A personal City
How can Umeå’s planning process create space for the unplanned city?
Abstract:
Umeå municipality sees itself as the engine for growth in North of Sweden and have a high set goal to become 200,000 inhabitants by the year 2050. Reaching this goal is part of a global competition where people and their social networks are the asset, and the urban property market is the main driving force. In its tracks follows in many cases all over the world, gentrification of segregated areas where the user of the space has few rights and the owner have many. At the same time the group of people “at-risk-of-poverty” have doubled in Sweden in the last 30 years.
My previous report focused on bildung as a learning process that can give agency to people. Within the process of bildung, people can both participate in the structural life of society and make personal changes in their own life. By this, tools to handle segregation can be given to people in an area with difficulties. Today problems of segregation are often handled with a top-down solution of revitalization which often leads to gentrification where existing networks are pushed out. Instead, I argue, the process of urbanization needs to give space for bildung as a bottom-up solution.
1 Introduction
In my report “An emancipated human in a personal city” I departed from the SOM-Institute’s article “The good life” which describes how satisfied people value ,for example rich leisure time, experien-cing nature and social relations more than dissatisfied people. Those who are dissatisfied instead value self-appearance, nice clothes and religious beliefs as more important than those satisfied.1 At the same time the increasing segregation circumscribes different groups from the possibility to develop their own version of the good life.2 This increased segregation and fragmentation take place from the Euro-pean level down to the local neighborhood, a fragmentation that classifies people into fundamentalist groups or global citizens and does not emancipate us as individuals. Simultaneously sociologist Ant-hony Giddens argue that identity becomes even more of a constant project in the modern world for everyone to reflect on,3 at the same time as, and here Lena Andersson, journalist and author, agrees, we lack a common ground of objective truth.4 Instead of a common base of objective values as democracy and equality, group norms become the benchmark for behavior.
Image 1: Nya Dagbladet. Nordiska motståndsrörelsen förbjuds i Finland (photo) 2017
In Sweden the foundation for democracy has said to be found in our bildung tradition.5 The word bildung is German and originates from the Greek word paideia, where it described the educational relation between citizen and the public.6 History shows how bildung has worked with this relation between society as an object and the individual as a subject, to develop a free harmonic citizen. During the past few years the debate about bildung has been very active and even more vital now than in past decades through the work of, among others, Per Svensson7 and Sverker Sörlin8. The debate polarizes in the view of bildung as a process to gain knowledge during one’s whole life, or in a canon of knowledge that can be taught in school and which everyone should possess. If bildung simply is a fixed goal of knowledge, the beliefs in an emancipated human would be fatuous and humans would be reduced to an object. Henrik Bohlin, Professor of History of Ideas describes bildung as the self-reflection in a dialog with others.9 I agree with Bohlin and believe that society is the object and all humans possess their own subjectivity and therefore, in my view, bildung has to be seen as a process. This understanding is the origin for the definition used in this report for the term bildung; humans’ own aspiration for change through an understanding of the others in relation to themselves.
1 Nilsson Å, Wiebull L. “Det goda livet” Svensk höst (Swedish autumn) Gothenburg. University of Gothenburg. 2009 p.96
2 Swedish Research Council. Svensk forskning om segregationen - en kartläggning (Swedish research on segregation- a survey). Report. https://www. vr.se/download/18.4dd26b09169cbe0ddda629/1555326345256/Svensk-forskning-om-segregation_VR_2018.pdf (2019-10-05) p.32
3 Giddens A. (translated by Karlsson I). Runaway world (en skenande värld) Stockholm 08 tryck 2010 p. 57
4 Andersson, L. VK Tv. Samtiden och vad som är fel med den, (our time and what’s wrong with it). Umeå 2019-09-25. https://www.vk.se/2019-09-17/tv-for-fattaren-lena-andersson-pa-umeabesok 2019-10-04
5 Brooks D. This Is How Scandinavia Got Great. New York Times 2020-02-13 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/opinion/scandinavia-education.html 2020-03-12
6 Paideai Oxford English Dictionary. https://www-oed-com.proxy.ub.umu.se/view/Entry/135951?redirectedFrom=paideia#eid 2020-02-15 7 Svensson P. Steinfeld T. Bildningen på barrikaden. Stockholm, Svante Weyler bokförlag AB. 2017
8 Sörlin S. Till bildningens försvar. Lettland Natur & kultur. 2019
In the definition is a gap between the others and oneself which can be understood as segregation but with the individuals’ own aspira-tions to understand the others, this gap can be used for emancipa-tion. The gap creates a distance so individuals can see a reflection of themselves in others. The interest for the emancipated human can also be found in the Swedish architectural manifesto Accept (Accep-tera) from 193110 and by analyzing their methods and outcome in the previous report, an image of an institutionalized society became visible. The architecture and plans of the modern movement were so focused in solving the functions that they left little space for future development; and the planning institutions did not leave space for the process of thinking individuals in the functional divided city.11 Instead of an emancipated human, the big suburban areas built during this modern period are often the ones viewed as segregated today.
