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The schoolyard lift

Hemsö's concept "The schoolyard lift" aims to create green, varied schoolyards to promote the students' learning and strengthen their social and physical development. We have inventoried our portfolio of preschool and school playgrounds and made quality improvements to 50 of them.

Children playing on the playground of one of Hemsö´s schools in Nacka.

Research as a basis

Over five years, we have invested nearly SEK 30 million in 50 schoolyard upgrades. The experience gained during this time is being used to refurbish and develop new schools. We have developed a handbook to ensure that we build school yards that are educational, challenging, safe and healthy, and that encourage creativity and physical activity.

In the Schoolyard Lift, we based it on environmental psychology research from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, among others, which shows how different characters in the outdoor environment can benefit children and young people’s learning and their social and physical development. Characteristics include tranquillity, wildness, species richness, space and cultural history. The design of school grounds and outdoor environments for children and young people should aim to provide these characters. The preservation of wildness and species richness also promotes biodiversity.

A child smiling and relaxed holding a basketball under his right forearm on a courtyard

The schoolyard of the future at Framtidsgymnasiet

Framtidsgymnasiet in Malmö is one of the schools that got a lift in 2022. A previously paved car park was replaced with greenery, an outdoor gym, a basketball court and space for socialising. At the start, Hemsö hired landscape architects for the design, and together with the contractor for ground maintenance, Hemsö is working actively to maintain the functions. An important part of the process is to involve the staff and those who use the outdoor environment to jointly create the schoolyards of the future.

More about Hemsö

Hemsö is the leading owner of properties for public use in Sweden. The hallmarks of Hemsö´s business are long-term leases, stable tenants, and strong ownership.

  • Vision and business concept

    Hemsö’s vision is to strengthen the backbone of our society. The properties we develop and manage have a major impact at society.

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  • Our history

    From the very start, the company’s focus has been to own and manage properties for public sector tenants, such as the state, municipalities or county councils, who are responsible for the operations conducted on those premises.

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  • Our mission and owner structure

    Hemsö is Sweden’s leading owner of public properties. Here you can read more about our mission, our owners, and the properties we own.

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About Hemsö