Speculation and Strategy for a Land Less Mentioned
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Central eriesPeriph speculation and strategy for a land less mentioned Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Henrik Olsson Fakulteten för landskapsplanering, trädgårds- och jordbruksvetenskap Område Landskapsarkitektur Examensarbete i landskapsplanering, 30 hp Landskapsarkitektprogrammet Självständigt arbete vid LTJ-fakulteten, SLU Alnarp 2012 SLU, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Fakulteten för Landskapsplanering, trädgårds- och jordbruksvetenskap Område Landskapsarkitektur Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Landscape Planning, Horticulture and Agriculture Landscape Architecture Centrala periferier:spekulation och strategi för ett mindre omtalat land Central Peripheries: speculation and strategy for a land less mentioned Henrik Olsson © Handledare (Supervisor): Gunilla Lindholm, SLU Landskapsarkitektur Examinator (Principal examinator): Kenneth Olwig, SLU Landskapsarkitektur Bitr. examinator (Assistant examinator): Anna Peterson, SLU Landskapsarkitektur Omfattning (Credits): 30 hp Nivå och fördjupning (Level): A2E Kurstitel: Examensarbete i landskapsplanering (Course title: Master Project in Landscape Planning) Kurskod (Course code): EX0546 Program/utbildning: Landskapsarkitektprogrammet (Program: Masterprogram in Landscape Architecture Ämne (Field): Landskapsplanering Utgivningsort (Place of publication): Alnarp Utgivningsmånad och -år (Date of publication): maj 2012 Omslagsbild (Cover image): http://www.malmo.se/karta Serienamn (Series): Självständigt arbete vid LTJ-fakulteten, SLU Elektronisk publicering (Online publication): http://stud.epsilon.slu.se Nyckelord (Key words): landscape, landscape architecture, peri-urban, terrain vague, creative mapping, gamification landskap, landskapsarkitektur, kreativ kartering, spelifiering Content Preface + Acknowledgements 06 Abstract + Sammanfattning 07 INTRODUCTION 08 Background 08 Hypothesis 08 Research material and limits 09 Research and design question 09 Aim and objective 09 Methodology 09 1. SPATIAL CONDITIONS 10 1: NETWORK 12 Intro 12 From here to there: global flows of energies and materials 13 Landscape: a common but contested arena 14 The ecology metaphor 15 2: Fringe 17 Intro 17 Planning 17 Dynamics 19 3: void 21 Intro 21 Vacant? 21 Spaces of uncertainty 22 Planned and unplanned space 22 The emergence of Voids 23 Any possibilities? 24 A landscape of networks, fringes and voids 25 2. SPATIAL investigations 26 1: on maps 28 The regulating power of maps 28 The creative power of maps 28 Representing the Fringe 29 2: mapping the land 31 time lapse study: emergence of a new landscape 32 as found: segment 1: landfill / highway / derelict lot 36 as found: segment 2: railway / sugar factory / kalina creek 40 as found: segment 3: freeway / golf course / wetlands 44 as found: segment 4: water works / river / garden community 48 as found: segment 5: derelict railroad / bog / shopping mall 52 as found: segment 6: bus terminal / village / greenhouses 56 3. SPATIAL interventions 60 1: Design, agency and process 62 Intro 62 Landscape: evolving and interconnected 63 Theoretical core: James Corner 63 Planning as performative practice 65 Conclusion 67 2: Sketches for the land 67 area of influence: adjacent land uses + plans 68 area of control: material composite + constituencies + municipal land 70 Design intent 72 1. (connective) LInes 74 2. points (of departure) 76 3. eco/spatial enhancement 78 4. (open) FIELDS 80 5. module(s) 82 phasing: ideal construction sequence 84 participation: gamifying the site 85 4. Epilogue / conclusions 86 Work process 87 Effects 87 Conclusions / reflections 88 References 90 Image credits 93 Preface + Acknowledgements 06 Abstract + Sammanfattning 07 INTRODUCTION 08 Background 08 Hypothesis 08 Research material and limits 09 Research and design question 09 Aim and objective 09 Methodology 09 1. SPATIAL CONDITIONS 10 1: NETWORK 12 Intro 12 From here to there: global flows of energies and materials 13 Landscape: a common but contested arena 14 The ecology metaphor 15 2: Fringe 17 Intro 17 Planning 17 Dynamics 19 3: void 21 Intro 21 Vacant? 21 Spaces of uncertainty 22 Planned and unplanned space 22 The emergence of Voids 23 Any possibilities? 