Today when cities expand, planners try to learn from the mistakes of the modern movement and strive for mixed functions and diversity within a dense city in opposite to the sprawled function division. This is also Umeå’s method, in the global competition between cities today, with their aim to reach the goal to become 200,000 inhabitants by 2050.12 At the same time, gentrification research shows how this in many cases leads to people from lower classes being pushed out from neighborhoods where they are already established. Instead of decreasing segregation, mix use, such as argued for in Umeå’s compre-hensive plan, tends to instead increases marginalization of groups.13 The question of gentrification also becomes increasingly important as statistics from Statistic Sweden shows how the group of “at-risk-of-poverty” is growing, from 7.3 % in early 1990 to 14.9 % in 2017.14 This increase means that the people of lower classes, at risk to be pushed out from areas due to gentrification, have doubled in almost 30 years. The consequences of Umeå’s suggested comprehensive plan therefore have a risk to increase gentrification.
Instead as argued for in my earlier report, An emancipated human in a personal city, the built environ-ment needs to stimulate humans’ own aspiration for change. The modern moveenviron-ment’s problems with fixed plans that did not allow for thinking individuals will not be solved by changing the goals of the planning process from a functional divided city into a goal to plan for mixed use in neighborhood block. The change must be within the planning process itself. Instead of a planning process that strives for a finished built environment as a goal, it needs to open the city for the thinking individual. Therefo-re, this report works with the hypothesis that the planning process needs to open the city for unplanned changes.
From this hypothesis comes the research question, how can Umeå’s planning process create space for the unplanned city?
10 Asplund, Gahn, Markelius, Paulsson, Sundahl, Åhrén. Acceptera. Facsimile edition. Arlöv, Berlings. 1980. p.115 11 Törnquist, M. An emanciperad human in a personal city. 2019 p 8. appendix 1
12 Umeå comprehensive plan. Umeå municipality. https://www.umea.se/download/18.25332a9916cb14274219795/1567417715728/UK_Oversikts-plan_2018-SVE_low_resolution.pdf 2020-02-12 p 13
13 Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. Chapter 1. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 29
14 Statistics Sweden. Andelen med låg ekonomisk standard ökar (At-risk-of-poverty rate increasing). 2019-06-27 https://www.scb.se/en/finding-statistics/ statistics-by-subject-area/household-finances/income-and-income-distribution/income-and-tax-statistics/pong/statistical-news/income-and-tax-statis-tics-income-report-2017/ 2020-02-15
2 Methodology
The theoretical background that was initiated in the previous report focused on today’s problems of segregation in relation to the process of the modern movement. Comparing their processes and goals to the debate about bildung revealed an image of the modern movement where there was no space for people as a group. As a continuation of the previous research, this report complements this with an analysis of the contemporary theoretical research of solutions to the problem of segregation. In many cases, according to Neil Smith, these solutions can be described as the gentrificated cities.15 Therefore, the main theoretical focus is on gentrification and how that can relate to the context of Umeå, a small town in northern Sweden.
As a bridge between the theoretical foundation and a future built environment for emancipated hu-mans, the focus is bildung as a process. To concretize this link, I have researched how the bildung associations in Sweden have worked to reach the goal from the Swedish government, that: folkbildung should give everyone the opportunity to, together with others, increase their knowledge and bildung for personal development and participation in society.16 Together with this view of bildung in a national context, interviews with associations in Umeå creates an understanding of bildung in Sweden and in a local context.
