|
|
Angered-Bergum, Sweden, Europe |
|
|
|
|
|
Originally, the area Gunnared outside of Gothenburg mostly consisted of farmland. However, like other Swedish cities with industry that experienced a pressure of migration and a following shortage of housing, Gothenburg began to buy up land in order to control the inevitable urban sprawl around the city. Thus, in 1967 Angerud and Bergum was incorporated into Gothenburg. In 1968 a general plan for Angerud-Bergum was made and construction began. The ambition was to create a self-sufficient new town for approx. 100,000 residents, around 70,000 work places and a centre with social and shopping facilities. The neighbourhood of Gårdsten was build in 1969, Lövgärdet in 1970 and construction in Rannebergen was initiated in 1971. Until 1975 it was mostly multi-family houses with rental apartments that were built according to the 1965 principle of big units of identical flats made in an industrial construction process. In the mid 1970s, however, construction was set on a halt - partly because the big-scale housing construction had already produced a great number of dwellings, partly because of growing criticism towards Modernism and the project of modernisation itself. Even with a smaller number of inhabitants, the planners stuck to the plan of creating a connective community centre that could also function as an infrastructural hub for collective traffic. Hence, Angered centre was inaugurated as late as 1978, however, it has neither obtained its number of target customers nor shops. Also, the amount of investments and work places were less than expected and even though the curve is slowly changing to the better with establishment of companies locally, many residents are still unemployed. As a part of the ambitious Million Program (1965-1974), Gunnared was plastered with high-rise rental apartments that were presumably affordable and liveable for every Swede equally. Breaking the monotony, however, dividing different neighbourhoods in income level and character, villas and row houses began to pop up between the point houses from the 1980s. After a time of turbulence with empty flats and some social problems in the 1980s and 1990s, the area seem to be developing in a more positive direction. According to a report by the local authorities, residents now tend to root themselves and take responsibility for their neighbours and the environment. At the same time, questions of conservation and transformation are raised towards the by now historical buildings of the 1960s and 1970s. The goal is to make attractive housing where people want to move, establish and stay. The question is where this leaves the Million Program architecture in the future?
source: Signe Sophie Boeggild |
|
2008 - 2024 disclaimer
|
