Restructuring Suburbia : Introducing Social Space in a Spatially Disperse Neighbourhood

Abstract: Density is more about an experienced nearness to functions and activities than buildingsbeing physically close to each other. Density is interaction, and the intensity of itdepends on accessibility to the functions and activities of the built environment. The current planning, continuing the thoughts of the modernist, are a threat to publichealth and the environment, as sprawling settlements demand more resources forinfrastructure and time spent commuting between home and work, taking up the timeto spend with family and friends. The suburban planning principles of the Swedish housing estate unit have graduallytransformed the suburban neighbourhoods into dispersed, disconnected islands, wheresocial life is inhibited in the mere configuration of space. Legibility of the urban environment is important regarding orientation and navigation,but also to understand the underlying meanings of spaces and places. The urbanstructure should be easily read to be understandable in the choices of everyday life. How we understand the boundaries and transitions of our surrounding affects howspaces are used. Unclear territorial interfaces, like the open space landscape ofmodernist planning feels too exposed to be appropriated. If activities should take placein the outdoor environment, there must be a certain quality to the spaces that areinviting and promote interaction between people. The suburban housing estate neighbourhoods can be developed to promote thisinteraction, providing spaces where the different layers of social life can take place, fromthe private home – through mediating interfaces of front yards, indoor collective spaceand collective gardens – to the public realm of the streets, pathways and parks. The thesis studies the suburban neighbourhood Årsta in eastern Uppsala, whichshows the signs of a disperse suburban housing estate in its configuration of buildings,withdrawn from the streets, turning inward away from the public spaces. By adding built volume within the existing structure of the open yards, the boundariesbetween the public and the private spaces can be clearly defined and new activatedspaces can be created. Many fronts towards the streets and paths make people meet inevery-day life and new types of spaces can be used to set a framework for interactionbetween residents as well as outsiders. Such spaces can also work as a buffer betweenpublic life and the private dwelling, e.g. a collective garden mediates the space inbetween a pedestrian path and an inner yard.