DESIGNING THE FLOODPLAIN: Strategies for more-than-human resilience and nature-based solutions for public space transformation by the Göta Älv

Abstract

Climate change increases the risk of natural disasters, and rising sea levels expose an increasing amount of coastal cities to flooding. Gothenburg, situated in close proximity to a large body of water, is no exception. As traditional grey infrastructure can no longer alone manage future water levels, there is a growing need for sustainable and environmentally sensitive flood management strategies. Recent research highlights Nature-Based Solutions as a means to manage excess water while simultaneously enhancing ecological and social values. This thesis explores how Nature-Based Solutions can be applied in a Swedish context through a design proposal located along Göta Älv in Gothenburg. The project focuses on flood risk management and more-than-human design, while creating a recreational public space along Göta Älv, where green spaces and water elements interact to support biodiversity and human activity. Non-human species are given opportunities to reclaim their habitats, while humans are provided access to the river. Skeppsbron and Stenpiren Resecentrum is reimagined through implementation of Nature-Based Solutions, using intertidal zones and expanded green spaces to increase use of the area’s spaces and qualities. Reviewing research, previous implementations of similar solutions and thorough analysis of the site informs the decisions necessary for a multifunctional and resilient environment. Throughout the process, research for design becomes research by design. The final design proposal addresses three central agendas: flood management, more-than-human design and urban climate adaptation. Key principles and strategies such as implementing biodiverse intertidal zones and constructed wetlands as flood management systems, can be extracted and applied to other contexts. This thesis contributes to discussions on climate-adaptive design in Gothenburg, highlighting the benefits of green spaces for flood management, and encourages exploration of such solutions in future practices through its extensive effect on the transformed space. The project demonstrates how more-than-human design can enhance urban experience, while managing other global issues such as flooding and habitat loss simultaneously. Thereby, the thesis presents how several issues can be managed through one design.