Urban Leftovers - Identifying and Harnessing their potential for the Agenda 2030 in Malmö

Abstract: The planning of cities and transformation of social, political and economic structures have resulted in open spaces of two types. First, the type of open space that is planned and designed and the second type, that is undesigned. These undesigned open spaces are referred to as leftover spaces. They are unused roof tops, or space under a flyover that is vacant, or spaces behind a building that are unattractive or a parking lot that is empty on weekends. Their nature, appearance and qualities vary from context to context. Some cities are recognizing the untapped potential of these spaces and are working towards revitalizing them. The narrative of a city can change when these spaces are incorporated into the urban fabric of the city. Malmö, as a city with so much industrial history and one in the forefront of sustainable development, is also home to many leftover spaces. These spaces could be a test ground for working towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Leftover spaces are also already being recognized for different needs such as temporary uses, artworks, tactical urbanism, environmental design. This thesis maps the types of leftover spaces in the city using different methods and suggests a typology of spaces for the city. Case study examples from Scandinavia and strategies that were inferred from them form the basis of linking these spaces to the SDGs. These leftover spaces are not ‘seen’ by the city and pose various challenges such as ownership, funding and the building traditions of Sweden. This discussion will put Malmö, Sweden and broadly Scandinavia among the other studies done on the realm of leftover spaces.