Both the current and anticipated surge of urban population in Sweden have put pressure on municipalities to address housing shortages in main cities. Only in Uppsala, the annual construction requirement is estimated to reach up to 3400 homes. As one of the most prevalent development projects in Uppsala today, the new district of Östra Sala backe is planned to offer 2500 homes as an answer to this housing shortage. However, with the pressure to build sustainable and cost efficient homes at a rapid pace, all the project’s stakeholders must give sufficient consideration to the aesthetic dimension in planning and construction. This study examines how the concept of aesthetics has been implemented and interpreted in the planning of Östra Sala backe. Four interviews with project stakeholders are carried out, in addition to analysis of project documentation and observations of current building development. The results of the research are then compared with how the aesthetic concept has been discussed in both planning theory and historical city planning ideals. The study shows that within the project’s aesthetic focus, the creation of variation in form and social value was given most consideration. As such, functional forms and sustainable values were prioritised.