To be able to test the theoretical and empirical research in the planning process, I participated in the municipality’s active process to create a detail plan for the north part of Ön in Umeå. They already in 2008 adopted the comprehensive plan for the whole area of Ön and have since then slowly moved forward. The north tip of the island will have the highest level of exploitation and the municipality has as aim to make that part integrated within the city. Today the municipality lacks a public function for a broader majority of Umeå’s inhabitants to make the connection between the already established city and the new part. The proposal for the north tip of Ön is therefore a public building that in different scales and at dif-ferent levels connect people through a continuous process. The suggestion is that the building will be erected as one of the first in the exploitation area of Ön and as the first building in the area it will esta-blish a communication platform between citizens, contractors and the municipality. The building will also initiate the next phase, after the planning process, where people inhabit the area. By this approach where different actors are involved in all stages, the concept bildung is reached. As the building process of Ön reach an end, the contractors will leave and give space for public associations, focusing on civil society. Together the associations, municipality and inhabitants will keep the bildung process alive.
15 Smith, N. Chapter 3. Gentrifiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 69
16 The Swedish National Council of Adult Education. Statens syfte och folkbildningens uppdrag (The purpose of the state and the mission of education). 2018-06-26 https://www.folkbildningsradet.se/om-studieforbund/fragor-och-svar-om-statsbidrag-till-studieforbund/statens-syfte-och-folkbildning-ens-uppdrag/ 2020-02-18
3 Gentrefication and the city
3.1 Gentrification and plannig
As I showed in the previous report, the modern movement’s plans became static in their functions due to planners and architect’s strong beliefs in their own ability to know the best solutions for the built environment. This belief that the planners and architect knew the future, made the functionalistic movement focus on solving the material issues and only had a hope that an emancipated human would eventually emerge. Lena Andersson holds a similar position and argues that even the strong social po-litical movement became only materialistic.17 Her description of what the modern movement became is also much in line with Le Corbusier’s goal of truly objective authorities.18 The report concluded that the strong objective goal and functional divided plans lead to an institutionalization of society without the need for people to self-reflect. At the same time self-reflection is more important than ever before, when identity now is a constant project, which Anthony Giddens arguse.19 The modern movement built environment did not leave space for difference’s and the process of emancipation, no space for bildung.
Today this tendency can also be seen in the mix function plans at the scale of the city where the global market increas the importance for the city as a brand, at the same time as recognizable, if to be seen as a possible place to live in.20 When the city becomes commodified to a business orienta-ted product the culture of the place tends to also be perceived after the logic of the market where people, as in Umeå comprehensive plan, are seen as an asset21 to provide the right image of the city. The planning process then planes for culture rather than planning from culture and consumerism takes over the participation culture. The development becomes the antithesis to the unique city with no space for groups built on differences and bildung.22 Segregated areas, blamed on the modern move-ment’s functional divided plans, stain this image of the city brand and as a livable place for the creative class, the group perceived as the most valuable asset. Thereby today’s mixed used planning politics, with a goal that can be described with the word gentrification, do not become a city out of differences but one complete image or commodity. Thereby, similarly to the modern movement, the gentrificated city leaves no space for the emancipation of humans. The problem of the modern movement is still left unsolved and today’s planning process does not give a possibility of self-reflection to either the indivi-duals or the city.
3.2 The defenitin of gentrefication
Gentrification has today become a global strategy in the competition between cities23 but it is important to not only see it as Ruth Glass‘ first definition of the word;
”One by one, many of the working class quarters have been invaded by the middle class - upper and lower ... Once this process of ’gentrification’ starts in a district it goes on rapidly until all or most of the working class occupiers are displaced and the whole social character of the district is changed”
17 Andersson L. Dagens Nyheter. När SD vill återupprätta folkhemmet mister de sig själva (When SD wants to restore the welfare state they lose themsel-ves). DN Ledare. 2020-02-19
18 Le Corbusier. translated by Winter K. La Ville Radieuse translated part in: Le Corbusier och Stockholm. Stockholm Bildtryck AB 1987 p.16 19 Giddens A. (translated by Karlsson I). Runaway world (en skenande värld) Stockholm 08 tryck 2010 p. 27
20 Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. Chapter 1. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 21 21 Umeå comprehensive plan. Umeå municipality. https://www.umea.se/download/18.25332a9916cb14274219795/1567417715728/UK_Oversikts-plan_2018-SVE_low_resolution.pdf 2020-02-12. p. 14
22 Brusman M. Jakten på stadens själ (The hunt for the city’s soul). 2018 nordiccitynetwork.com/media/54852/Brusman-Jakten-paa-stadens-sjael-Nordic-City-Network-2018-.pdf 2020-03-16
23 Smith, N. Chapter 3. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 68 Image 4: Umeå centrala square. Utopia mall with housing on top (photo)
Gentrification needs to be understood as a broader term than the displacement of people due to redevelopment of workers quarters. It is rather the polarization within space where the user becomes without power in relation to the owner, a commodification of the public space.24 This process of com-modification, economical thinking, is the opposite to the process of bildung25 where the individuals own power and the equality among people are the foundation. Now when globalization has made the property market into the main driving force in the competition between cities26 the city is no longer a tool for the inhabitants, but it is rather the opposite. Here parallels can be found in the modern mo-vement‘s beliefs in industrialization and how it would lead to emancipation. Instead advertisement created a constant increasing material need, making people into tools for the expanding industry,27 now people instead are tools for the expanding urbanity.
