Stadsförtätningens teorier och konsekvenser : Analys av kvaliteter och förtätningspotential för Luleå centrum

Urban densification has for many years been the common norm for achieving the sustainable city. The current debate, appearing in the literature review is focused on how urban sprawl could be stopped and how cities instead will be planned with sustainability as the ground ideal. But what are the reasons for the belief that the dense city is the same as the ecologically, economically and socially sustainable city? The aim of this study is partially to clarify the current debate within the research area and to make an effort to apply the theories to the city centre peninsula of Luleå. The aim is to encourage the dialogue and the discussion about urban densification in Luleå.The literature review deals with a diversity of factors related to densification, such as travelling distance, energy consumption, noise pollution, social sustainability among others. The dense city presents a number of advantages based on the literature review, such as reduced consumption of energy per inhabitant and shorter travelling distance. These studies, previously mainly done on international larger cities, have also been proved to be true for smaller Scandinavian cities. A correlation that previously has been questioned. That the dense city is the same as a city without access to green space is described in several studies as a misunderstanding. In dense urban environments, high quality green spaces can compensate quantity. Several studies show that it is quality and not quantity that determines how people perceive the availability of good urban spaces. A majority of the literature also says that the social life within the city is strengthened with an increased density. There is however some disagreement that the planning has to take into consideration, including the risk of an increasing segregation when new development occurs at high value land.The literature review concludes that urban densification contributes to a sustainable development. Urban densification is also based on changes in the existing city structure, a structure that in many cases are complex and specific to the location. To create an awareness of the paths, nodes and public places within the city that are worth preserving or enhancing a sociotope map has been developed for the planning area. Sociotope mapping composes the basis for the discussion about urban densification and its impact on different urban spaces.In order to study the possibility for densification in the different parts within the planning area, a ‘densification rose’ has been made. The densification rose indicates the need, pressure, freedom and space for densification of an area. The result of the densification rose shows the different strengths, weaknesses and opportunities associated with densification, for the different areas. In Luleå it can be established that all different parts within the city centre peninsula, have their unique conditions, with both relatively high as well as low potential for densification.To further clarify the densification potential for the area, current exploitation rates has been calculated. The rates are then, together with the building typology, used in a model to calculate the average space of densification. The results show that space of densification for the city centre peninsula is between 5-14 % with a possible increase in the exploitation rate with between 3-10 %.In order to present a suggestion for urban densification for the city centre of Luleå, different types of densification methods has been described and how these could be applied to the city, both in plan and illustrations. Based on both the theoretical part and the analysis tools, we have made a suggestion for the development of both specific places and larger areas.Validerat; 20110609 (anonymous