Sustainability through aesthetics : can chosen aesthetics promote social dimensions of sustainability in modern landscape architecture?

Sammanfattning: There is a national and global belief that including aesthetics and design in city planning can promote sustainability, and a demand for how to do it. Based on studying pertinent literature, there is a lack of discussion on how aesthetics can contribute to the discussion on social sustainability. Landscape architects have the competence to work with aesthetics and design for the national and global sustainability goals. In this thesis three main sources (Meyer (2008), van Etteger et al. (2016) and Lehtinen (2021)) have been used to form the theoretical framework. By studying how landscape architects work with aesthetics in projects focusing on social sustainability, it might be possible to understand and learn more about how to develop the common environment. In this essay, the landscape architect office Landskapslaget, and one of their projects that focuses on social sustainability, has been chosen to study. The project is from 2019, when the office was commissioned to develop the park Flemingsbergsparken, which is located in Stockholm. The work's research question "In what way does Landskapslaget work with aesthetics in a project in order to promote the social sustainability dimensions?” is answered through studying the landscape architect office’s documents regarding social sustainability, and through one interview about the chosen project with a landscape architect who worked with it. The analysis is divided into the three themes Co-design makes possible aesthetic experiences that emphasise a shared identity, Aesthetics can bridge different needs and preferences, and Aesthetics for strengthening a cohesive city, in which different definitions of aesthetics are being discussed. The landscape architects work with aesthetics in different ways and with different scales. Co-design is giving insight into what the people living in a specific area think are important, and people will have different opinions when it comes to aesthetics, design, and functions of an area. It is relevant to use the way van Etteger et al. (2016) apply the ACT theory in landscape architecture to see aesthetics from a broader perspective. The non-aesthetic properties from the co-creation have led to aesthetic properties that result in a gathered identity, manages to tie together different functions, and improve safety. Meyer (2008) and Lehtinen (2021) argues that aesthetics can make people be aware and care for their environment. In this project, the co-creation might have led to people caring for the park and can be the reason that the park has not been vandalised. Choices of aesthetics are shown to be important parts in promoting the social dimensions of sustainability in landscape architecture. Aesthetics are proven to be a complex concept, but broadening the definition and meaning of it, one can find new ways of how to work with it for promoting dimensions of social sustainability. Co-creation is an important part of finding the suitable aesthetics for a certain place and necessary to understand how to achieve social sustainability.