3.3 Dicplasments of associations
At the same time there are problems with segregation in Sweden where the lack of funds make people stuck in their current location where criminal structures risk to take control of the civil society. The-re words of The-revitalization and mixed functions, words often connected to gentrification, motivate big changes to counteract segregation.28 In opposite to this Professor Loretta Lees argues that it is hard to find evidence that gentrification will help vulnerable groups. Instead it can in many cases be the op-posite, the revitalization leads to higher prices and displacement of already established networks29 and structures that are in play to balance segregation are dismounted. Holgersson and Thörns show in their review over the redevelopment of Kvillebäcken in Göteborg how almost all established social networks had to move or close due to the planned future of a diversed, mixed function district,30 which show how ”the mixed functions” leads to a homogenous area. Vulnerable groups have more to lose by the commodification of the neighborhood in comparison to living in a poor area. Both social and institu-tional structures that are in play for those in need, are disassembled when the overall need is no longer as visible.31
In Umeå, where this theoretical argumentation is to be tested, there are many examples about the commodification of unspecified public space. The disappearing social space, Apberget32 at the main square and the municipal’s disposal of the train engine sheds, where the open cultural house associa-tion was located to a private company33, are two examples. These public spaces are crucial as an arena where differences can be confronted and it is Professor Chantal Mouffe’s belief that it is the democratic process (which I interpreted, more concrete as the planning process) that should provide this space for confrontation. The Swedish non-formal adult education also argue that the meeting space is crucial to break segregation and to be able to learn from other. Moreover, Mouffe keep on describing that if this confrontation ceases the society will either become apathetic or move towards counter democratic ideas. In the same interview professor Ernesto Laclau agrees and in that sense gentrification does not always need to directly push people out but by taking away their possibility to shape their own environ-ment also creates the gentrificated city.34 The term gentrification can in that sense be understood as a broad term out of its consequences, simultaneously as the mechanisms behind need to be understood out of the local context.
24 Clark E. Chapter 2. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 39
25 Bohlin H. Bildning, dialog och kritisk självreflektion. (Bildung, dialogue and critical self-reflection). in Att växa som människa. (To grow as a human). Editor Burman A. Stockholm Elanders 2014 p.114
26 Smith, N. Chapter 3. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 65 27 Törnquist, M. An emanciperad human in a personal city. 2019. appendix 1.
28 Slater T. Chapter 5. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 104 29 Lees L. Chapter 4. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 85 30 Holgersson H. Thörn C, Gentrifiering. First edition. Lund, Studentlitteratur AB, 2014. P.74
31 Less L. Chapter 4. Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p. 104
32 Förbundet Allt åt alla. Därför ska inga stenar flyttas (Therefore, no stones should be moved). 2013-09-13 https://alltatalla.se/allmant/darfor-ska-inga-stenar-flyttas 2020-03-16
33 Town Council, Umeå municipality. minutes of the meeting 2015-12-21. https://www.umea.se/download/18.791cd28151a759b5f31a7ed/1451978263235/ kf1512.pdf 2020-03-30 p. 57
3.4 Gentifrication and bildung
The opposite of gentrification can then be described in other words as participation, democracy or bil-dung. In democracy it is one person one vote. In folkbildung it is an abstraction of the same principal, participation on equal terms where people’s opinions are respected. At the same time study circle parti-cipants meet people from other countries and discuss current social issues more than people in general, a report from the Swedish National Council of Adult Education show.35 They keep Mouffe’s confronta-tion alive in a respectful way. Also visible is that people participating in bildung activities declare to a higher degree than others, that they can influence the development in Sweden on different levels.36 The Swedish National Council of Adult Education analyses also displays that participants in bildung activi-ties, will more likely get a job, especially those with a lower degree of education.37 Bildung as a process of lifelong learning will in that direct sense both give people tools to affect their own subject and society as an object. Thereby the bildung activities can both counterbalance gentrification as the commodifica-tion of space and segregacommodifica-tion as the division between people.
