Papers by Rikke Sundstrup
Post-industrial harbour transformations in the western world are increasingly influenced by a mar... more Post-industrial harbour transformations in the western world are increasingly influenced by a market-driven paradigm caused by attempts to secure cities position in a national and global hierarchy. Cities increasing competition for jobs, investment and population growth result in market-driven harbour transformations at the expense of site-specific characteristics and local potentials which results in generic harbours. As opposed to the market-driven paradigm we want to introduce a relational approach to urban planning of post-industrial harbours to secure location-based potentials in the transformations. The objective of this thesis is to investigate if and how a relational approach to harbour transformation can qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour with a specific focus on involving local citizens in urban planning. The transformation of the industrial harbour in Nykøbing Falster -a city in the outer region of Denmark -is at the time of investigation only a political vision and in an early stage of urban development. To qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour this thesis interweaves Patsy Healey's dimensions in relational strategic planning with Pierre Bourdieu's reflexive sociology. This results in a three-dimensional theoretical frame for a relational approach to harbour transformation. In order to capture the field of research, the empirical foundation consists of fieldwork, mapping, stakeholder analysis and walk-alongs. The first dimension illustrates that the industrial monopoly of the harbour is threatened by the political visions for harbour transformation. The political visions are influenced by historical and discursive practices which focus on the symbolic value of the harbour area, public access to the waterfront and a political focus on strengthening the city of Nykøbing Falster.
Thesis Chapters by Rikke Sundstrup
Relational strategic planning of industrial harbours - A field study in Nykøbing Falster, 2019
Post-industrial harbour transformations in the western world are increasingly influenced by a mar... more Post-industrial harbour transformations in the western world are increasingly influenced by a market-driven paradigm caused by attempts to secure cities position in a national and global hierarchy. Cities increasing competition for jobs, investment and population growth result in market-driven harbour transformations at the expense of site-specific characteristics and local potentials which results in generic harbours. As opposed to the market-driven paradigm we want to introduce a relational approach to urban planning of post-industrial harbours to secure location-based potentials in the transformations.
The objective of this thesis is to investigate if and how a relational approach to harbour transformation can qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour with a specific focus on involving local citizens in urban planning.
The transformation of the industrial harbour in Nykøbing Falster – a city in the outer region of Denmark - is at the time of investigation only a political vision and in an early stage of urban development. To qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour this thesis interweaves Patsy Healey’s dimensions in relational strategic planning with Pierre Bourdieu's reflexive sociology. This results in a three-dimensional theoretical frame for a relational approach to harbour transformation. In order to capture the field of research, the empirical foundation consists of fieldwork, mapping, stakeholder analysis and walk-alongs.
The first dimension illustrates that the industrial monopoly of the harbour is threatened by the political visions for harbour transformation. The political visions are influenced by historical and discursive practices which focus on the symbolic value of the harbour area, public access to the waterfront and a political focus on strengthening the city of Nykøbing Falster.
The second dimension unveils that politicians and local administration try to secure the municipal position in a national hierarchy to gain population growth, qualified workforce and tax revenues through harbour transformation. The municipality does not have the financial means to implement the political visions which creates space for local actors to gain influence on the planning process. These local actors set a direction for the harbour transformation with a focus on creating social value and an area of consumption. Furthermore, political struggles to whether a partial or complete harbour transformation can secure economic growth influence the planning process. This results in an untransparent planning process which prevents local citizens in gaining influence on the development.
The third dimension gives local citizens a space for action. This enlarges and gives new perspectives on the harbour transformation. Citizens use several strategies to secure their position in the future harbour transformation. In relation to harbour transformation citizens value build heritage, recycling of buildings, the industrial harbour, public spaces for everyone, various urban spaces and the uniqueness of their municipality. For local citizens, these factors contribute to the site specificity of their harbour that can ensure the citizens' spatial profit in the future. Citizens adapt to the overall municipal planning conditions in order to strengthen the municipal position in a national hierarchy.
CONCLUSIONS: We argue that the relational approach to harbour planning contributes to site-specific perspectives on opportunities and challenges in harbour transformation processes. Furthermore, a relational approach allows conflicting agents to unite and create opportunities together. The relational approach incorporates the site-specific and location-based potentials while challenging unequal power relations along with market-driven and generic harbour transformation.
Uploads
Papers by Rikke Sundstrup
Thesis Chapters by Rikke Sundstrup
The objective of this thesis is to investigate if and how a relational approach to harbour transformation can qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour with a specific focus on involving local citizens in urban planning.
The transformation of the industrial harbour in Nykøbing Falster – a city in the outer region of Denmark - is at the time of investigation only a political vision and in an early stage of urban development. To qualify the urban development of Nykøbing Falster harbour this thesis interweaves Patsy Healey’s dimensions in relational strategic planning with Pierre Bourdieu's reflexive sociology. This results in a three-dimensional theoretical frame for a relational approach to harbour transformation. In order to capture the field of research, the empirical foundation consists of fieldwork, mapping, stakeholder analysis and walk-alongs.
The first dimension illustrates that the industrial monopoly of the harbour is threatened by the political visions for harbour transformation. The political visions are influenced by historical and discursive practices which focus on the symbolic value of the harbour area, public access to the waterfront and a political focus on strengthening the city of Nykøbing Falster.
The second dimension unveils that politicians and local administration try to secure the municipal position in a national hierarchy to gain population growth, qualified workforce and tax revenues through harbour transformation. The municipality does not have the financial means to implement the political visions which creates space for local actors to gain influence on the planning process. These local actors set a direction for the harbour transformation with a focus on creating social value and an area of consumption. Furthermore, political struggles to whether a partial or complete harbour transformation can secure economic growth influence the planning process. This results in an untransparent planning process which prevents local citizens in gaining influence on the development.
The third dimension gives local citizens a space for action. This enlarges and gives new perspectives on the harbour transformation. Citizens use several strategies to secure their position in the future harbour transformation. In relation to harbour transformation citizens value build heritage, recycling of buildings, the industrial harbour, public spaces for everyone, various urban spaces and the uniqueness of their municipality. For local citizens, these factors contribute to the site specificity of their harbour that can ensure the citizens' spatial profit in the future. Citizens adapt to the overall municipal planning conditions in order to strengthen the municipal position in a national hierarchy.
CONCLUSIONS: We argue that the relational approach to harbour planning contributes to site-specific perspectives on opportunities and challenges in harbour transformation processes. Furthermore, a relational approach allows conflicting agents to unite and create opportunities together. The relational approach incorporates the site-specific and location-based potentials while challenging unequal power relations along with market-driven and generic harbour transformation.