Next Step Group
Wendelstrand
The story of a village in the making.
Insight
As the world changes, so do our ideas and dreams of living.
Urban developer Next Step Group saw the potential to realise these dreams in Wendelstrand, an old quarry just outside of Gothenburg, Sweden. A unique location where the green can meet a contemporary lifestyle, bound together by high architectural ambitions and a sense of community. But how could that vision be shared and shaped together with future inhabitants?
Idea
Blurring the line between dream and development.
Next Step Group, together with AKQA, launched a documentary series to start forming the eco village’s dream. Narrated by the architects and developers, the interview-driven episodes take viewers on a journey of transparency, from drawing board to build start. Not skipping all the big and small decisions happening in between.
Cinematic nature footage from the unique location is combined with 3D animations, opening doors to homes, even before they exist. The intimate visual narrative extends through a design system across a bespoke website and CMS, social films, print, wayfinding and an on-site showroom, inviting people to share their dreams of Wendelstrand and build the community together.
Episode One
Wendelstrand & Lakehouse
Lakehouse is designed to build harmony between the culture and nature in Wendelstrand.
Episode Two
Wendelstrand Homes
Together with AKQA we engineered the entire software for Wendelstrand. Storytelling and a design system that will last as long as the buildings.
Impact
Moved to move in.
The eager community grew both online and on-site as people started visiting ahead of the sale start. All apartments were reserved during the first week, which, combined with the house sales, allowed Next Step Group to initiate the next development phase.
Wendelstrand is growing and shaping with the dreams of those who will live there.