These bildung activities, social networks and spaces are often time-consuming to build and depend on the voluntary engagement of people.38 From engagement homogenous groups are formed but associate Professor Peter Håkanssons highlights in his report “Bridging social capital in the activities of bildung associations39 the importance of an outside force to form bridging social capital within associations. Combining the analysis of Håkansson with Mouffe’s creates an image that it is not only enough for the planning process to provide space to break the segregated, homogenous group but that spaces themsel-ves need to be designed as an external force. The current planning process, which largely depends on the gentrification idea, with a focus on consumer culture tends to remove the possibilities for bildung activities instead of strengthening them.
Through interviews with associations in Umeå the fear of gentrification due to the planning process becomes visible as two of the four associations see a risk that they will have to move soon because of development in the area.40 They also believe the planning process will pass above their head. At the same time the associations see little chance that the same type of cheap spaces can be found at as central locations as now and therefore will have to move further out from the city.41 For the Amateur Geologists, a central, well functioning and exposed space, here Väven or Curiosum was mentioned, is believed to attract new members. When they have temporarily tried other locations then the basement space they now share with a sales company, which people have had other incitement to visit as well, has mostly turned our well. Even other associations have noticed how well they can reach out to people at these events.42 These meetings show how important it is for the associations to be in a space where they can reach out to one another.
35 The Swedish National Council of Adult Education Folkbildningens betydels för samhället (The importance of adult education to society) 2017. https:// www.folkbildningsradet.se/globalassets/rapporter/regeringen/2018/fbr_sb2018_webb.pdf 202-02-05 P.38
36 Ibis 37 Ibis. P 43 38 Ibis. P 43
39 Håkansson, P Bridging social capital in the activities of bildung associations. Centre for Work Life and Evaluation Studies, Malmö University 2011 40 Intevjues with assosiations from Umeå. ABF. AC-Geologerna. BK Björken. F.S.U.K. 2020-02 Appendix 2 - 5
41 Ibis 42 ibis
In the meeting with others the associations have a possibility to strengthen their own organizations by finding new members with different skills but more important is their claim to the right to space in the city. The fear expressed in the interviews, that the association will have to move their activity when new detail plans are made, is valid. In 2014 a new detail plan in Mariedal, Umeå, forced Umeå Scout associations to move further out from the city, without knowing where to move, after 30 years at the same location.43 The cultural house association in the old train engine sheds ceased with their activity in the building nine months after the property was sold to a private actor and six months before the new detail plans were initiated to support housing at the location.44 The work dog association at Ön in Umeå has similarly, for a long time known that their activity will have to move when the municipality now enters the detail planning process. In 2017 they received one million Swedish kronor in funding from Umeå municipality to build new facilities further out from the city center at the border of what is described as the diverse, dense, multifunctional city.45
43 Turborn E. Bostäder i Scoutgården (Housing in the scout yard) Västerbotten kuriren 2014-09-25 https://www.vk.se/2014-09-25/bostader-i-scoutgarden 2020-04-05
44 Umeå municipality. needs assessment for detailed plan. 2017-08-11
https://www.umea.se/download/18.72f2f1fb15f2e133b93125e/1508330343454/Behovsbed%C3%B6mning%20Ume%C3%A5%207_4.pdf 2020-04-01 45 Umeå municiplaty. press release via TT. 2017-12-13. https://via.tt.se/pressmeddelande/en-miljon-kronor-till-hundsportsyta-i-anumark?publishe-rId=1422393&releaseId=3244674 2020-04-01
The work dog associations old location within the area to be developed to host a riche, active outdoor life.
The work dog associations new location at the border of the 5 km city.
