Byggnadsnära

Byggnadsnära is a Swedish term used in architecture, urban planning and building regulation to describe anything located in direct proximity to a building. The expression refers to the immediately surrounding zone of a structure—typically the area adjacent to façades, eaves, or foundations—where the interaction between built form and the surrounding environment is strongest. The term is descriptive rather than a formal technical definition, and its exact radius varies with context, project, and regulatory framework.

In planning and design, byggnadsnära spaces are analyzed for how the building affects and is affected by its surroundings. Design considerations include daylight access to interior and nearby outdoor spaces, wind shelter and microclimate, rainwater drainage and foundation safety, noise propagation, privacy, accessibility, and maintenance needs. The concept is frequently used when discussing outdoor rooms, courtyards, building envelopes, service areas, and pedestrian routes that lie next to structures.

In regulatory language, byggnadsnära can appear in guidelines or zoning discussions to distinguish the zone close to a building from more distant public or private spaces. It is often relevant for determining setback requirements, landscaping, and stormwater management, as well as for the placement of utilities, entrances, and emergency access. While widely understood in practice, byggnadsnära does not have a single universal legal definition and is best interpreted from the specific planning or design document in question.

Related terms include byggnadsnära fasad (building-adjacent facade), byggnadsnära miljö (building-adjacent environment), and other references to the interaction between a building and its immediate surroundings.