Blå Länken Bridging the mental gap between human and nature - Carin Edlund Chalmers University of Technology Architecture and Civil Engineering ...
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Blå Länken
Bridging the menta l gap
between human and nature
Master’s thesis Carin Edlund
Chalmers University of Technology
Department Architecture and Civil Engineering
Examiner Marco Adelfio
Supervisor Nils Björling
Blå Länken
Master’s thesis Carin Edlund
Chalmers University of Technology
Department Architecture and Civil Engineering
Program Architecture and Planning Beyond Sustainability
Studio Critical Spatial Perspectives
Examiner Marco Adelfio
Supervisor Nils Björling
Göteborg Spring 2019
Figure 1. Image showing the site Folkungavallen in relation to its context of the city and outskirts. Differentiating between what can be seen as urban green and rural nature, showing the water ways and main infrastructure.
Abstract
Our modern societies are generally built upon effects on humans, so why are we building
linear s ys tems of consumption, economic cities where nature is not a main priority? How
growth and unsustainable overuse of materials. can we expose and bridge the mental barriers
On the contrary, nature works in connected between human and nature in urban settings?
networks, so called ecosystems, with circular
In order to change our relationship to nature
loops of nutrients, energy and material. There is
and emphasise the importance of biodiversity
no waste or overuse. Human existence depends
we need to create built environments in
on these ecosystems and the wide range of
s y m b i o s i s wi t h t h e n a t u r a l . T h i s t h e s i s
services they provide. By living in a linear
investigates the possibilities of using circular
way we are causing harm to the climate and
th i n k i n g a nd b i o d i ver s i t y t o b r i d g e th e
the ecosystems, decreasing biodiversity and
m e n ta l g a p b et we e n h u m a n a nd n a t u re
essentially reducing our own possibility to thrive.
on Folkungavall en in Linköping. It explores
Regenerative development gives the the opportunities to sh ape the new urban
perspective of environmental problems being environment from the natural elements on site,
a symptom of a fractured relationship between where the stream Tinnerbäcken is a staring
human and nature. We no longer see ourselves point. This is done through literature, reference
as part of nature, rather superior, where studies and site analysis in a parallel process
we take advanta ge of ecos ystem services of research for design and research by design.
in ways that suit us without thinking about The result is a range of concepts and strategies
the consequences. This becomes even more within the themes of water and biodiversity
evident as urbanisation continues to increase showcased in a conceptual design proposal on
and we are losing contact with nature. Nature Folkungavallen in Linköping. The thesis is meant
is proven to have both calming and healing to work as inspiration for further development.
Index
Title page 4 Reference projects & theory 38
Abstract Reference projects
Author Material
Ecological design
1 Introduction 8 Urban biodiversity
Unhealthy planet
Thesis frame work 5 Strategies 50
Strategies
Key site strategies
2 Background concepts 14 Water
Sustainability Biodiversity
Regenerative design Red-listed species
Biodiversity Trees and safe distance
Nature as commodity Materials
Steps for design
3 The site 20
Linköping
6 Design proposal 64
Facts and figures Volume testing
History
Site concept
Architecture and identity
Future development Sun and rain
Folkungavallen Different zones and their character
History Proposal
Site analysis Site plan
Perspectives
Layers of city and surroundings
Section
Layers of site
Who lives here ?
Movement framework
Connecting to rural nature
Red-listed species
Tinnerbäcken
Stream 7 Reflections 81
Future position Answering the questions
Natural environment Concluding thoughts
Goals and strategies
Natural elements on site
8 References 85
Future of Folkungavallen
Reference list
Figures
About the author
Carin Edlund
When I first started to explore my master thesis
topic, I knew I wanted to make sustainabl e
architecture. However, after digging deep into
the topic, I realised what I really wanted to do
was not architecture that compensates for its
bad sides, but architecture that explores the
possibilities to give something positive back to
the environment.
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE
Architecture and Planning Beyond Sustainability
Chalmers University of Technology
Göteborg Aug 2017 - June 2019
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN ARCHITECTURE
Umeå school of Architecture (UMA)
Umeå Sept 2013 - June 2016
INTERNSHIP
M5 Arkitektur
Linköping Aug 2016- July 2017
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Unhealthy planet
Climate change & loss of biodiversity
They are saying we are currently in the I became interested in investigating the view
extinction era of humans being disconnected from nature.
I wondered if a “human as nature approach”
Persson. A.S., Smith. H.G (2014)
could be a guide to inspire a more climate
positive approach for the building industry? But
We are in a time of climate change, we are what does it mean to go from building climate
eve n i n a n ew g e o l o g i c a l era c a l l e d th e neutral to building climate positive ?
Anthropocene, where human actions are the
superior force of change on earth (Rockström. We learn as children how everything in nature is
J.2015). Our modern society is generally built connected. Organisms in an ecosystem benefit
up on linear systems of consumption, economic from each other in circular ways. Every end is
growth and unsustainable overuse of materials. the beginning of something new, there is no
As world population continues to grow we are waste!
more people sharing the resources on earth. In Human activities are disturbing the cycl es,
2018 the world overshoot day (the day that our causing a shortage or overflow of nutrients.
consumption of ecological resources exceed The linear way of living have contributed to the
what earth can generate for one year) occurred consequences of climate change. According
on the first of August. This means that by the to the report Living Planet (WWF, 2018), the
start of August we had already consumed all population of wild vertebrate has decreased on
the ecological resources that are available in an average of 60% in the last 44 years. If this
order to secure resources for future generations. trend continues in the same pace two thirds
Today we are living like we have the resources of the world population of mammals, fishes,
of 1.7 earths. The trend of the overshoot day has birds, batrachians and reptiles are in the risk of
been negative, with earlier overshoot by each extinction within a few years.
year (Earth Overshoot day. n.d.).