4 The proposal
Umeå municipality has since 1998 had a political will to develop Ön, a city central located island in the Ume river. The area is, according to the vision for Umeå as a dense city with 5 km from the center, a logical choice to develop as one step to reach 200,000 inhabitants by 2050. In 2008 Umeå municipal adopted an in-depth comprehensive plan for the area with a guideline to build 2500 new units in the north part as a new urban district in the city. In the central part of the Island are three small villages built during different periods of time and are to be left relatively untouched and therefore create a bor-der for the expansion to the south. Ön is also recognized as an important natural area to allow different species, mostly birds and bats, to spread along the river which needs to be preserved. The nature is also a recreational point for people of Umeå and the working dog association had a training yard in an old field at the north tip of the Island.
Today the exploitation of the area is low in relation to the short distance to the city center which derives from the inaccessibility to Ön. There is one bridge connecting Ön to the south side of the river, the opposite of the city center. Therefore part of the new development will be to build four new bridges. Two from the north side, connecting one towards the central part of town and the other towards the hospital area. The new infrastructure will make the whole project expensive and it is therefore decided on, for Umeå, a high exploitation level, with some buildings over 10 floors tall.
The high costs of building on an island together with new expansive infrastructure, the risk of high-pri-ced dwellings is likely. Together with its central location and clearly defined area this indicates that it will, as in many other new developed areas in Sweden, attract a homogeneous group of people. This risk to segregate Umeå, even if the not a redevelopment of old worker quarters, when a group of people with more economic assets get access to central parts of the city and increases the commodification of Umeå.
Bildung activities and overbridging social capital will therefore become even more important for the developed area and the city when a big homogenous group is formed. Peter Håkansson describes two methods which are used by the bildung associations to create over bridging social capital. One is to create opportunities for homogeneous groups to meet and the other is to form heterogeneous groups or association. To make certain that this will occur in the new area it is therefore important, as Chantal Mouffe’s describes, for the democratic process to create space for, both types of methods within the new planned environment. But if the created space shall be able to also counter gentrification and not only segregation, it is important to also secure the user’s right to space in the future. Not only the new developed area on Ön but in the city in general. Therefore, can the space not provide a narrative of how it shall be used over time, it can only work as a starting point in the development process.
The proposal shall:
• enhance user’s possibility to participate in the process to develop the city over time; • open the area for users from the Island as well as from the rest of Umeå;
• strengthen bildung as a process in the developed area; • increase the inhabitants right to space in the city; • make space for a future, unknown, local identity.
A possibility to mov
e through the building
Image 9: Collage with the movemnet throught the building. Martin Törnquist Image 8: Timeline for the building.
Martin Törnquist
Year 0 Future
From the thesis, I suggest the following five design aspects for the public space on Ön.
GRAFFIT
5 Discussion
The commodification of the space, driven by the global property market, has changed the balance between owner and user. New build areas or buildings are often expensive and attract people with higher income and education. Therefore people with a healthy economy have the possibility to move in according to their view of a good life and leave a segregated neighborhood behind. With the dense, multifunctional, diver’s city, politicians and planners try to counter this segregation with developing already segregated areas. In opposite to the believed result this gentrification often pushes both people and social networks out from their established space. This gentrification process is clearly visible in big redeveloped areas as example Kvillebäcken in Gothenburg where almost all associations moved or clo-sed during the redevelopment process. The redevelopment of Kvillebäcken was clearly never intended for the already established users but was driven by the owner and politicians according to the vision of the city and the area.
In such large projects as Kvillebäcken and over a relative short period of time, problems of gentrifica-tion become visible. The development has a before and after with little connecgentrifica-tions between. This is, according to me an opposite to the emancipation of the human and a process in line with the bildung ideal. Instead old layers and an interest of the other are erased and the new built environment is desig-ned to manipulate the social behavior of the new tenants. All in line with the brand of city in the global competition.
Looking at Umeå instead where there is no such big redevelopment project in existing areas, it is still clear that associations are pushed out due to redevelopment. Perhaps, they may be pushed to a relative-ly nice area or a less attractive area, but where they are relocated to is of lesser importance than the fact that they have been relocated. All relocations of associations to the periphery means that commodifica-tion occurs in the central parts of the city and never the quescommodifica-tion is raised is this commodificacommodifica-tion what the inhabitants of Umeå wants? A city without activities based only on personal interest.
