A place-making proposal for Karlholm strand based on a planning ethic, community development ideals and landscape aesthetics

Abstract: The subject scope of this thesis is about built structure in the landscape close to the water in a specific place, Karlholm, in the municipality of Tierp, Sweden. Karlholm Strand is one of many places in Sweden where there is no shoreline protection. Because of this, there is a current plan by a developer, which can lead to hamper the access to the shore for the public. There is generally low building activity within the Tierp municipality and especially in the Karlholm strand as it used to be a factory area. Because there was a need for a project in this old factory area which recently got bankrupted, municipality authority allowed this project which can set an example for the other shoreline development in Sweden where there is no shoreline protection. A large housing project was proposed for the area. On the surface, the proposal looked good, but after a deeper reading, it was understood that it is being made without thinking about the current residences in the area, the history of the area, the local culture, and community development. For this reason, I wanted to investigate the development of the project based on ethical considerations while designing in the shoreline, the practices that make a place, community development, and landscape aesthetics. In this thesis I further investigate the proposed plan of the housing area and produce an alternative plan based on the surrounding landscape, a theoretical framework of the above-mentioned points, SymbioCity approach with different study tools like, interviewing the locals, analysing the site, case study, and sketching.