Even though we humans live in a linear way,
The building industry plays a l eading rol e, often far from nature in urban settings, our
a ccoun t i n g for m ore th an 3 5 % of g l o b a l human existence is dependent on the prosperity
final energy use and nearl y 40% of energy- of the ecosystem and the services they provide.
related CO2 emissions (UN 2017). This leads The health and resilience of ecos ystems is
to a large number of negative environmental linked to biodiversity. As biodiversity decreases
impacts. Even though there are many different the health and function of the ecosystems is
stakeholders involved in a building process, threatened, especiall y in a time of climate
everyone eager to profit from their point of ch ange (Naturvårdsverket. 2011). One can
view, nature, the environment and human well- say th at nature is our life support system.
being seldom seems to be one of them. Because, Continuing the negative trends of climate
what would be best for our environment, in the change and decrease of biodiversity means
current practice of building today, is usually to we are destroying our own possibility to live on
not build at all. earth.
By using a sustainability approach it is possible
to make a building that is balanced with its
energy use and emissions, a so called Zero
Emission and Zero energy building. However,
onl y making sure th at we do not h arm the
environment is not enough. Should not our built
environments help to improve the environment
we live in overall? When reading more about
Regenerative development, that talks about
environmental problems being a symptom of
a fractured relationship between humans and
nature (Mang. P., Haggard. B., & Regenesis, 2016),
Introduction 9
Thesis framework
Incitement Aim
In an investigation done by White Arkitekter The aim of this research project is to explore
in collaboration with Naturvårdsverket, for the how biodiversity and water can help to expose
project Ebbe P ark in Linköping, the citizens and bridge the barriers between human and
of Linköping where invited to give comments nature in urban settings.
about what kind of environment they want in
The questions that guides the thesis are:
their new block of the city. (White Arkitekter,
2018) A large part of the answers was about a H ow c an c i rc ul a r m eth o d s , wa ter and
place for recreation and social interactions as biodiversity promotion be used to form the
well as calmer environments in combination with design of Folkungavallen?
city life, restaurants and cafés. Bird song and the How can the natural elements of Folkungavallen
sound of rippling water was high in the ranking. shape the future design of the site?
There was also a big interest in cultivation and
pedagogical sustainability. (Byggnyheter. 2018)
This investigation shows that there is a general
Discourse
interest in the atmospheres that the natural
environment can bring, and that it should be a
part of planning in the city. I have chosen to focus on water and biodiversity
as main themes. Strategies of how to work with
Evidence based design within health care also these themes in relation to the built and natural
proofs that nature has a calming and even environment are addressed, in an attempt to
healing effect on patients (Roger S. Ulrich, et bridge human and nature. Circular thinking and
al. 2008). So being close to and having the ecosystem thinking is a method to find suitable
possibility to experience nature in the city can strategies and concepts for the site.
perhaps be a way to both raise awareness of the
importance of taking care of our environment Functions and activities, buildings and paths are
but also for the well being of the citizens. added to the site in relation to the ecological
s ys tems. A la yer of materia lity, including
Finding new ways to create climate positive materials and details, shows another scale of
architecture should focus not only on the issues implementation. Where biodiversity and water
of climate change but also why we are facing strategies are applied closer to humans.
these changes.
The conceptual design proposal is addressed
As urbanisation continues to increase more from a larger perspective with the site in its
people are losing contact to nature, this issue
context of the larger city.
is important to discuss. If nature is making us
healthier and happier why are we planning cities Themes and main theory concerning this thesis:
where nature is not a main priority?
Regenerative design: Mang. P., Haggard. B., &
Regenesis. (2016)
Ecological design: Rottle.M., & Yocom. K. (2010).
Biodiversity: Persson. A.S.,Smith. H.G. (2014),
Naturvårdsverket. (2011), Linköpings Kommun,
Miljö- och samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen.
(2018) Naturvårdsprogram
Circular thinking: Bokalders. V., Block. M.(2004)
Natural material: Bokalders. V., Block. M.(2004),
Ekobyggportalen.(n.d.)
Urban development: Linköpings Kommun, Miljö-
och samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen. (2016).
Utvecklingsplan för Linköpings innerstad, Anna S.
Persson. A.S.,Smith. H.G. (2014),
10 IntroductionDelimitation Reading instructions
The thesis is build up by a strong theoretical C h a p ter o n e ( I n tr o d u c ti on ) p re s e n t s th e
background in order to formulate rel evant background to the topic as well as the frame
strategies. The design proposal itself is a work of the thesis including research questions,
suggestion of how to implement the strategies aim and methods.
and is shown on a conceptual level with some
Chapter two (Background concepts) and chapter
relevant details. I also use the design as a tool
three (The site) presents the concepts relevant
for reflection. Functions and buildings are shown
to discuss for the topic of the thesis as well as
in a typology outline in relation to the site,
the context, site and site analysis.
where focus lays more on the exterior than the
interior. Chapter four (Reference projects & theory) gives
an analysis of reference projects and applied
I do not consider the financial feasibility of the
theories.
project, since the wish is to show an alternative
design perspective where ecological values are Chapter five (Strategies) concludes the previous
prioritised not economic profit. chapters in the form of strategies and concepts
relevant for the research questions applied to
In regard to cultural heritage I consider the value
the chosen site. As well as libraries of red-listed
of the urban elements since I want to balance
species, trees and material.
the urban and natural world. The site is located
close to an outdoor bath, Tinnerbäcksbadet, Ch apter six (Design proposa l) shows the
with a long history as recreation for the citizens strategies and concepts applied on site in a
of Linköping. I do not include or affect the bath conceptual design proposal.
in my proposal. This is also to limit the scope Chapter seven (Reflections) Reflects about the
and size of the project site. process, results of the thesis and answers to the
The thesis operates within themes relevant to questions
urban metabolism, however, urban metabolism Chapter eight (References) is a list of references
as a theory is not discussed or applied to the and figures
work in order to delimit the scope of the thesis.
Introduction 11What is the problem?
HUMAN NATURE
Different approaches
Sustainability Regenerative Biodiversity Nature as
development commodity
Analysis
Site visit
FOLKUNGAVALLEN
Plans of the
municipality
Past Present Future
Natural elements
REFERENCE ECOLOGICAL
PROJECTS DESIGN
LOCAL & SUSTAINABLE URBAN
MATERIAL BIODIVERSITY
ysis
Anal
Strategies
&
Design concepts
What is a solution?
