Lulea is a fast growing city that in the last decade has benefited more from new knowledge- activities and inhabitants (e.g., LTU, Aurorum, Facebook, etc.) than from the traditional steel and mining industry (today in deep crisis). All over the city we can see major works to expand the current infrastructures (roads, sewage, etc.) and slowly provide housing for the new residents. However, the city lags miles behind when it comes to be a socially just, sustainable, and attractive city. Among the causes that have determined this lack of success there have been short-sighted decision making, lack of participatory planning, and poor urban design and planning.
The consequences of these three serious issues are visible all over in the city: e.g. the large number of industrial areas of any size encroaching inhabited areas (e.g., Lövskatan, Bergviken, Skurholmen, etc.); the use of public money to finance new developments in virgin areas that ultimately will, at the same time, destroy green areas, encourage the use of the car instead of more sustainable buses, and fail to provide affordable housing (e.g. Krona); the lack of attractive urban centres that can cater to both the wealthy and the middle-class, the youth and the families, and the long-term and new inhabitants; and citizens’ distrust on the ability of the kommun to meet their needs and aspirations.
Insofar, short-sighted decision making, lack of participatory planning, and poor urban design and planning are all contributing to make Lulea more unequal (rich vs. poor, newcomers Vs. long-time residents, creatives Vs. mainstreamers; industrial Vs. residential areas; etc.). To exemplify this situation, let me take three examples: the industrialization of the city centre, the saga of the relocation of the ÅVC, and the launch of the new city district of Krona.
Climate Urban Research in Sweden and Spain (Climate and Human Activity, 2015)
In this course students have worked individually on a scientific paper. Each student has chosen one topic from the contents list of this course (e.g., Different Human activities, Medical and physiological limits of acceptable weather conditions, Experiences of acceptable weather conditions, Human health, Social factors, Vibrant and attractive cities, Seasonal Variations) and developed a small piece of research according to the modules taught during the course.
Below a compiled version of their graphic summaries
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