Stadsliv Kiruna
Activating inhabitants, entrepreneurs and visitors at all ages in Kiruna – all year around.
The intention
Getting people to visit the city center, engage in co-creation and placemaking, meet up, play, view places from a new perspective, and enjoy the seasons together with others through activities.
Description of the activity
It varied according to the season. In the open public boxes, there were building blocks and various games or game pieces during the summer. In winter, the boxes held ride-on toys and shovels for playing and creating in the snow. Autumn offered cozy cultural meeting places, while spring reflected Kiruna’s snow-based play
The involvement of target group in creating spaces and activities
The space was constantly being shaped by its visitors, as it changed depending on how people chose to use items such as the blocks, toys, or shovels. Young people had summer jobs preparing several of the installations and then activating the spaces. Events and activities organized by others were enhanced through these spatial interventions.
Learnings, successes and challenges
Kiruna’s culture, history, sense of community, and identity were reinforced in various ways through the design of the spaces. Because both residents and visitors could easily grasp the purpose of the locations and the opportunities for activity, people could readily meet, interact, and share in one another’s play and imagination. Everything was easily accessible, free of charge, and capable of evolving over time.
Things were continuously swapped out, modified, and worked on. People could easily interact and play, regardless of age. On-site communication was simple, stylish, and provided in multiple languages.
Getting adults to understand that these spaces were not just for children. Getting funders to understand that the intangible benefits of public spaces—while not easily measurable—generate value for society, for surrounding businesses, and for people’s well-being. Initially, it was difficult to convince those responsible for the operation and maintenance of these public spaces that the areas would be properly looked after and would not create extra work.
Kiruna is a small town. You have to put on a new pair of glasses to see places in a new way and understand how they can be activated—and for whom.
