The land we share – who shapes the cities and communities of the future?

There is strong competition for land use. Who decides how land is used, and how are cities and communities shaped when different interests lay claim to the same landscape?

The value of land varies depending on the needs it is expected to meet. In major cities, it is expensive and highly sought after. In many communities in northern Sweden, it is a central resource as housing markets shift and different interests must be accommodated.

In connection with the installation Torget: Vacant Houses and the Land We Share, ArkDes presents a series of talks on the green transition in Norrbotten and Västerbotten. This transition involves some of the largest investments ever in technology and infrastructure, placing high demands on new housing and sustainable living environments.

The programme opens with a presentation by Anna Sundman and Magnus Björkman, who will share their work within the innovation project Visions in the North. In collaboration with the municipality of Boden, their team has explored how vacant houses can be matched with residents’ needs.

The presentation is followed by a panel discussion on how competing interests meet in Norrbotten and Västerbotten, both today and historically, and what is required for communities to live and develop as well-designed living environments.

Schedule

14:00 Programme begins

Presentation: Vacant houses in the municipality of Boden Anna Sundman and Magnus Björkman, Theory into Practice / Team Boden and Lina Wågström, ArkDes

Panel discussion

• Cecilia von Scheele, Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure
• Tobias Olsson, Swedish Association of Architects
• Sigrid Vestling, Urban Development Strategist, Kiruna Municipality
• Moderator: Kris Johnson-Jones, ArkDes

16:00 Programme ends