Last updated: September 2024
Maskinparken is a new park covering 3700 m2 in the Lindholmen district, a new neighbourhood in a previous industrial/harbour area [Ref. 5]. The park is described as a well-needed green oasis or green lung in the developing area. The park finished construction in 2022 and is intended to provide access to green space for people living and working nearby. It is also designed as a blue-green stormwater management solution, where about 500 m3 of rainwater can be stored in the lower areas during heavy rainfall. Stormwater will be leaked from surrounding grey areas to the park to protect them from flooding. The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) has highlighted the park as a good example of climate adaptation in urban planning. The park has a variety of plants such as different tree species and flowering meadows, and plants that can withstand being soaked in the lower areas. Plants can grow in different landscape structures, such as hills and a pergola. The park also has amenities such as benches and lights, which are designed to mirror the style of the surrounding, older industrial brick buildings [Ref. 1-4].
Maskinparken seen from above
https://www.02landskap.se/projekt/maskinparken
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Conversion of former industrial areas
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Urban flooding (stormwater)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces
Project objectives
- The creation of a new green space in a previously considered industrial area while preserving its historical and industrial heritage.
- Provide a green oasis in Lindholmshamnen, in which visitors can experience the seasonal changes in Maskinparken
Increase access to green space for local residents and workers and provide opportunities for recreation (suited for play, games and picnics).
- Design the park to be able to gather and store large amounts of stormwater, thus enhancing flooding resilence.
- Promote a rich plant and animal life in the park. [Ref. 1-4]
The sustainability program for the overall neighbourhood establishes general goals to which the park can contribute to:
- The urban environment should be adapted to a changing climate and increase urban biodiversity
- All stormwater should be slowed and treated, and used as a resource in the area [Ref. 7]
Implementation activities
- The detailed plan for creating the neighbourhood was approved in 2013, defining the location and boundaries of the park. [Ref. 6]
- A sustainability program for the neighbourhood was adopted in 2016 [Ref. 7].
- The park was designed by landscape architects to meet its goals as a recreational space and a blue-green water management system [Ref. 1, 4].
- The on-ground implementation included removing materials and debris from the site's old shipbuilding industry. At the beginning of 2022, new masses were laid for the foundation and for planting. In total, 47 trees have been planted in the park, including Gingko Biloba, Tulip trees, Japanese larch and evergreen pines. They interact with bushes and rolling hills with tall mixed herbaceous grass and meadow flowers.
- The park development included the creation of several amenities that aimed to promote recreation and social interaction: "seating areas to sit down and eat the packed lunch purchased from one of the nearby restaurants."; a pergola, lighting, paths (Ref. 1).
- The middle of the park, designed with a sunken topography, is prepared to be able to collect water from heavy downpours. As much as 500 cubic meters can be accommodated there. If necessary, the Machine Park becomes a protective basin.
- The park was constructed and opened in 2022 [Ref. 1, 2].
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Park and Nature Department of the City of Gothenburg was responsible for the construction of the park [Ref. 2].
The Lindholmshamnen consortium adopted the sustainability program for the neighbourhood, a cooperation between the city and construction/development actors active in the area.
A landscaping company, 02Landskap, was hired to design the park. In the development of the detailed plan for the area, consultations are held where citizens can give input on the project. At this stage, only general decisions on the park such as location were made.
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Älvstranden Development Vision (Ref. 6, 7))
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Expected strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Achieved increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Achieved improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
- Expected reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Lindholmshamnen (2022). Snart öppnar Maskinparken i Lindholmshamnen. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Lindholmshamnen (2021). Byggstart för Maskinparken. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
3.
City of Gothenburg (2024). Maskinparken – ett gott exempel på klimatanpassning. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
4.
02Landskap (n.d.). Maskinparken. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Yousuf, E. (2021). Här är nya parken som ska byggas vid Götaverken. Göteborgs-Posten, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
6.
City of Gothenburg (2013). Detaljplan för blandad bebyggelse vid Götaverksgatan inom stadsdelen Lindholmen i Göteborg. [Source link];
7.
Lindholmshamnen (2016). Hållbarhetsprogram Lindholmshamnen. [Source link];
A flowering meadow in Maskinparken
https://www.02landskap.se/projekt/maskinparken
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.