Design proposal Layer 1
Layer 2
Sketching Layer 3
Model making
Reflection & conclusion
Figure 2. Method appears to be linear, but there are of course loops of information steering the project.
12 IntroductionMethod Glossary
The Master Thesis is carried out in a parallel Sustainability: Sustaining resources for future
process of research for design and research by generations, making sure we do not harm our
design. The result is a list of strategies, that are environment.
more wide and can be applied to other settings
Sustainable design: Contemporary conditions
combined with more specific site concepts and
conserved rather than improved
a design proposal for the chosen site.
Regenerative development: Humans enhancing
The chosen site is located in Linköping, a city
ecosystems through participation as nature.
with the aim of being “CO2neutral in 2025”. I am
investigating the site Folkungavallen, located Regenerative design: Catal yse human and
just next to the city centre, that is currentl y natural processes to improve environmental
being planned for future development. On the conditions. Closed loop thinking, to conserve
north part of the site the important biotope and regenerate resources and ecosystems.
stream Tinnerbäcken is located, on the east the Biodiversity: The term describing the species
city forest Berga Hage. Folkungavallen has a variation of all living organisms on earth.
long history as a sport arena (from 1919) and
both my grandmother, father and myself have Ecosystem: A community of living organisms
been using it for track and field. It has recently in relation to their environment of non-living
been demolished. components linked together by cycl es of
nutrients and energy.
I address the question in three different layers.
Habitat: Environment considered liveable for a
Layer 1: The natural elements and ecology is certain organism.
the starting point for the design. Water is a
main theme to investigate - since the stream Ecologica l design: Design th at integrates
Tinnerbäcken is a main feature of the chosen with the living systems of nature to minimise
site. negative environmental impacts
Layer 2: This is what is added to the site in Resilience: The possibilities of a s ystem to
relation to the ecological systems present: withstand, adapt and recover after disturbances.
buildings, functions, paths, activities that are D e s i g n f o r re s i l i e n c y : A n t i c i p a te f u t u re
rel evant in order to connect the urban and disturbances and adapt to these changes while
natural environment and by this bridge humans maintaining the core ecological functions.
and nature.
Patches: Fragments of a specific landscape
L a yer 3 : M a ter i a l i t y, i n c l u d i n g m a ter i a l s form within a relativel y homogeneous area.
a n d d e t a i l s . S h o wi n g a n o t h e r s c a l e o f Often more favourable than the surrounding
implementation, where biodiversity and water landscape.
strategies are introduced close to the human
habitat. Corridors: Connection between patches of
h abitat, supporting movement of animals,
The strategies are inspired by circular systems plants, people, water and nutrients.
and biodiversity promotion. Where the site is a
part of the method to find these. Edge effect: can be used to describe the
processes that occur along the edges of a patch
or corridor compared to the interior area.
Land sparing: Human activity is spatially mixed
with biodiversity.
Land sharing: Human activity is more spatially
densely concentrated whereas biodiversity gets
a separate space.
Introduction 13CHAPTER TWO BACKGROUND CONCEPTS
Sustainability
Definition and aim
Development that meets the needs of Agenda 2030 from the UN, is a globally joint
the present without compromising the attempt to work towards a just and sustainable
ability of future generations to meet world. The a genda contains 17 sustainabl e
their own needs. development goals, as well as 169 sub goals and
230 indicators. The common goal of Agenda
United Nations (n.d) 2030 is to end extreme poverty, inequality
a n d c l i m a te c h a n g e b y t h e y e a r 2 0 3 0 .
S u s ta i n a b il i t y h a s g o n e f ro m s o m eth i n g (United Nations. n.d)
that is an exception to a routine. We are no
longer discussing whether we should work on
11 13
SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE
sustainability, but how we should do it.
CITIES & ACTION
But what is sustainability really? COMMUNITIES
Dismantling the word, we have “sustain” and
“ability”. There is something we need to sustain,
i.e. our planet and life on earth, and we need
some kind of ability to do so.
The general perspective on how to achieve
sustainability is through the three pillars:
15 LIFE ON
LAND
Social
Figure 4. Sustainable Development Goals
Economic Environmental
Goals 11, 13 and 15 are goals applicabl e to
the way we plan and build our homes and
cities and shows that the topic of this thesis is
relevant in the global discussion of sustainable
Figure 3. The three pillars of Sustainability development.
Sustainability is achieved in the meeting point
where social environmental and economic
interes ts are ba lanced equa ll y. However,
according to Rockström (2015) this model is
Reflection
insufficient when tackling the climate challenges I believe sus tainability h as become a
of today and in the future. A key factor he says n ew “ i t - wo rd ” , s o m et h i n g t h a t f e e l s
is that economic growth is prioritised and put green, organic, healthy and automatically
above natural and human capital. We are failing makes something bad a bit l ess bad.
to understand how our local actions influence on Sustainable strategies are necessary for our
a global scale. development; however, I believe we should
see it as a starting level. All projects should
Instead Rockström suggests an approach where do at least sustainable but aim to do more
human development connects to the biosphere. than that.
Economy is seen as a tool to achieve social just
and prosperity within the limits of the planet.
Background concepts 15Regenerative development
Human as nature
The founders of Regenesis began with Th u s , re g e n era t i ve deve l o p m e n t g i ve s a
a fundamental belief that environmental framework for pursuing sustainability within
problems were symptoms of a fractured living evolving systems, social and natural and
relationship between people and nature developing their capability to prosper.
Mang. P., Haggard. B., & Regenesis (2016, changing
our minds xiv) A guide to evolve regenerative
processes in design.
Is sustainability in is self is enough to create Regeneration is one of four steps of work
a thriving planet for the coming generation? necessary to enable evolution; a state where
Regenerative development can be used as actors in nature can sustain themselves. These
a perspective to create architecture th at steps can be put in hierarchy, where the lower
not onl y minimise the negative impacts but part is focused on existence and the higher part
also improves the conditions of the given on potential.
environment.
