When conflicting interests meet - A critical study of the collaboration and ideals in the project BoStad2021

Abstract

Decision-makers in Gothenburg face major challenges in solving the housing shortage. As a response, the housing project BoStad2021 has been initiated by public and private actors with the goal of constructing 7,000 new homes before 2021. Currently, we live in an era of urban entrepreneurialism according to David Harvey, indicating that many cities are primarily driven by economic growth through, for example, public-private partnerships rather than safeguarding the welfare interests of the inhabitants. The purpose of this article is to investigate to what extent BoStad2021 can be understood through the lens of urban entrepreneurialism. I focus on collaboration, including tensions and conflicts, and the physical ideals actors work toward in the project. Apart from the theory of urban entrepreneurialism I also make use of Jane Jacobs’ critique of modernist design and Daniel Aldrich's theory of the siting of controversial facilities. Accordingly, the study fills a knowledge gap since urban entrepreneurialism most often is concerned with the inner city. A critical analysis was conducted by data from interviews with involved actors such as politicians, officials, and constructors alongside documents such as BoStad2021's website, follow-up research on the project and detailed development plans. The results show that the public-private interests in BoStad2021 do not simply overlap and align, as initially appeared and is the norm in urban entrepreneurialism, but in this case the municipality outdoes the construction companies in line with its own public agenda by wanting to invest and risk more than the latter and does therefore not simply serve the economic development. However, in line with urban entrepreneurialism the actors work toward inner-city ideals such as small-scaleness, urbanity and densification in the peripheral areas as well, which in the long run risks leading to exclusion and gentrification.