Evaluating Greenery in Urban Typologies - A Study with a Mixed Method Approach in Gothenburg , Sweden

Abstract

A growing number of cities are experiencing challenges with adapting to stresses originating from a changing climate, such as an increase in air temperature and extreme weather events, where urban greenery has shown mitigating qualities. Apart from offering a strategy for climate mitigation and adaptation, added greenery in cities can also contribute to a large variety of ecosystem services, where qualities for human wellbeing are enhanced. To understand the spatial distribution of greenery in cities, a few studies have connected urban greenery with urban structure, but detailed data of greenery on a neighborhood scale is still limited, where more research is needed to better understand the interurban differences in qualities of greenery. This study uses a mixed method approach of spatial analysis, detailed mapping of greenery and interviews with urban planners to scrutinize the composition of greenery in urban typologies in Gothenburg, Sweden and the strengths and challenges related to these compositions. The chosen typologies were based on how Swedish planning ideals have been implemented in Gothenburg and consisted of the typologies; Mixed City, Million program, Nordic functionalism and Traditional neighborhood city. The results showed that the Million program and the Nordic functionalism typology consisted of a large share of vegetation which is a strength in relation to heat stress mitigation, since vegetation can provide shade and a cooling effect. The Mixed city and the Traditional neighborhood city were instead composed of highly designed dense environments with less vegetation, where space and good growing conditions for vegetation was limited. This variety in compositions of greenery creates different starting points for the typologies in offering heat stress mitigation, as well as other services, where the knowledge of this distribution can contribute to a more effective implementation of greenery.