The steps can help the designer to integrate
So how did the regenerative perspective evolution and provides a guide to where
develop? different sustainable strategies can be applied
At first sustainability was seen as a state of and how they together form a regenerative goal.
equilibrium, where focus was put on minimising
and limiting negative impacts of resource and REGENERATE
POTENTIAL
energy use. As green technologies grew we went
from net-neutral to net-zero to, in the recent
years net-positive buildings to be able to do less
IMPROVE
and less harm to living systems. Even though
this has been an important step in sustainable
development, a state of equilibrium cannot
EXISTENCE
MAINTAIN
be applied to living systems, they survive by
adaptation evolving as changes occur.
This awareness set the base for the second OPERATE
p h a s e , h e re s u s ta i n a b i l i t y i s v i ewe d a s
resilience where unpredictabl e ch anges in
Figure 5. Model for Regenerative development
the environment are taken into account, and
the design strives for resilience to maintain a
healthy system. The approach of resilience takes On the operate level the goal is to achieve higher
into account that change is non-linear and a standards, by phasing out toxic substances
result of actions by multiple actors. Humans and increasing efficiency of material use and
and ecosystems have a mutual relationship, energy. This level of work has been the base for
where the resilience of humans depends on the the green building movement for many years,
resilience of nature. and they have achieved results like zero-energy
buildings, non-toxic materials and cradle to
In the third phase, sustainability becomes co-
cradle manufacturing
evolution, where humans play a role adding
value within nature instead of standing on the On the maintain l evel, the aim is resilience
outside. This phenomenon is not new but has a g a i n s t d i s t u r b a n c e a nd e nv i ro n m e n ta l
been the way of life for indigenous communities, uncertainty.
where their interaction with nature increased
On the improve level, the aim is to improve the
biodiversity and productivity. Co-evolution
conditions, humans adding value to natural
requires a new orientation, where human
systems. For example, permaculture and other
activities connect to natural systems.
16 Background conceptsecological design systems supporting self-
Reflection
organising productive agricultural ecosystems.
Making a regenerative design project would
On the top level, regenerative processes aim at
be to put theory into practice. Making sure
utilising the potential a system has within its
that the project continues to evolve even
context. Thus, “Regeneration produces a field
when the designer has left. The principal,
within which the improvement of living systems
of letting something evolve and continue to
can take place and provide a coa l escing
flourish is a high ambition but I think it is
d i re c t i o n f o r t h e o t h e r l e ve l s of wo r k .”
something we should strive for. In this thesis
(Regenesis 2016, The future of sustainability
I have chosen to take with me the view of
XXX)
humans being separated from nature. If we
It is important to consider all levels of work in a would consider ourselves as part of nature
process, as that is the way living systems work, that means we need to find our place in
failing to address one can affect the outcome the ecosystem we live in. What services
of the others. According to the regenerative do we use in our ecosystem and what role
perspective we humans must learn to integrate do we play in contributing to it? Can the
all four levels of work to be able to prosper in built environment work in the same way as
symbiosis with nature. nature? Where every player has a role in
Working in place is important for the vision of the system, contributing or benefiting from
humans as nature, as it brings concretion and each other.
specificity.
If humans want to co-evolve in partnership
with nature, we have to do so place by place;
as each place has its own characteristics and
possibilities, solutions have to be site specific
rather than general.
A place is its physical, cultural, historical, social,
political and economic environment. Each place
has its identity
By including human development in every
aspect of a project, a regenerative development
project enables a project to continue to grow
after the design is done, providing capability
in the people affected. This is done through
dialogue with the local community, stakeholders
and ecosystems, trying to improve their ability
to do their work.
Finally, there are three agents that influence a
design project and its success; the product, the
design process and the designer.
In order to be a successful practitioner of
regenerative development one must work with
these three agents simultaneously.
(Regenesis 2016, The future of sustainability
XXXIV)
Background concepts 17Biodiversity
Life support system
Biodiversity has been described as the The circular processes occurring in ecosystems
infrastructure that supports all life on can be referred to as ecosystem services. These
earth. It is, simply, a prerequisite for our are services from nature that humans depend
modern, prosperous human society to on directly or indirectly.
exist, and to continue to thrive The ecosystem services can be described as:
World Wildlife Fund ( 2018, p. 7) Supporting: nature loops, photosynthesis
Providing: Material, water, food
Regulating: temperature, water filtration
Biodiversity, is the term describing the species
Cultural: Recreation, pedagogical, aesthetically
variation of all living organisms on earth. The
(Persson. A. 2015)
evolution, developed since the start of live on
earth 3500 billion years ago, has constantl y Looking at the nine planetary boundaries
brought new species with their individual way of (Rockström. 2015) loss of biodiversity is today
tackling their environment and make use of its one of the environmental impacts that humans
opportunities. have affected the most. According to recent
report Living Planet (WWF, 2018), the population
Wi th i n e a c h s p e c i e s th ere a re d i f f ere n t
of wild vertebrate has decreased on an average
variations of genes, enabling each species
of 60 % in the last 44 years. The biggest cause
to evolve according to their trait. There is
behind loss of biodiversity is that ecosystems
also a diversity between each ecosystem. An
have been destroyed or exposed to change,
ecosystem can be used to define the whole
directly or indirectly caused by human impact.
biosphere, general nature types such as ocean,
forest or mountain but also specific biotopes in
different scales: for example, a specific kind of
swamp-forest, a puddle or tree stump that can
Reflection
contain habitat for a wide range of species.
All organisms are part of ecosystems, where
The composition of the atmosphere, the soil, the ecosystems resilience is depended on
the temperature and the rainfall, among others, the richness of the organisms living in it.
are directly or indirectly affected by biological A mutual relationship of symbiosis. If we
processes like photosynthesis and turnover of view our own society as an ecos ystem
nutrients. Whose processes are crucial for the where choices and changes affect other
carbon- and oxygen cycle and other cycles stakeholders, and the whole does not work
between the air, the earth and the water. without the parts it is easier to see how
Without these cycles humans would not only be important this relationship is. To emphasise
without food, but also lose the ozone protection the importance of biodiversity in our
from the sun and the oxygen we breathe. environment is crucial, as it is essentially the
If an ecosystem is composed of too few species, base of our existence. How can we promote
it is more vulnerable to change, thus biodiversity biodiversity in our urban environment, as
is a key factor in an ecosystems resilience. part of our ecosystem the city, which we
need to sustain life?
