Rapid urbanization causes competition over land use between green area preservation and urban development in cities and greatly affects ecosystems as well as human well-being. This conflict is significant all around the world as many cities are now replacing existing green areas with new developments. The area around Dag Hammarskjöld's väg in Uppsala is currently experiencing the same conflict, as the need that the city has for new housing represents a threat for the many valuable green areas that are in the site. The purpose of this project was to understand how the need of urban development and the preservation of green areas could be balanced. This understanding would thereafter be used to make a design proposal for the area around Dag Hammarskjöld's väg.

This thesis aims to study the effects of the infrastructure project Västlänken in Gothenburg, a rail tunnel to be built through the city center. The study focuses on the community of Haga where one of the three exits will be constructed and also the surrounding urban environment, to see if the project can be sustainable. Sustainable urban development was selected as the theory, and the term "sustainable" is defined in this study using a number of criteria that two scientists developed. The criteria include economic, ecological and social perspectives on how a place or a geographical area can meet today's needs as well as possible needs in the future. The methods used were semi-structured interviews and content analysis of government documents. Interviews were conducted with various institutions in the city, and companies involved in the planning of the project in Gothenburg.

The purpose of this study is to examine how risk is perceived by the urban architect's in the region Dalarna, as well as how this is reflected in their everyday work with risk and decision- making according to urban planning. The ambition is also to show how their risk awareness could be improved. The study is written in cooperation with Länsstyrelsen Dalarna as a part of their regional long-term goal to improve the region's proactive risk' and crisis management. The study is based upon 12 semi-structured interviews with local urban architects conducted during the summer and autumn 2007. The result shows that some architects are motivated for working with risk and think that risk awareness should be integrated in their everyday work, while others are not motivated and think that risk is more of a passing trend.

External shopping malls in the context of urban sprawl have, according too much of the previous research, had a negative connotation when it comes to urban planning and a sustainable society. In recent years, some of this research on the issue has changed course towards that it might be some positive opportunities and elements in this development, given that it follows certain patterns. This latter development is what we have chosen to look deeper into in our study, Sustainable urban sprawl.The shopping mall Allum in Partille center has been the subject of this case study, to explore how people's shopping habits and travels in connection with these purchases has been affected by the establishment of an external shopping mall from a sustainability perspective.The method we used was a questionnaire distributed at workplaces in Partille. The collected data were then analyzed by using some of the dominant urban planning theories, for thus underpin our analysis. We have supplemented the study with a collection of information on existing and planned shopping centers in Gothenburg region.Our study shows that external shopping centers located in already developed areas, with an existing social structure, can help to create a more compact city with fewer and shorter shopping trips, and more sustainable transport choices when purchasing goods and services..

Uppsatsen behandlar temat urbana tillväxtstrategier i svensk planering. Studien syftar till att undersöka hur översiktsplaner har påverkats av entrepreneurial city, platsmarknadsföring och kreativa klassen som alla är olika teorier om urban tillväxt. Undersökningen utgår ifrån fem kommuner med en översiktsplan från tidigt 90-tal och en aktuell plan antagen omkring 2010. Översiktsplanerna studeras utifrån de valda teorierna (entrepreneurial city, platsmarknadsföring och kreativa klassen) om urban tillväxt för att ge förståelse för hur strategierna i kommunernas översiktsplaner har påverkats av teorierna. Den genomförda undersökningen visar på en förändring över tid som pekar mot mer tillväxtorienterad planering..

In urban planning and design today interventions tend to take place in already existing areas and inevitably effect also surrounding areas. The many parties involved in any change leads to a demand for a shared language around these areas. This thesis aim to, through understanding and communicating a site, Stora Södergatan in Lund Sweden, inspire to a novel way of looking at an urban site preceding design- or planning interventions. Based on a theoretical framework where site is considered as a relational construct, material as well as immaterial, a framework for site thinking is constructed. Further, with theory of representation, the communication of the site is emphasized and accounted for as part of the framework.

What is a city? What do we mean when we describe something as urban? In what way should we build the city so that we can achieve a good environment for our own generation and for generations to come? These questions are constantly of interest and they are frequently discussed. It is also important to have considered these questions when working with city-planning. This essay contains a description of and reflections about the recurrent questions in today?s debate about the city and city-planning.

