Examining public space transformation : A case study of rationalities and inclusiveness in public space planning in Stockholm

The exclusion of marginalized individuals or groups from public space through interventions as part of processes of urban transformation, and the disparity between these processes and the stated motivations behind them have been widely researched (Berney, 2013; Low, 2020; Madanipour, 2020; Mitchell, 2017). The aim of the thesis is to critically examine the disconnect between motivations and outcomes in public space planning through the theoretical perspective of a right to the city (Lefebvre, 1996), applying the idea of circulating spatial rationalities (Huxley, 2006). The thesis takes a qualitative approach, and is designed as a case study, focused on the urban park Rålambshovsparken. The chosen methods were semi-structured interviews with four participants involved in the planning of the park, and a document analysis of three planning documents. The findings show that the interventions in the park could be said to affect inclusiveness in a few different ways, for example through overly protective measures, to ensure a perceived required quality level. Also that the motivations belong to larger spatial rationalities, the participants adhere to different spheres of rationality, though interlinking with each other