In an era of climate change, a rich biodiversity
is important for an ecosystem, species that
are seen as “abundant” today can be of high
importance in the future. (Naturvårdsverket.
2011)
18 Background conceptsNature as commodity
Nature and the city
Kaika and Swyngedouw discusses in the article The technical innovations would allow the
Fetishizing the Modern City (2010) the relation human to “break the chains of slavery to nature”
between the urban and natural world and how and to master nature through “taming”. (Kaika.
technology has the potential to both visualise M., Swyngedouw. E. 2000.p125)
and hide their connection.
There was a fascination with technology and
Urban networks are hidden whereas nature its own special aesthetics, where the objects
networks are visibl e. The relation between of networks became landmarks, showing the
nature and city becomes blurred and the social image of the city - their promise of freedom and
transformation of nature unclear as power of the a better future through technology. However,
flows from nature to urban are invisible. the origin of the networks and their social
transformation from nature was not shown.
Commodification of nature is a historical,
cultural, geographical and social process , where During the inter-war years technology became
nature is turned into something urban. a necessity rather than a desire or wish. With
the development of the machine and assembly
For example, water, it flows from nature to the
line production. Networks went underground,
city. It goes from H 2O to treated and priced
and the city planning changed. Urban mobility,
tap-water. The social relation between nature
highways, links, domestication and privatisation.
and the city is masked by technology and the
urbanisation of water. The technologies of water The city image was to be pure and transparent,
become the source of the city’s water and the and the flow from nature to the city hidden.
real source of water originating in nature is (Kaika. M., Swyngedouw. E. 2000)
forgotten. Nature becomes reinvented in an
urban from.
Reflection
Nature Network City
production Putting a price on an ecosystem service is
H2O tap-water
process difficult, how can you value something in
treated, priced
economic terms that is invaluable to us?
Nature is transformed through human labour Has not seeing our dependency on nature
(Social environmental metabolism) with the and how everything we need to sustain life
creation of commodities is originating from it, caused a break in our
relationship to nature? How can we bridge
Since the socio-environmental conditions are
nature and the urban environment? and by
hidden in the process of producing a commodity
that emphasise the importance of nature,
from nature, the cultural, ideological and
not only for sustaining life and moral but
aesthetic role of technological networks are
also for well-being for all future generations?
neglected.
Exposing the systems and flows of nature in
Nature becomes an exchange value, without
urban environments can be a step to show
considering the social power relations of the
how we are connected to nature.
production. This allows “the goods of nature” to
be viewed as exceptional, when the reason for it Looking as cities as ecosystems, how can
is really their social existence. our built environment work in circular
systems without waste?
During the Industrial revolution there was
a belief in reason to solve social problems.
Equa lity and freedom would be achieved
through reason. Progress was the key to moving
forward and staying connected. Global networks
became important. Networks was the way to
reach ultimate freedom from nature.
Background concepts 19CHAPTER THREE T H E S I T E
The site
In this ch apter the site is introduced and ANALYSIS
analysed. Starting with the city of Linköping, its
history and municipal plans and goals for the Surrounding city
future.
Followed by an introduction to Folkungavallen
and its history.
In the analysis I look at the layers of the site
from different perspectives. The natural and Urban environments
built environments are identified and analysed.
Nature types
Finall y, the future plans of the site from the
Blue structures
perspective of the municipality are explained
Layers of site
SITE INTRODUCTION
Linköping Hard and soft surfaces
Blue and green structures
Cultural heritage
Folkungavallen
The stream
Past
Present
Present state
Future plans
Historical position
Folkungavallen
Natural elements
Future
Municipal goals
Natural elements on siteLinköping
Facts and figures
Linköping is the fifth biggest city in Sweden Figure 6. Shifting
landscape
with 160.000 inh abitants (2017). It is the
region-capital of Östergötland, and a node
for 20.000 dail y commuters. Linköping is
famous for its air industry with SAAB having its
production in the city since 1939 and Malmen
with the Swedish air force. The university
of Linköping was founded in 1975 and h as
27 000 students. The four biggest employers
are the municipality, the region of Östergötland,
SAAB AB and the university. The city h as a Lake
young population with a low average of 39
years. Linköping university hospital is one Forest
of the foremos t hospita ls in the country. Agricultural field
(Presentation Linköping, n.d)
Hilly mosaic
Sea
Transitioning
landscape
History Figure 7. Östergötland region
The city of Linköping has a long history of over
700 hundred years. It was a central church town
in the region from the beginning of the 12th
century but is said to be officially founded by
Magnus Ladulås and bishop Bengt Magnusson
with the monastery of Frasiscaner in 1287.
The town continued to grow, though in a rather
slow pace due to many fires. In the 16th century
there was an important battle of “Stångebro” Figure 8. Linköping
city Market 1955
taking place in the city, this lead to the famous
blood bath of Linköping, Linköpings blodbad.
In the 18th century there was a huge fire,
destroying almost all of the city except for the
cathedral, the castle and a few other buildings.
(Linköping.com, n.d.)
Architecture and identity
Figure 9. The large
D u e t o i t s l o n g h i s t o r y, L i n k ö p i n g h a s square 1950
architecture from several eras. The street
structure is influenced by systems from all time
epochs dating back to the medieval. Public
spaces and squares have been there since. The
core of the city is rather small for a city with
over 100 000 inhabitants, but the central part
has a rich history and vibrant life.
22 The SiteTo develop the city the municipality has formed
some strategies:
High density and variation
Connected street network
Clear street room with entrances towards
the street
Conscious form-given relation between
the width of the street and the height of the
building
Clearl y defined open spaces, squares
and parks
1700 1850 1900 1950 2000 Room for activities on the ground floor in
buildings
Figure 10. The growth of the city between year 1700- Socially the inner city should provide housing
2000
options for all periods in life with different family
constellations. Functions should be mixed, and
Future development the flows of transportation should be varied,
prioritising pedestrians and cyclists.
