Mariestad 2040; Mariestad and the 7 objectives of the municipality’s; detailed comprehensive plan 2040

Abstract

The municipality of Mariestad is in its most transformative phase since the postwar era. The municipality estimates a population increase from the current 25 000 to 40 000 inhabitants by 2040 in the wake of new industrial establishments and expansion, including the Volvo Group’s battery cell factory. In 2024, the municipality adopted the Detailed Comprehensive Plan 2040 (DCP), providing a strategy for 7200 new housing units in Mariestad. The DCP identifies 7 objectives for Mariestad: the close-knit (nära) town, the living town, the safe town, the diverse town, the welldesigned town, the green lakeside town, and the proud town of the future. The master’s thesis argues that these 7 objectives are connected to each other, and strongly influenced by the first objective, the close-knit town. The DCP, however, suggests urban expansion with areas consisting of 50-75% of singlefamily homes to supply 3000-6000 of the new housing units. This risks contributing to urban sprawl, the opposite of the close-knit town, and thereby counteracting all 7 objectives. The design presented in the master’s thesis aims at shaping an alternative plan for Mariestad which more closely aligns to the 7 objectives of the municipality’s Detailed Comprehensive Plan. The design distinguishes several centrally located areas possible areas for new development for 12 000 new residents within 2 km of the town center in Mariestad without exceeding a floor space index of 1.2. The sites of Yttre Hamnen, Katthavet, Marieforsleden, Tidan’s Kvillar, Norra Katrinefors, Electrolux and Tidan’s Västra Strand are described in more detail, where the density of the site and its role in the town as a whole is explored. The design unlocks dormant qualities around the river Tidan and the former Electrolux factory, connecting the town over the water and providing pleasant public space to stimulate urban life, while also creating new flows through the historical town center, Gamla Stan, in order to stimulate urban life. Space syntax analysis identifies that the design improves the centrality of Gamla Stan. The proposed development is on land currently occupied by open grassland, car infrastructure or sprawling industries. This risks causing higher initial investments in groundwork, relocation of industries and a decreased car capacity. This is deemed as reasonable trade-offs to the increase in qualities of the 7 objectives generated by the design. By investing in the close-knit town and the qualities which follow, Mariestad improves its chances of thriving independently from the future of the Volvo battery factory.