Revisiting the million homes program; addressing segregation in the modernist space configuration through a case study of Hjällbo

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Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Program
Architecture and planning beyond sustainability (MPDSD), MSc
Publicerad
2024
Författare
Hellsten Romeborn, Tanja
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Sammanfattning
The Million Homes Program (MHP) was a political initiative to build one million new dwellings between 1965 and 1975. Based on modernist ideals, and in the spirit of the industrialisation of the construction industry, the project successfully improved the living standard of urban dwellings. Simultaneously, the MHP areas faced considerable criticism from early on. Today, these areas are often stigmatised, and affected by segregation. Measures to counter segregation tend to focus on breaking social-economical groupings by introducing new tenure or ownership structures, by construction, or by social interventions concentrated on one area or neighbourhood. The urban form is, however, often ignored. In this study, it is argued that segregation happens on a city scale and that the urban form plays a crucial role in the segregation patterns as it determines the physical connections in a city. Simultaneously, modernist planning ideals pose considerable structural challenges as the street network configuration causes space and area segregation. Critique has prompted calls for the complete demolition and redevelopment of MHP areas for decades. However, in the interest of sustainability and the well-being of residents, such radical measures are not a viable solution. Instead, this study advocates for sustainable interventions within and in connection to the MHP areas, recognising and preserving their existing qualities, such as green spaces and open areas. Applying spatial analysis techniques, this research focuses on a case study of Hjällbo in Gothenburg to explore local circumstances and network-based interventions. These interventions address the challenges of adapting modernist urban planning ideals to contemporary and future urban environments. The study consists of three interlinked parts. The first part deals with the general background of modernist city planning ideals and challenges, along with the local circumstances in Hjällbo. The second part focuses on interventions in the network configuration and their design in Hjällbo. The third part examines the materialisation of the new centralities. The aim is to develop and test a methodology to effectively tackle segregation challenges from a long-term perspective. Through a design case study, the alternative planning strategy is tested to pave the way for a planning procedure that addresses the root causes of segregation.
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Space syntax analysis, spatial segregation, million homes program, urban configuration, modernist planning ideals
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