From a sharp edge to a reed bank: a testbed for the living riverfront of the future
From a sharp edge to a reed bank – The beginning of a new era is now launching. This groundbreaking innovation project will lead the way in showing how surplus excavated materials can be used to transform abandoned waterfronts in former industrial areas into living blue-green oases, promoting a greener and more biodiverse urban life near the water.
Photo credit: White Arkitekter
The project is part of the strategic innovation program ShiftSweden and is funded by the research council Formas. The work is conducted as part of the Geographic Transition Lab Lindholmen in Gothenburg.
The initiative is also fully aligned with the latest recommendations from the Gothenburg Citizens' Assembly (Medborgarrådet) initiative, where residents outlined a clear direction for the city's climate adaptation and highlighted the need for a more vibrant riverfront where the public can get closer to nature and thrive.
A unique team for a complex challenge
Realizing this vision of the future requires a systemic shift that breaks out of old ruts. The project brings together a strong consortium where entirely different fields intersect, creating a fantastic mix of expertise and perspectives:
- Lindholmen Science Park leads the work and provides strategic innovation management at the hub of academia, the public sector, and the business community, along with communication and visualizations of future scenarios.
- The University of Gothenburg (Centre for Sea and Society) contributes cutting-edge expertise and scientific evaluation related to marine biodiversity and aquatic ecology.
- Skanska Industrial Solutions provides invaluable technical expertise in circular excavated materials, materials logistics, and advanced construction engineering.
- White Arkitekter is responsible for the regenerative landscape design and the integration of social values.
- The Development Administration (City of Gothenburg) owns part of the quaysides and contributes invaluable knowledge in urban development, social sustainability, and urban farming.
- Älvstranden Utveckling owns part of the quaysides and contributes deep knowledge of the area, urban development, and policy issues.
Photo credit: Lindholmen Science Park
A living testbed by the water
Instead of renovating existing harbor areas with traditional, hard concrete quays, the project is building a physical testbed—a showroom for the future—in the form of soft shorelines, floating gardens, and stone reefs. The solution aims to create natural climate protection against rising water levels, while simultaneously delivering ecological benefits through new habitats for marine species and enhancing the environment for people visiting the area.
Visualization: White arkitekter
– Our strength lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and the industry's practical application through a physical prototype where different disciplines intersect. By combining hard values such as technical properties and economics with soft values like biodiversity and social factors, we are challenging today's linear construction processes and evaluation systems. It is about creating an appealing vision of the future for abandoned industrial environments based on scientific evidence and showing the concrete path to get there.
Alexandra Hegmann, Project Manager, Lindholmen Science Park
From a sharp edge to a reed bank - The beginning of a new era
Phone: +46 (0)31-764 70 00
E-mail: info@lindholmen.se
About us
Lindholmen Science Park AB is jointly owned by the City of Gothenburg and the business community. During more than 25 years, owners and partners have worked together to invest and purposefully develop a modern and inspiring innovation environment for several of Sweden’s leading development projects.
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