On the 6th February 2019, the VIVA-PLAN project commenced with a very successful meeting at Urbanplanen, Copenhagen. Approximately 25 people attended the event, including planning practitioners from 3B, Malmö Stadt, Södertalje Kommun. the City of Copenhagen and the City of Utrecht. The day
started with a welcome and overview of the project by co-leads Prof. Christopher Raymond (SLU) and Dr Natalie Gulsrud (University of Copenhagen). Stephane Parize from 3B-KAB then provided an overview of the governance context to a non-profit housing association, including tenants’ democracy.
Rikke Hedegaard Christensen from the City of Copenhagen presented on the social benefits
of urban nature. Agnes Kielland and Maria Paula Cañon Bermudez, Masters students from the University of Copenhagen, then provided an overview of their recent investigations on residents’ preferences for new activities and buildings in Urbanplanen. Based on their findings, they recommended innovative strategies for promoting social inclusion and well-being in the community.
After lunch, attendees were asked to identify and map in-between spaces in Urbanplanen, Lindängren (Malmö) and Ronna (Södertalje), as well as possible values, concerns and preferred management practices associated with these areas. This exercise provided important social context to support the research of the VIVA-PLAN project team. We then received a site tour from City of Copenhagen social pedagogs employed at the local staffed playgrounds, Samir Olsen and Thomas Elsass, and some important insights into life in Urbanplanen from members of the local community.
A big thanks to 3B and partners for hosting the VIVA-PLAN team. Also, we would like to thank our knowledge alliance of planning practitioners for contributing their insights, and for members of the local community to take their time to share their views on life in Urbanplanen.