SUMMARY REPORT FROM SIX ABC SEMINARS 2003 –2005 ABC summary report including a Index Malmö seminar report. This summary report is an introduction and a Introduction ......................................... 3 description to the ideas and the experiences of the ABC-project. It is also a report of the Malmö Voices ................................................... 4 seminar, which was the sixth and closing semi- nar in the ABCproject, held in Malmö, Sweden, The ABC method ................................. 6 in October 2005. The ABC seminar in Malmö ................ 8 ABC – Alliance of Baltic Cities is a project run by the UBC Commission on Urban Planning Footprints from earlier seminars ......... 20 and Design and supported by BSR InterregIIIB with Euro 255.957 Project period: March 2003 Planning and building laws – February 2006. in baltic countries .............................. 30 The project has engaged 27 cities, 15 from EU- Experiences ......................................... 36 countries and 12 from non EU-countries. The project is engaging city planners and architects The Baltic Academy of City Planning 37 working in municipalities and local regions. In the project there has been six common semi- nars with some 50 participants, working each fi ve days at every seminar with these main issu- es: local circumstances in the host city and coun- try, advices on how to solve local city planning problems, discussing specifi c common planning Malmö seminar was led by items such as developed urban management, ci- Lars Brattberg (ABC lead partner) ties as regional engines, and renewal of city di- Gunilla Kronvall (Chairman WP 3) stricts. Åke Hesslekrans Sabina Dethorey The project has resulted in: steady contacts bet- ween colleagues, six examples/proposals on how Report by to deal with city planning problems of today and Lars Brattberg tomorrow, forming of some ”patrols” which can Sabina Dethorey help other cities with planning problems, a num- Ania Wolejko (page 30-35) ber of Small Scale investments. Stina Andersson, layout Christer Liljemark, illustrations Thanks to the City of Kolding the City of Vaasa the City of Liepaja the City of Viljandi the City of Gdynia the City of Malmö Jonas Jakaitis, Paulina Golebiowska who have contributed with texts Welcome to Malmö, dear colleagues The Union of the Baltic Cities - UBC - is the parent organisation for the ABC- project. The certain UBC Commission on Urban Planning started in 1998. The three cities Malmö, Umeå and Helsinki were then the initiators. Ilmar Reepalu, chairman of the City Board of Malmö, was one of the engaged pro- moters. As city Malmö reflects in many diffe- rent ways the times of changes, which lots of UBC member cities are fa- cing. Because of this, and because of Malmö’s and Ilmar Reepalus roles, we start this summary report with a de- scription of Malmö signed by Ilmar Reepalu. From the left: Ülar Saar (Pärnu), Ruth Kurss (Tartu), Ilmar Reepalu, Jaana Hämarik (Tartu), Marko Männik (Viljandi), Leelo Saar (Viljandi), Malle Reinloo (Pärnu). In the course of a few decades, Malmö city where all inhabitants receive their ju- and challenging, at the same time making has dramatically transformed itself, from stified part of the welfare. Partly to ensu- sure that we build more blocks of flats, as a leading national industrial city to a glo- re that, Malmö remains and develops as a in our new residential area Annestad, not bal city of knowledge, situated right in the growth engine in the Scanian part of the far from the bridge abutment. middle of one of Europe’s most exiting Öresound region. and suggestive regions. And not to forget: The City tunnel, an in- In other words, Malmö shall be a social- vestment that will change Malmö in seve- 40 years ago one half of the citizens in Mal- ly and economically, and also ecological- ral ways. Partly by a change in travelling mö got their provision by the traditional in- ly sustainable city, a city on the forefront patterns where more and more people will dustry, by manufacturing. Today not even edge of development, capable to make use use the rail bounded public transport sys- fifteen percent of the inhabitants receive of the all good conditions given to us. tem, which will lead to great environmen- their provision at the manufacturing indu- tal advantages. Partly by creating new pos- stry. The old and classical industries, such We shall continue making Malmö attrac- sibilities to produce new modern suburbs, as engineering industry, textile and ship- tive in several respects. Our city centre, as in Hyllie, with housing, shops, service building are gone and at the short period of that twice in recent years has granted Mal- and an arena for big events. a few years in the 1990’s nearly 30000 in- mö with the reward ”city core