In the Swedish city of Uppsala, a new residential development is taking shape at the edge of a historic park — drawing on the character of its surroundings while meeting the expectations of contemporary urban life. At Seminariet II in Luthagen, architecture, landscape and appliance specification are held to the same considered standard.
A neighbourhood with roots
Luthagen is one of Uppsala’s most established areas: genuinely urban, yet close to the Fyris river and Stabbyskogen forest, with the city centre ten minutes away by bus. At its heart stands the grand Seminariet building, designed by Axel Lindgren in 1917 in warm brownish-red brick – now home to Uppsala Music Classes, and surrounded by the historic Rector’s Villa and Caretaker’s Residence. Seminarieparken, the private garden that once enclosed them, is being transformed into a public park complete with cycle paths, a kitchen garden, a new amphitheatre and a summer café.
Into this layered setting, developer Bonava has introduced Seminariet II: the final block of a wider development, offering 47 new owner-occupied apartments with move-in provisionally scheduled for spring 2027.
Architecture in context
The horseshoe-shaped block responds perfectly to its setting. Along Fyrisvallsgatan the buildings are clad in red brick with wrought-iron balconies, referencing the materiality of the 1917 Seminariet building; towards Prästgatan, a detached building with a Falun red timber facade enters into dialogue with the Rector’s Villa.
Balconies face the park and its historic buildings, while the elevated inner courtyard – planted with cherry and apple trees, hedges and climbers – creates a private landscape for residents.
A focus on sustainability is embedded throughout: the Nordic Svanmärkt label guarantees toxin-free, sustainably produced materials; district heating and MVHR ventilation minimise energy use; and all garage parking spaces include EV charging.
Homes designed for living
The 47 apartments range from 32 m² studio units to maisonettes of up to 150 m², designed to serve a wide range of residents and life stages. One standout feature is the inclusion of several four-room apartments with a flexible rental unit – a self-contained space that can serve as a teenager’s first private room, a home office or a lettable studio. At the very top, eight mezzanine maisonettes offer adaptable upper-floor space beneath the roofline, with views across to Uppsala Cathedral.
Throughout, the interior specification takes a pared-down minimalist approach: light walls, three-strip oak parquet and timeless materials that provide a calm base for residents to personalise. Kitchen styles can be selected from a range including Modern, Elegant, Classic and Contrast.
A kitchen specification that performs at every level
Electrolux has supplied a full appliance package across the development, selected to complement the considered aesthetic of the interiors while delivering strong performance at every touchpoint.
The 800 MealAssist Oven with SteamPro combines conventional cooking with three selectable steam levels, and an EXCite touchscreen display that provides intuitive access to Assisted Cooking modes, and a Soft Closing Door for a premium feel.
The 800 Sense Boil+Fry Induction Hob features our striking SaphirMatt® surface, made to deliver up to 10X more scratch resistance than a standard hob surface for elegance that lasts, as well as being fingerprint-resistant to minimise clean-up effort.* The SenseBoil & Fry sensors automatically adjust heat to prevent burning or overboiling, and Hob2Hood® connectivity links directly to the extractor fan.
The 800 TouchOpen Microwave opens smoothly at a single touch, with a Favourite function for storing preferred settings and an auto-defrost programme that calculates thawing time by food type and weight.
The 600 Integrated Refrigerator uses DynamicAir technology to circulate cool air and maintain a stable temperature throughout, with an inner lining made of 70% recycled plastic. Plastic from discarded fridge is used to make new ones, helping reduce waste through circularity.**
The 700 Upright NoFrost Freezer shares the same recycled lining and eliminates manual defrosting entirely.
The 900 ComfortLift Dishwasher with AirDry technology features the world-first ComfortLift® lower rack – which glides upwards at a squeeze of the handle – alongside a QuickSelect display that guides users to save water and energy, and a TimeBeam® function that projects the remaining cycle time onto the floor.
For residents with a wine collection, the 800 Perfect Shelving Wine Cabinet offers single-zone storage between 5–20°C with temperature stability, UV protection and vibration-free conditions for both short and long-term cellaring.
Considered care, in every apartment In-apartment laundry is handled by the 600 SensiCare Washing Machine, which saves up to 30% of time, water and energy with load-sensing technology.***
This is paired with the 600 GentleCare Heat Pump Dryer, which dries at half the temperature of a conventional machine, protecting garments from unnecessary heat while a humidity sensor prevents over-drying.
At Seminariet II, every decision – from the brick and timber facade choices and the planted courtyard, to the interior specification and the appliance package – reflects a great attention to detail. For kitchen designers and specifiers working on residential projects of similar ambition, it offers a compelling model: one where the quality of the appliance specification is understood not as a finishing touch, but as an integral part of what makes a home worth living in.
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Disclaimers:
*Based on abrasion tests conducted by external Swiss laboratory in accordance with international standard IEC 60068-2-70. Scratch visibility is assessed internally in comparison to our standard ceramic glass hobs without special treatment or coating.
**Inner liner rHIPS made with up to 70% recycled plastic representing 13% of total fridge plastic.
***Based on internal test of time, water and energy consumption of a 1kg load compared to max load in Cotton cycle 30°C using SensiCare which adjusts the programme based on load size.
