Rethinking Shared Space

Space is scarce, and the pressure on our living environment is increasing—both in cities and rural areas. It is precisely in the places where these worlds intersect that tensions arise between different functions such as housing, industry, mobility, and nature. How can we turn these challenges into opportunities and create spaces that are both sustainable and inclusive?

In Lab: Rethinking Shared Space, Sweco is collaborating with three design teams to develop future-proof, integrated, and adaptive solutions. By combining spatial, social, and digital innovations, they are exploring new ways to shape mixed-use environments in a positive way.

Three Innovative Approaches

The Third Zone – Space & Matter

What if industry no longer disappeared from cities but was instead integrated into them? Space & Matter introduces The Third Zone—transitional areas between industrial zones and residential neighbourhoods where sport, culture, and hospitality come together. By activating these in-between spaces in a smart way, social cohesion and vibrancy emerge in industrial districts.

Valuescapes – Starling Associates

How do you measure the value of an area on an economic, ecological, and social level? Valuescapes maps the strengths and weaknesses of mixed-use areas so that investments can be made strategically. This data-driven model supports urban planners and policymakers in sustainable urban development.

Cocreation in Friction – cocosmos

Conflicts between different functions and interests are often seen as a problem, but what if they could actually drive innovation? The Cocreation in Friction (CIF) Toolkit helps project managers identify and harness friction as a means to improve collaboration and decision-making.