With the new development of Ön in central Umeå, which likely will become an expensive area, the risk is high that the commodification narrative of the city as well as the notion of segregation will increase. It is also telling that the municipality have no ideas for a public building out of the 350,000 m2 gross area planed. Therefore, it is important to create meeting space where groups, from both within Ön as well as other parts of the city, can meet and develop their own activities. A space where homogenous groups can become heterogenous. But to counteract gentrification over time it is most important to make space for a future dialogue between the user of the city and planers and politicians. To let the city, grow in a process of bildung where the inhabitant’s own aspiration can develop in relation to others. In this way Umeå can plan for the unplanned through giving space for the confrontation between the personal and collective ideas.
Public space
Programs can grow out from the building into Ön
Area for privet groups
Space inbetween
6 Conclusion
Gentrification is happening all over the world, also in Umeå. It is easy to be hypnotized by beautiful word as diversity, multifunctional, unique, etc., when written as a strategic document or comprehensive plan. Research on the contrary display that it in many cases never becomes more than word. People are instead reduced to an asset in the competition between cities where the personal emancipation is of little important. The city becomes a commodity planned for culture rather than from culture. The bildung process is opposite to gentrification. It starts in the personal interest or local culture and through an open attitude towards the surrounding, develops a unique identity. Surveys done by bildung organizations in Sweden show how people participating in different bildung associations, both feel more able to influence society as well as strengthening them self as individuals. My attempt has been to scale this up, from the level of smaller associations to include the whole city of Umeå.
When I meet with a few associations in Umeå, and maybe I was lucky, but two out of the four I met where worried that they within a couple of years would have to move because of new detail planes. The relocation of the work dog association from Ön to the periphery of the city, indicates that displacement of associations already takes place in Umeå. To understand the extended of this displacement of associ-ations because of the planning process, further research would be needed.
Working with the municipality during the semester have also made visible how complex their pro-cess is. The municipality for example simultaneously works in the scale of the small building permit as referral responses on national laws, strategic documents for parking in the city at the same time as partnerships on a European level.
At the same time has the complexity of the process strengthened my conviction about the importance of civil society as a balancing force for the development of the city. If the city is to be developed from the local culture and reflect the local conditions, the user of Umeå need to be given a platform for com-munication at a closer level of the planning process. Bildung emanates from the personal interest which then are to be developed in relation with others. The importance of this relation between the personal interest as a subjectivity and the others as an objective, I believe, can never be too important in archi-tecture.
Bibliography:
Books:
Asplund, Gahn, Markelius, Paulsson, Sundahl, Åhrén. Acceptera. Facsimile edition. Arlöv, Berlings. 1980.
Bohlin H. Bildning, dialog och kritisk självreflektion. (Bildung, dialogue and critical self-reflection). in Att växa som människa. (To grow as a human). Editor Burman A. Stockholm Elanders 2014
Castle D hearts, Minds and Radical Democracy. interview with Chantal Muoffe and Ernesto Laclau in Red pepper. June 1. 1998. https://www.redpepper.org.uk/hearts-minds-and-radical-democracy/ 2020-02-20
Clark E. Chapter 2. Gentrifieringens ordning och enkelhet(The order and simplicity of the gentrifica-tion) Gentrefiering (Gentrificagentrifica-tion) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p.37–50
Despotović K, & C Thörn, Den urbana fronten: en dokumentation av makten över staden (The urban front: a documentation of power over the city) . Second edition. Göteborg, Göteborgtryckerier 2016. Giddens A. (translated by Karlsson I). Runaway world (en skenande värld) Stockholm 08 tryck 2010 Holgersson H, Thörn C. Chapter 1. Gentrifiering – kultur, politik och ekonomi (Gentrification - cul-ture, politics and economics) Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p.11–34
