How can a society maintain its identity as it grows?

“Yes!” according to Katarina Borg, who works with urban development at RISE. “Many are okay when something is happening in their neighbourhood. But you can't just go in and say, 'you're getting new neighbours'. It's important that urban development gives those already living there something extra. It can be about how the common areas are developed, that environments become safer or public transport better. And it is not possible to implement new development in a district without understanding it.”

Katarina Borg mentions previous work she had been involved in where a municipality chose to conduct a cultural life analysis in a district created during the Million Programme* that was slated for growth and development. This enabled the municipality to get to know the district in more depth, beyond its physical characteristics, architecture, traffic patterns and environmental conditions.

“It was an analysis in a very broad sense. By talking to individuals in the arts, residents, property owners, young people and after-school recreation leaders, we attained a grasp of which residents are in the district and their interests. Cultural interest, local involvement and cohesion were strong, but were not in the form of associations with statutes and municipal support. Interest in urban gardening was high and brought together many people who had lived in the district for quite some time, as well as newer residents. Many wanted more space for urban gardening and to garden together with others. Also evident in the area was the strong youth culture and interest in street art and hip hop – and the lack of facilities and activities for young people.”

The analysis provided new knowledge and thus new conditions for urban development. It could be used in the dialogue with developers and in setting requirement specifications for land allocation.

“After working for several years in a municipality, it was interesting to find new tools for taking consideration to the local cultural life, as both a prerequisite and driving force. The cultural life analysis becomes a basis for planning and can be used to get developers competing for land allocation to understand the location and produce proposals that meet the area's needs,” explains Katarina Borg.

Build on an existing profile

What she describes is how knowledge of a district, through new forms of working together with residents, makes it possible to develop the district and at the same time strengthen and build on its existing cultural profile.

“RISE is currently conducting a major research project in the Gothenburg district of Tynnered where the aim is to establish long-term conditions for social sustainability, together with municipal and private housing companies, society and businesses. One of the goals is to map the district's capacity for change in order to tailor initiatives that have been tested in urban development. The ambition is to develop models for how different stakeholders can work together to support a district's social development. I believe that RISE can be of assistance for more municipalities, even smaller ones, in such efforts. Either by providing research-based data, or by developing new tools that suit an individual municipality's needs.”

Involvement a tool for environmental and social sustainability

Katarina Borg returns to the fact that it is about seeing the power and capacity of the residents in a district. Of course, some new construction and various aspects of urban development can also involve absolutely necessary conflicts, but by understanding the district you’re working in and involving the residents, urban development can be a tool for both environmental and social sustainability.

“In Million Programme districts, there are major opportunities for housing construction and there is often the need for renovation. With new construction, it is also hoped that it will increase the social diversity of a district. But if you build, for example, in a park that is one of the area's most appreciated resources, the situation will be worse both for those who already live there and for those who move in. Greater potential is often found in traffic surfaces and parking lots, which are often oversized and perceived as dull and unsafe. Working with new mobility opportunities or construction adjoining the district's feeder streets can create more pleasant living environments that improve the quality of life for those already living there, while at the same time creating the opportunity to build new homes that complement the district,” concludes Katarina Borg.

*The Million Programme (Swedish: Miljonprogrammet) was an ambitious public housing program implemented in Sweden between 1965 and 1974 by the governing Swedish Social Democratic Party to ensure the availability of affordable, high quality housing to all Swedish citizens. (Source: Wikipedia)