24 A landscape of networks, fringes and voids 25 2. SPATIAL investigations 26 1: on maps 28 The regulating power of maps 28 The creative power of maps 28 Representing the Fringe 29 2: mapping the land 31 time lapse study: emergence of a new landscape 32 as found: segment 1: landfill / highway / derelict lot 36 as found: segment 2: railway / sugar factory / kalina creek 40 as found: segment 3: freeway / golf course / wetlands 44 as found: segment 4: water works / river / garden community 48 as found: segment 5: derelict railroad / bog / shopping mall 52 as found: segment 6: bus terminal / village / greenhouses 56 3. SPATIAL interventions 60 1: Design, agency and process 62 Intro 62 Landscape: evolving and interconnected 63 Theoretical core: James Corner 63 Planning as performative practice 65 Conclusion 67 2: Sketches for the land 67 area of influence: adjacent land uses + plans 68 area of control: material composite + constituencies + municipal land 70 Design intent 72 1. (connective) LInes 74 2. points (of departure) 76 3. eco/spatial enhancement 78 4. (open) FIELDS 80 5. module(s) 82 phasing: ideal construction sequence 84 participation: gamifying the site 85 4. Epilogue / conclusions 86 Work process 87 Effects 87 Conclusions / reflections 88 References 90 Image credits 93 Preface This thesis began on a bike, as a matter of fact during a thousand bike rides between my home in Malmö and the campus at SLU Alnarp. Each of these rides has transected the borderland between Malmö and Burlöv municipalities; a disorderly and intriguing landscape of empty lots, rivers, freeways, motels, golf courses, factories, landfills, rail corridors and historical markers. During my education to become a landscape architect I have developed a strong interest in fields such as Terrain Vague, networked infrastructures, peri-urbanity, media culture, globalization, environmental reclamation, sprawl, landscape representations and the general flow of materials and energies that animate the world. The aforementioned borderland between Malmö and Burlöv proved to be a landscape that allowed me to frame these interests in a cohesive manner. I hope that the reading of this thesis will be at least half as rewarding as my research, design and writing experience been. If so, it may give the reader some glimpses of the abundant richness of processes, information and social practices within this specific borderland and in peri-urban landscapes in general. Hopefully the reading of this thesis will open up these ambiguous, neither urban nor rural landscapes for further investigation, contemplation and speculation. Because it is time we recognize the odd yet striking combination of utility and poetry these territories possess. Acknowledgements My dearest thanks to Gunilla Lindholm who has been my thesis supervisor. During the years of training to become a landscape architect she has provided me with critical feedback, inspiration and much needed encouragement. Without the help, support and patience from Inga, and the rest of my family, this project could not have been realized. To Holden. Henrik Olsson, Malmö 2011-11-28 06 Abstract As the contemporary discourse surrounding urbanism is almost exclusively focusing on aspects of density and traditional urban qualities, it entrenches notions of what constitutes a proper city and countryside. But beyond this urban-rural dichotomy is another highly contemporary landscape. A territory usually mentioned as sprawl, peri-urban, wasteland, edge city, etc. Although its existence is due to mobilization, telecommunications, globalization and other phenomena of modern life, it is a landscape without an own name or place in public awareness. This thesis provides a case study of how to map and intervene in such a landscape, specifically along the border between Malmö and Burlöv municipalities in southern Sweden. Its structure is composed of a sequence of three parts: 1 Spatial Conditions: Divided up in the sections Network, Fringe and Void. These describe and discuss the dynamics between technology, economics, social practices and planning in a landscape that is neither urban nor rural. 2 Spatial Investigations: In which the creative agency of mapping is used to produce maps that reveal the complexity of the landscape between Malmö and Burlöv. As the municipal border comprises two administrative peripheries it is chosen as a section through this ambiguous landscape. 3 Spatial Interventions: A proposal for design strategy that aims to provide a platform for a new awareness and appropriation of the peri-urban landscape. The strategy consists of five parts spanning from basic infrastructures to modular furniture and is combined with a concept for gamifying the site to create incentives for its use. The thesis is concluded with a discussion of the possible effects of an eventual implementation of the design strategy, as well as a reflection on why landscape architects should take the role as active agents in peri-urban landscapes. Sammanfattning Då den samtida diskussionen rörande urbanism nästan uteslutande fokuserar på densitet och traditionell stadsmässighet cementeras föreställningar om vad som utgör stad respektive landsbygd. Men bortom den urban-rurala dikotomin finns ett annat, högst samtida, landskap. Detta territorium omnämns ofta som sprawl, peri-urbant, skräpmarker, stadsrand, etc. Trots att dess existens beror