Holgersson H, Thörn C. Chapter 7. Göteborg - den urbana frontlinjen och “nya Kvillebäcken” (Go-thenburg - the urban front line and the ”new Kvillebäcken”) Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgers-son, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p.157–188
Less L. Chapter 4. Gentrefiering och social blandnig (Gene refining and social mixing) Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p.73–102 Mouffe C. (translated by Söderlind O). For a left populism, (Till vänsterpopulismens försvar). Häger-sten, Tankekraft Förlag. 2019
Nilsson Å, Wiebull L. “Det goda livet” Svensk höst (Swedish autumn) Gothenburg. University of Go-thenburg. 2009 p.93-106
Smith N. Chapter 3. Gentrifiering som global urban strategi(Gentrification as a global urban strategy) Gentrefiering (Gentrification) Holgersson, H. Thörn, C. (editors) Lund. Lundsstudentlitteratur 2014 p.50–73
Svensson P. Steinfeld T. Bildningen på barrikaden. Stockholm, Svante Weyler bokförlag AB. 2017 Sörlin S. Till bildningens försvar. Lettland Natur & kultur. 2019
Reports:
Håkansson P. Överbryggande social capital I studieförbundens verksamheter (Bridging social capital in the activities of adult education associations). Centre for Work Life and Evaluation Studies, Malmö University 2011
Nationella operativa avdelningen. Kriminell påverkan i lokalsamhället – En lägesbild för utvecklingen i utsatta områden, (Criminal impact in the local community - A state of play for developments in vulne-rable areas). Report, Swedish Police 2019
Swedish Research Council. Svensk forskning om segregation – en kartläggning, (Swedish research on segregation - a survey). Report, the Swedish Research Council. 2018
Ringborg E. Bildningen behövs för en levande demokrati: Bildningstrender 2018 (Bildung is needed for a living democracy: Bildung trends 2018). Report. Swedish non-formal adult education. 2018
Plans:
City executive offices. Fördjupning för Ön (Comprehensive plan in depth for Ön). Umeå Municipality 2018
Detail planning department. needs assessment for detailed plan for Umeå 7:4. Umeå municipality 2017-08-11 https://www.umea.se/download/18.72f2f1fb15f2e133b93125e/1508330343454/Behovsbe-d%C3%B6mning%20Ume%C3%A5%207_4.pdf 2020-04-01
Umeå municipality. Umeå översiktsplan (Umeå comprehensive plan). Umeå Municipality 2018 Overall planning. Innanför Ringleden: Stadsutvecklingsprogram (Inside the Ring road: Urban Deve-lopment Program) Umeå Municipality 2018
Overall planning. Fördjupning för Umeå: Umeås framtida tillväxtområde (Comprehensive plan in depth for Umeå: Umeå’s future growth area). Umeå Municipality 2018
Municipal documents:
Town Council, Umeå municipality. minutes of the meeting 2015-12-21. https://www.umea.se/downlo-ad/18.791cd28151a759b5f31a7ed/1451978263235/kf1512.pdf 2020-03-30
TV/Web broadcasts:
Andersson Lena. VK Tv. Samtiden och vad som är fel med den, (our time and what’s wrong with it). Umeå 2019-09-25.
Newspaper articles:
Andersson L. Dagens Nyheter. När SD vill återupprätta folkhemmet mister de sig själva (When SD wants to restore the welfare state they lose themselves). DN Ledare. 2020-01-03
Brooks D. This Is How Scandinavia Got Great. New York Times 2020-02-13
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/opinion/scandinavia-education.html 2020-03-12
Turborn E. Bostäder i Scoutgården (Housing in the scout yard) Västerbotten kuriren 2014-09-25 htt-ps://www.vk.se/2014-09-25/bostader-i-scoutgarden 2020-04-05
Press release:
Umeå municiplaty. press release via TT. En miljon kronor till hundsportsyta i Anumark (1 million SEK for dog sports in Anumark). 2017-12-13. https://via.tt.se/pressmeddelande/en-miljon-kr nor-till-hun sportsyta-i-anumark?publisherId=1422393&releaseId=3244674 2020-04-01
Webbpage:
Förbundet Allt åt alla. Därför ska inga stenar flyttas (Therefore, no stones should be moved). 2013-09-13 https://alltatalla.se/allmant/darfor-ska-inga-stenar-flyttas 2020-03-16
Dictonarys:
Images:
Image 1: Nya Dagbladet. Nordiska motståndsrörelsen förbjuds i Finland (photo) 2018-09-29
Image 2: Länsarkitektkontoret i Västerbottens län. General plan for Umeå. 1966 Image 3: Umeå municipality. needs assessment for detailed plan for Ön1:96
Image 4: Umeå centrala square. Utopia mall with housing on top (photo) 2019
Image 6: Diagram for the development of Umeå and the displacement of the work dog association.
Martin Törnquist
Image 7: Diagram showing the spred of the program over time. Martin Törnquist Image 8: Timeline for the building. Martin Törnquist
Image 9: Collage with the movemnet throught the building. Martin Törnquist Image 10: Collage of sub-culture in the building. Martin Törnquist