The city has a strategic position on the east In a city growing in different areas there needs
coast; close with train to both Stockholm, to be focus on the “in-between spaces”. Building
Malmö and Copenhagen. The future plan of new to remove the barriers and connect
“Ostlänken”, new train track between Linköping different parts of the city, physicall y and
and Stockholm and a new station and city mentally, to create a common whole.
district will enhance the connection further and Recreation paths of the city should be enhanced
strengthen the city’s position in the region. and u s e d to co n n e c t th e c i t y to n a t u re.
Linköping has a gaol to be C02 neutral in 2025, Squares and parks should be designed with
and a long term aim of 200 000 inhabitants in high interest on the architectural language
the future. To be able to grow sustainably the and provide possibilities for festivals and
municipality has set some common goals and markets. (Linköpings Kommun, Miljö- och
strategies. samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen, 2016)
Today there is a strong city centre with historic
inner-city qualities. However, there are clear
Stockholm
divisions between the different sub-areas and
suburbs. The aim of the municipality is to let
the city core grow and connect the surrounding
areas by spreading the ch aracter of the
inner city and keeping its identity. The inner- Linköping
city ch aracter is described as an interplay
between streets, buildings, squares and parks
Gothenburg
and the activities taking place. Activities like
housing, commerce, office and service. Activity
is also people in motion, by foot, bike, bus or
car. The vibrant street is a character of the
inner city. (Linköpings Kommun, Miljö- och
samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen, 2016)
Copenhagen Malmö
The Site 23Linköping city
5
9
4 1
3
2
13
12
8
10
11 6
7
Figure 11. Linköping city scale: 1 : 40 000
1 St. Lars church 8 Trädgårdsföreningen park
2 Trädgårdstorget square 9 Rydskogen forest
3 Stora torget square 10 Folkungavallen sport area
4 The Main cathedral 11 Hospital
5 Central station 12 Cemetery
6 Berga Hage forest 13 Airport
7 Vallaskogen nature reserve
Reflection
The city of Linköping won “City centre of
the year” (Årest stadskärna) 2018 and the
Planning prize 2018 (Planpriset). Today the
inner city is often seen as the ideal image
of the city. Which might be preferable from
some perspectives. However, planning cities
with a dense character might not be the
best in terms of prioritising biodiversity. I
discuss this further in chapter four.
24 The SiteFolkungavallen
1919 - 2019
Figure 13. Eavesdropping
crowd 1960
Figure 12. Site location scale: 1 : 25 000 Figure 14. Kids
ice-skating on
Folkungavallen 1961
Folkungavallen is a former sports field close to
the city centre of Linköping. The site is located
in an area of sport, with the city’s indoor and
outdoor swimming pools, indoor sport arena, Figure 15.
and the artificial lake Tinnis. The forest Berga Tinnerbäcksbadet
2019
hage and the stream Tinnerbäcken is located in
connection to the site.
Th e s i te i s c u r re n t l y b e i n g pl an n e d and
investigated for future development of 500
apartments, a kinder-garden, a school and the
new indoor swimming pool.
History
I n 1 9 1 2 th e O l y m pi c g a m e s were h e l d i n and myself have been running on the tracks of
Stockholm, increasing the interest in sports Folkungavallen, so for me it was hard to see it
all over the country and so in Linköping. There go. (Linköping Play, 2017)
was a will to get young peopl e to exercise.
Next to the site there is an outdoor swimming
Folkungavallen has a history of 100 years. It was
pool Tinnerbäcksbadet or as it was l called Tinnis
first initiated in 1919, on a site donated by the
with a large artificial lake from 1938. At that
city. In the 1930s Folkungavallen was renovated.
time Tinnis was very modern and had the first
Entrance buildings where added in the 1950's
50 meter outside pool in Sweden, attracting
designed by the architect Axel Brunskog, a
people from all over the country. The plan and
famous architect in the city. In the 1970's the
the buildings, designed by the city architect
larger audience stand in concrete was added
Sten Westholm, are highl y appreciated and
and this stood on the site until it was demolished
considered one of the nicest functionalism
in 2018. In 2011 the new outdoor arena for track
environments in the city. (Linköpings Historia.
and field was built on Campus Valla close to the
n.dn) In my project I do not include this area
current Vallastaden, and in 2013 the new football
in the suggestion as I believe it’s important to
arena in Kallerstad outside the city centre.
find a balance between the build and natural
Both my grandmother, my father, my brother environment and preserve cultural values.
The Site 25Site analysis
Layers of city and surroundings
Neighbouring areas Infrastructure
Site Road network
City centre Hiking paths
Tannefors, apartments Railway
Hejdegården, apartments, villas
Ramshäll, villas
Vimanshäll, villas
Hospital area
Blue structures Nature types
Water Urban agricultural land
Urban green area
Forest
Agricultural land
Nature reserve
26 The SiteCity and surroundings
Svartån
Roxen
Rydskogen
Vallaskogen Stångån
Tinnerbäcken
Tinnerö Eklandskap
Vidingsjöskogen
Rosenkällasjön
Ullstämmaskogen
Figure 16. Linköping scale 1 : 50 000
The Site 27Layers of site
Urban surfaces Blue and green structures
Hard surfaces Green areas
Roads Forest
Trees
Water
Buildings Built cultural heritage
Buildings - housing Extensive cultural heritage
Buildings - other functions Great cultural heritage
Cultural heritage
Less cultural heritage
Built after 1980
28 The SiteMovement framework
Pedestrian and bike Figure 17. Movement around Folkungavallen scale 1 : 8000
Car traffic
Site
Tinnis artificial lake Tinnerbäcken
Figure 18. Site section scale: 1 : 2000
The Site 29Folkungavallen Red-listed species Entrances
(Linköpings Kommun. (n.d.).Naturdatabasen.)