of the year”, habitants in Malmö lost their jobs. as well as housing with Western Harbour During some years in the beginning of the and Turning Torso as probably the most 1990’s Malmö was a city marked by de- Now Malmö has recovered from this spectacular examples. We shall also deve- pression and pessimism. Today the situa- shock. The new Malmö is growing and lop Malmö as a successful city of events tion is the complete opposite. developing, a city characterized of young and tourism. Today we build a new Malmö on a solid vitality, of pride and diversity and of entre- ground of optimism and faith in the fu- preneurial spirit, of research, development Already today Malmö can offer pulsating ture! and high class technology. folklore, ethnic and cultural diversity and a very rich supply of culture and other lei- Ilmar Reepalu It is this Malmö we now continue wor- sure activities. Now we continue building Chairman of the City Board (architect and city planner) king with. Partly to ensure that, we form a according to this model, daring the new 3 Voices from ABC participants What has the ABC project meant to you as a professional? Hvad har ABC projektet betydet fagligt for dig? Sirpa, Helsinki: A tremendous chance Georg, Kolding: The ABC Ritva, Turku: In addition to expected be- to deepen my knowledge and skills in the project has in a unique way in- nefi ts of forming some new networks of branch of city planning as well as lots of creased my professional knowledge on city planners, the ABC-project has been many friends, in whom I can trust when physical planning matters and proces- to me personally a revelation about pro- ever I need honest opinions of my ideas. ses, which I would not have missed. fessional working methods. Although I Svar: ABC projektet har givet mig en have personally lived and worked in many enestående mulighed for at styrke mit countries outside Finland, it has been still Connie, Kolding: The ABC project has kendskab til fysisk planlægning og til- unexpected and amazing to see the multi- opened my eyes for the different problems hørende arbejdsmetoder, som jeg ikke tude of ways professional planners and de- and challenges in the different countries vil undvære signers from different backgrounds and and cities - but in the end it is the same cultures can solve the same problem! way of working that is requested from I think that this method has been highly planners and architects. Karri, Pärnu: As a professional, I feel that rewarding to all participants. I am proud I have got some valuable experience that to have been part of it. Håkan, Sundsvall: Except that the se- has given me more self-confi dence and minars have given me joy and new friends imagination what others are doing, but Åke, Malmö: It has meant inspiring mee- they have given me some real good expe- now I’d like to go deeper. tings, intense discussions and an under- rience. To work with new colleagues in a standing of the Baltic Region with its con- new environment with the aim to solve a nection through history. specifi c local issue has been very stimula- Ann, Vaasa: I have learned a ting and exciting for me. lot about city planning and re- lated topics during these 3 ABC years and every single seminar has been a Lars-Göran, Umeå: A much pleasant break from normal work like a Marko, Viljandi: ABC pro- better understanding of the ”vitamin shot”. ject means to me a geta- different urban situations in other BSR Olen oppinut paljon kaupunkisuun- way from my everyday environment countries, specially from the Baltic sta- nittelusta ja siihen liittyvistä aiheis- and problems. It allows seeing similar tes, and a lot of valuable experiences ta näiden kolmen ABC-vuoden aikana things, like the City is, in another way. from different planning situations that ja jokainen seminaari on ollut mukava In the overall scale each city in different is useful for me in my daily work, in my tauko normaalista työstä, pieni vitamii- countries has similar problems and all ordinary profession. nipilleri. planners and city architects are working Svar: En mycket bättre förståelse av de on with the same goals, but in another, olika förutsättningarna för samhällspla- on detail look, help to see those aspects nering i de andra Östersjöländerna, sär- Theodora, Lahti: This has been a valu- which can be different and which have skilt i de baltiska staterna. Jag har ock- able learning experience, as I have had a to be in other way in my town. så fått massor av värdefulla erfarenheter chance to observe closely how my collea- ABC projekt tähendab mulle võimalust från skilda planeringssituationer som gues from different countries handle plan- ära minna oma igapäevasest keskkon- jag kan ha stor nytta av i mitt dagliga ning problems as well as what kind of so- nast ja probleemidest.