Heritage as a foundation and resource in place-making processes Experiences on adaptive reuse and collaborative approaches from three industrial villages in Västra Götaland, Sweden

Sammanfattning: This thesis aims to explore the shifting collaborative approaches and uses of heritage and its impact on place-making processes in three industrial villages in Västra Götaland, a county in west of Sweden. In Sweden there is a number of industrial villages (bruksorter) where the industry has moved but their buildings remain. A method to develop these places is place-making initiatives through adaptive reuse of the industrial sites. Place-making is a key concept and tool in urban planning and development which can be used to increase sustainability. This study combines a theoretical framework on heritage-led development and adaptive reuse with place-making and collaborative approaches to planning. It explores place-making initiatives and how key stakeholders experience the process, commitment, and collaboration. Through interviews and document analysis, the results show three industrial villages all using heritage as a vital part of the place-making process. Both tangible and intangible features of the industrial heritage is activated to achieve positive developments at each site. Heritage is approached both as a medium for development and as a testimony of the past, although with more emphasis on the former among the respondents. Further, the cases all have slightly different methods for place-making however all with collaborative features. The results underline the importance of strong collaboration and consensus-building between different key stakeholders. Moreover, individual stakeholders’ commitment, as well as funding, seem to impact the place-making process immensely. Hence, this thesis shows how both heritage and stakeholder collaboration impact the place-making process, and how the use of heritage is essential to reach sustainable development.