The out-of-town retail establishments are part of the dramatic structural changes in the retailing of food and groceries. There are however strong indications suggesting these establishments result in negative externalities concerning areas such as pollution and urban environment. The purpose of this study is to describe and, from an economic perspective, analyse the Swedish political regulations and planning policies concerning the out-of-town supermarkets. The analysis establishes that the current regulations regarding out-of-town retailing do not, due to the occurrence of market failures, produce an optimal situation. It might therefore be necessary to change the planning policies in a more restrictive direction.

This thesis deals with urban planning in connection with social and spatial integration.It´s a study of a new planning project in Malmö in southern Sweden. It´s an interesting case because this new, fashionable area will be located next to areas facing socio-economical challanges and stagnation. By using two theoretical models I analyse how the visions for planning a city are formulated and applied when policy is going to be operated. My models are ?the balanced community? and ?the dual community? .The conclusion is that the focus for Malmö and Hyllie is going towards emphasing the creation of attractive but segregated districs in a city.

The prevailing urban migration is a worldwide process. This results in growing cities and a diminishing proportion of people living in the countryside. As the urbanization continues a large amount of the world?s population is expected to live in urban settlements of informal character by 2050. Green Belt has for many years been used to control urban growth and to secure the sustention of larger green areas around towns and cities.

The purpose of this graduate thesis is to illustrate what could be theeffects of urban renewal carried out in a too hasty manner, the pointbeing that there could be features which have (yet) not been identifiedand therefore are lost if the planning of the city is not given theadequate amount of time and resources.Through a case study located at the wharf of Gullberg (Gullbergskaj)the significance of urban fringes and areas without too strict of aplanning are highlighted. Some guidelines to successful and consideratecity development are somewhat suggested.The survey is mainly based on two types of sources: contemporaryphotography and interviews with a number of people who are allresidents or tenants at the Gullbergskaj. Their testimonies regardingGullbergskaj and their use of this particular environment are used to drawconclusions of the qualities, which are not the typical cultural-historicalqualities but rather a quality defined by the user (of the quay), held by thissection of the Göta älv shoreline.This thesis is also concerned with the potential impact on the qualities ofGullbergskaj, was it to be the object of city renewal.The results of the study are compared to debating articles published in thenewspaper Göteborgs-Posten for a wider understanding of Gothenburg as atrademark, and the public opinion regarding the city planning related toCentrala älvstaden..

Sustainable urban development is a concept that has become increasingly important as the urbanization continues and more and more challenges are focused to the cities.  The Swedish government and authorities regulates and sets goals for how a sustainable urban development is to be achieved. These laws and goals are vaguely defined, which leads to disputes between the actors about how the term should be interpreted. By examining Västermalms Strand, an urban development project in Stockholm, this study strives to describe how involved actors interpret the concept of sustainable urban development and what the consequences of this are for urban development in Stockholm from an ecological, social and economic perspective. A case study has been carried out where a document study and interviews have been conducted. The interviews were conducted with four key actors from the private and public sector.

As the number of inhabitants increases, the cities expand into the former rural landscape. The urbanization causes changes to the functioning of the peri-urban fringe. Land that previously was used for agricultural production is now used for alternative enterprises, as for example horse keeping and recreation. 75 % of all horses (approx. 200 000) are situated in the peri-urban fringe.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an idea about geography in literature and through the study of science fiction literature examine the ?future city?. With the perspective that the city is a social construction and through the use of discourse theory, I have tried to emphasize how the future city is a representation of cultural discourses and in what way geography in literature can be used to increase our understanding of urban places. My intention with this paper has also been to find a way to connect the fictional future city with today?s urban planning discussion about the future city.

A brush of paint on a grey compound wall can mean so much more than simply an addition of colour. It can meanan appropriation of public space, a shared public space enclosed by a wall now ?owned? by someone. It can meanan arisen conflict leading to debate about the right to use public space.The Wall Project is a Mumbai based beautification project that uses paint and outdoor walls to brighten uptheir city. The Urban Typhoon workshop is an activity set up in self-evolving neighbourhoods where municipalinterference is scarce.