Snickaregatan
City centre Sporthallen
School
Trädgårdsföreningen Stångån
School Tinnis
Sankt
L
Swimming pool
arsgat
Hotel
an
Ha
mn
Bäckagården Tinnis artificial lake
ga
tan
Mahoniadalen
Kiosk
Tinnerbäcken
Pizzeria
Mosque
University
medicine faculty
Lasare
ttsgata
n
Br
ok
in
ds
le
de
n
Berga hage
Hospital
Figure 19. Folkungavallen scale 1 : 4000
30 The SiteThe row of Cotton wood, Linden and Spruce
The former grass field and tracks on Folkungavallen
Tinnerbäcken seen from the bridge Berga hage
Figure 20. Photos from site visit 26 April 2019
The Site 31Tinnerbäcken
Stream Future position
Tinnerbäcken, starts in an agricultural area There are three options for the future of
south of the city and travels approximatively 6.5 the stream, investigated and summarised
km, mostly through urban environments, until in a report by Tyréns. The possibilities and
it has its outlet in Stångån. The stream is highly co n s e q u e n ce s of ke e pi n g th e c ul ver t or
affected by its urban location, regarding the lifting the river up on the north or south
physical shape and the quality of the water. The side of the site are evaluated according to
stream is 2-meter-wide on average and about economy, ecology, environment and climate,
0.2 meter deep. It has faced a lot of damping social aspects and urban qualities. (Tyréns 2016)
and cleaning resulting in a rather strait stream.
In the MKB ( Miljökonsekvensbeskrivning)
Most of the shores are of unnatural character.
document from the municipality the different
However, there are still areas that are relatively
solutions for Tinnerbäcken are evaluated based
natural even in the city, like the ravine with
on the investigation by Tyréns.
surrounding forests just next to the site of
Folkungavallen. The option that would benefit the most from an
ecological perspective is to lift the whole stream
Chemical toxins, foreign species, morphological
from its culvert and create a natural like setting.
and connectivity deterioration has affected the
By lifting the stream form its culvert the path
quality of the water and it is in its current state
for animals following the stream is continuous
very disturbed. The stream also handles a lot of
and not broken. The green corridor with natural
stormwater.
setting will provide a healthier habitat for both
The stream is one of larger in the municipality water living and land living species in the city.
and is of high interest, due to its size, its part
A natural stream has a variation of flows. Water
of an ecos ystem for many species on the
in movement is beneficial for fishes reproducing
red-list and for the natural areas still present. It
and improves the oxygen levels. Where the
is important to preserve for recreation and for
water moves more calmly it is possible to create
the city image as well.
ponds where particle pollution can be absorbed.
Before its outlet in Stångån, the stream passes
Toda y Tinnerbäcken mana ges a lot of the
in a culvert under the artificial lake Tinnis,
city’s storm-water. Most of the areas where the
just next to Folkungavall en, and the streets
stream flows are of urban character, thus a lot
Snickaregatan and Hamngatan. This is a huge
of hard surfaces, this increases the change of
problem for the wild life in the stream, in regard
flooding. In the area before the stream’s outlet in
to flooding and the quality of the water. Today
Stångån the risk of flooding is high. If the whole
the culvert part of the stream is basicall y
stream is lifted from its culvert it is important to
lifeless in regards to larger animals. Some of
dimension it to be able handle large rain falls
the species of fish that have been present in
as well as include other strategies to manage
the stream h ave been negativel y affected,
stormwater
decreasing their change of reproduction. (VISS,
2017). Today the stream is of bad ecological By lifting the stream from the culvert, it is
status but has a goal to be of good ecological possible to design natural like shores that can
status in 2021. (Linköpings Kommun, Teknik- och flood during high rain fall. This could be an
samhällsbyggnadskontoret. b.2016) aesthetically beautiful area for recreation, with
placement of sun-decks an seating. The design
32 The Sitecan vary with flatter areas with natural stone Reflection
and steeper areas with hard surfaces. Walking I am not restricted by the design proposal
bridges can be added to provide accessible of the municipality. Their placement of the
recreation for the inhabitants. swimming pool on site is not something that
shapes my proposal.
The municipality has a will to connect parts
of the city to create more coherency. By Connecting the new area on Folkungavallen
l ett i n g Ti n n e r b ä c ke n c o n n e c t n a t u ra l l y with the stream is important as bridging
to Stångån, the connection is cl earer and natural and built environments is part of the
a “ g re e n p a t h ” f o r p e d e s tr i a n s c a n b e thesis aim. I want the site of Folkungavallen
formed. (Linköpings Kommun, Teknik- och to connect visually and physically with the
samhällsbyggnadskontoret.b. 2016) stream and create the new buildings around
that. At the same time, I want to preserve
The three options investigated by Tyréns are
Tinnis bath as it is, due to its historical and
based on the plan with the new swimming pool
cultural values. Therefore, a placement
in the middle of the site of folkungavallen.
on the south side is a better option. The
With the option of the stream running on the typology on the south side demands some
north side, Tinnis will be replaced with a new work, and the stream would have to be
smaller one. The stream will be able to have excavated according to the hight curves.
wider flat shores that can flood, avoiding the Some parts of the stream would be narrower
bottom of the stream to be flushed away with and in the flat areas the stream could
heavy flows of water. The shores are more instead spread out.
adapted to vegetation and wild life can easily
Avo i d i n g h i g h b u il d i n g s o n th e n or th
move along the stream. New buildings on
side of the plot avoids sh ading of the
Folkungavallen will not shade the stream.
stream and makes it more attractive for
Placing the s tream on the south side will recreation. Having Tinnerbäcken as a main
demand some compromises in order to combine blue structure or spine of the area would
ecology with social interests. Placing the new emph asise its importance in the city.
swimming pool on the south side will reduce the Connecting the new residents and users
area available to the stream, and the stream of the site to the stream and inviting the
would thus be of a more urban character. The inhabitants of the city to use the site makes
stream will be narrower with steep shores, which Folkungavallen available to the public and
will affect flora and fauna. The narrow stream avoids it turning into a private residential
will limit the possibilities of a natural ground area.
structure of the stream. Tinnis bath lake will not
to be affected as much as placing the stream on
the north side. However, the recreation aspects
will be less favourable due to the position in the
shade of the new swimming pool as well as the
height differences on the ground. The stream
can also be covered with a walking grid, this will
reduce the visual contact.
