I väntan på att bli en levande stadsdel; En etnografisk studie av Frihamnen

Abstract

The decommissioning of centrally located port areas has become increasingly widespread throughout the Global North, driven by technological advancements and evolving logistical networks. These vacated sites often stand in contrast to their surrounding urban fabric, presenting significant challenges for redevelopment. Frihamnen, situated in Hisingen, Gothenburg, exemplifies this condition. Once a functioning port, it is now designated to become a central and inclusive urban district—the envisioned “heart” of the city. However, delays in planning have left the area in a protracted state of liminality. Characterized by derelict industrial structures, scattered construction materials, and recreational facilities, Frihamnen embodies the concept of the urban void: a transitional, ambiguous space within the urban landscape. This study examines how individuals engage with Frihamnen in its current, indeterminate condition, with particular attention to the ways in which personal memories and imagined futures inform their sensory and emotional experiences of the space. Employing methods of participant observation and interview, and guided by Sarah Pink’s theory of sensory ethnography, the research offers a counter-narrative to prevailing institutional discourses of redevelopment. By foregrounding subjective, embodied encounters, the study advocates for the integration of diverse epistemologies and methodologies in the conceptualization and transformation of urban environments, particularly those situated within contexts of spatial and temporal uncertainty. This paper will be written in Swedish.