A Changing Utopia : A critical analysis of a heritage of change in a Swedish 20th century single-family housing area

Abstract: During the past decades there has been an increasing interest in the conservation of the cultural-historical character of 20th century single-family housing areas in Sweden. Many of these areas are characterised by the fact that they have changed significantly over time, creating highly diverse historic urban landscapes. However, current conservation strategies are still mainly rooted in the conserve as found paradigm where change is mainly seen as a threat to the cultural significance of the area. Therefore, this study aims to research if the changing character of the single-family housing area also can be of heritage value. By using the single-family housing area Rynninge in Örebro as a case study, the research shows that change is an inevitable part of single-family housing areas and that the underlying historical concepts and ideas of the area are manifestations of change. Change is also a cultural practice in itself being an expression of a need for intimacy and demographic composition, while also functioning as a symbol for the Swedish utopia. Since our current conservation strategies are mainly based on a sense of authenticity we will need to rethink how we define this concept. A possible way to do this is thinking about the single-family housing area as a lived authentic space, containing both static and dynamic features. This study, therefore, concludes that an alternative approach towards the changing character of single-family housing areas is needed where the changing character of the area is also part of its cultural significance and authenticity, introducing a heritage of change. By opening up to a more flexible and inclusive approach towards change this can contribute to the development of more sustainable conservation strategies in cultural, economic and environmental contexts.