The third option is a new larger culvert, this
will do little to improve the ecological or social
recreational conditions of the stream. (Tyréns
2016)
Figure 21. Suggestions for new position of stream
The Site 33Linköping year 1868-77 Linköping today
Figure 22. Linköping year 1868-77 scale 1: 20 000 Figure 23. Linköping scale 1: 20 000
Reflection
Historically Tinnerbäcken had a natural outlet
in the bigger river Stångån. In 1943 the culvert
was constructed. Lifting the stream from its
culvert and looking at the historical position
can guide the new design of the area
Swimming pool Stream Lake
Figure 24. New suggestion for the position of the stream on the north side by Tyréns.
34 The SiteNatural environment
Goals and strategies
The municipality of Linköping, just like Some of the goals of the municipality that are
other municipalities in Sweden, is faced relevant to this thesis are:
with an important development step Living lakes and streams
where ecosystem services can and
Living forests
should be highlighted as a natural step
in the physical planning for a sustainably A rich cultivation
growing city A good urban environment
Linköpings kommun, Miljö- och A rich fauna and flora
samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen (2018, p.18)
Here are some of the relevant strategies from
the municipal strategies for 2018-2022 that I can
In Sweden 4273 species are threatened or use as inspiration in my thesis.
near threat of extinction according to 2015 Free water ways for fish and water living
years red-list. The red-list is an important tool organisms
to bring awareness to the issue of decreasing
biodiversity and gives a base to act. The list is Investigate urban waterways to improve
the ecological status, For example
revised every fifth year. (SLU, 2017)
Tinnerbäcken
“Linköping is a city growing rapidly, which puts
high demands on how urban environments Create new ponds and small waters
as well as the countrysides, are developed Increase accessibility to urban forests
in regard to biodiversity, closeness to rich
Change use of municipal grass lawns
n a t u ra l re c re a t i o n a nd a c c e s s i b il i t y f or
and roadsides to increase biodiversity
everyone.“ (Linköpings kommun, Miljö- och
samhällsbyggnadsförvaltningen, 2018, p.3) Increase sand environments and plants
for pollinating insects
The program for nature conservation from the
municipality is a document describing goals and Preserve trees, dead and alive, important
strategies on how to strive for this. for biodiversity
N a t u re d a t a b a s e ( L i n k ö p i n g s k o m m u n , Increase meadows, with flowers, herbs
Naturdatabasen, n.d.) gives an overview of and bushes for biodiversity
the state of the well-being in natural areas,
Include ecos ys tem services in
ecos ys tems, biotopes and species in the the planning process and use the nature
municipality through inventories on different conservation plan as base to preserve
scales. This together with an action plan for natural areas.
the program for nature conservation sets the
base for the municipality’s work on nature Develop the green infrastructure and
preservation ecological links between natural and
urban environments
A guide book is also provided for the inhabitants
of the city, showing good areas to visit for Manage storm water in open solutions
natural recreation. (Linköpings kommun, Miljö- och samhällsbyggnads-
förvaltningen, 2018)
Looking at the nature database I could see
several species on the site of Folkungavallen
that are on the red-list. Otter, some species
of bats, mosses, fungi, insects and several
species of birds are listed in the area. These are
catalogued in chapter five.
The Site 35Natural elements on site
River
Dungen
Grass slope
Grass slope
Forest ravine
Stream
Street allé
Old Naverlönn Poppel allé
Pair Poppel
City forest
pine, oak, birch
Figure 25. Natural elements on site Scale 1 : 3000
36 The SiteFuture of Folkungavallen
Current municipal plans of the site
Folkungavallen is currently being planned for Tinnerbäcken needs to be restored in order to
new development by the municipality. The reach good ecological status by 2021, there are
new swimming pool that was designed in a different strategies for this, as mentioned earlier.
competition is supposed to be placed in the
The area will be exposed to more traffic,
middle of the site opposite to Tinnerbäcksbadet.
increased noise and air-pollution. However,
There will be four new blocks for housing and a
in the future, the streets of Hamngatan and
primary school of up to 350 students.
Lasarettsgatan will be reconstructed, which will
The aim is to develop Folkungavallen according change the traffic condition.
to the inner-city strategies, with qualities of
The new plan of exploitation causes an increase
density and range of activities. Tinnerbäcken,
of hard surfaces that will increase the flow of
Tinnerbäcksbadet and the new swimming pool
storm water. The water needs to be stalled and
becomes the new green blue meeting place, and
filtered before it is released into its recipient
oasis in the city.
Stångån. The exploitation of Folkungavallen,
T h e p l a n i s e s t i m a te d t o f i t u p t o 5 0 0 also means that existing trees will have to be
apartments, depending on size and removed. This affects some of the red-listed
configuration. The aim is to create clear city species that are present on the site.
blocks with commerce or service on the ground
The trees on Hamngatan are considered a tree
floors towards the streets. The tenure form
“allé” (row of trees) a protected biotope and
should be varied and there should also be a
removing them needs to be approved by the
balance between density, noise reduction and
county administrative board. The placement
sun and light conditions. Entrances are put
of the swimming pool also affects some trees
towards the street for a more vibrant street life
on the south side of Tinnerbäcksbadet. The
and feeling of safety. Vallastaden is evaluated
overall assessment from the municipality is
and used as inspiration. The heights vary
that the development plans of Folkungavallen
between six and eight floors, restricted by the
does not h ave a significant impact on the
airport at Saab.
environment. (Linköpings kommun, Teknik och
Samhällsbyggnadskontoret.a.2016)
Reflection
I see the plans of municipality as inspiration.
Having read the document of the program
for nature conservation, I believe it is
important to incorporate those aspects for
Folkungavallen and use that as a starting
point rather than an exception in the end.
There are trees important for red-listed
species on site and that should be seen as
an inspiration for the design not a limitation.
Tinnerbäcken is a strong natural resource
and should be a focus point. A balance
between the city block and nature is in
focus for this thesis, not maximising the site.
I also question the placement of the new
swimming pool.
Figure 26. Municipal suggestion for Folkungavallen with
the new swimming pool in the middle
The Site 37You can also read
