Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Today people are described as an integral component of urban green infrastructure which
advocates to study human engagement within the use of nature to develop goals and
landscape planning in the purpose of achieving better life conditions for city inhabitants.
The connectedness to nature has been described as decisive when exploring possible
human psychological restoration derived from nature. Although, a lack of existing
research is found concerning any specific amounts or types of restorative features in
nature that is preferred when accommodating different health benefits and to serve public
health outcomes. This study is comparing restorative environmental qualities within an
urban forest as well as an urban planting with the purpose of finding inspiration to future
landscape design for urban areas that can support human health and wellbeing. This study
was conducted in Jönköping, Sweden by implementing a triangulation of methods using a
mood scale that investigated six different categories of mental states, a sensory walk
conducted with an introspective approach, as well as applying Visual Landscape
Assessment Tool (VLAT). The results showed to be in line with previous research and
findings indicated that the urban forest encompassed higher restoration potential than the
urban planting. The participant enhanced a happier state of mind within the forest setting
in comparison to the urban planting and qualities such as water features and singing birds
in the urban forest were argued to redirect focus from city noise and to promote
psychological restoration. Limitations and further research are discussed.

In this essay, we investigate a perspective on urban development where artistic methods are given more
value. The purpose is to investigate how art can be used to illuminate immeasurable values in spatial
planning. Our thesis is that immeasurable values are not accounted for due to increased efficiency in
planning and a pursuit of profit. We base our theory in that we see a spread of the NPM system (New
Public Management) in Sweden, within which only measurable values are understood. The
immeasurable values we are looking to illuminate could be well-being but are also emotion and feeling.
How it feels to walk down a street and how the experience of the public space feels for the individual
person. We can state that there is a need to illuminate immeasurable values and that art can be a way in
which to do it. Art therefore needs to be more impactful within spatial planning. We also see that it can
be difficult to implement artistic methods because the system still demands measurability and that it
requires a lot from individual planners and architects to challenge these systems. We test our thesis
through a theoretical framework which we also use to analyze our interviews. In our interviews we have
spoken to professionals within art, architecture, regional planning and the cathedral in the Lund parish.
We also look at the Råängen project, a project with the ambition of using art as an integral part in the
planning process.
We argue that artistic methods would need to be a part of the basic chord that sets the tone for how
we handle problem solving in spatial planning today. Art can then act as a counterforce in society that
helps us deal with uncertainty in a planning that otherwise aims to create certainty about the future