by mid-afternoon. It still amazes me how little sunlight these northern cities get in the winter. The main light of the evening came from the Christmas decorations all over the city.

Tivoli Gardens

That night, I paid a visit to Tivoli Gardens amusement park, which was covered in lights for the holidays! I went on a couple of roller coasters, enjoyed some food, and saw an extravagant fireworks show that lit up the night sky! I could not have asked for a better Scandinavian Christmas experience!