The voices shaping Linnéplatsen 2.0

Linnéplatsen is a hub in Gothenburg’s public transportation system as well as the main entrance of the city’s beloved park, Slottsskogen. As the detailed development plan is revised and aligned with the railway plan for the Lindholmen Connection, the goal is to make the area around Linnéplatsen, including the new tram and bus stop, both safer and more attractive.

“The plan decides how people will move through the space in the best possible way,” says Malin Croner, Landscape Architect at Arkitema, who has worked with COWI on shaping the future look and feel of Linnéplatsen. 

“For example, it determines the number of car lanes, pedestrian routes and cycle paths. The plan also sets out the framework for the aesthetics and highlights architecture that exists today and previously existed at the site”. 

Social impact analysis

So the area is getting a thorough makeover, and the first step is to collect and analyse various types of relevant data. For example, COWI mapped how pedestrians, cyclists and motorists move through the area using aerial images, to find optimal traffic flows. Malin Croner conducted a social impact analysis which examines how different groups in society want to experience and use the space.

“Safety is an important issue, but it means different things to different people. For some, it is important to have an open space where it is easy to get a clear overview. Good lighting in evenings and at night is also important, and traffic safety is crucial, especially since many children move through this environment. This requires safe crossings over lanes and cycle paths, as well as clear guidance on how people should move.” 

Collecting opinions

What creates a sense of safety and what is considered appealing are highly subjective. That’s why Malin Croner and her colleagues have gathered input from many different groups.

Surveys have been conducted – one by the City of Gothenburg among residents and one by Arkitema among 100 upper secondary school students. Interviews have been conducted with visitors to Linnéplatsen, as well as meetings with a wide range of focus groups, including young girls, parents with strollers, preschool teachers, the Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired, longboard riders, and employees at the nearby Natural History Museum.

“We wanted to gather perspectives from various groups and age ranges. The place will change, and our goal is to ensure that everyone who visits Linnéplatsen experiences the transformation in a positive way.”

What has been challenging in the project?

“There are many stinct interests in a city, and one challenge can be that these conflict. For some, safety means calm andquiet while for others it means life and activity. So, it is an exciting process to see how different interests can meet.”

The Lindholmen Connection

• The railway plan and the detailed development plan for the Lindholmen Connection are planned to be circulated for public consultation in the spring of 2027.
  
  
• Once all consultation processes have been completed, and the detailed development plan and the railway plan have been formally adopted, the permit application will be taken up by the Land and Environment Court in 2029.
  
  
• Planned construction is scheduled for 2031–2039, with the first tram expected to operate on the new tramway in 2039. 
  
  
• Read more about COWI's work with compiling the railway plan for the Lindholmen Connection
  
  
• Read more about how hydrogeologists at COWI map how the Lindholmen Connection can effect ground water levels.