ConWa: Contested Waterfront Transformation

Land value differentiation (or ‘land rent’) is at the heart of the processes that reshape contemporary cities. The urban growth machine (UGM) theory suggests that the objectives of economic growth tend to facilitate the formation of city-specific growth coalitions, which override otherwise pluralistic interests. Furthermore, the financialization or assetization of land and real estate has become a transformative phenomenon in cities globally. This phenomenon is referred to as financialized urban growth machines (FUGM). This project aims to compare financialized urban growth machines (FUGMs) in contemporary European cities, with a focus on how these treat waterfront land as a financial asset and strategic investment target. Furthermore, this project examines whether there is a clash between investment- and profit-driven land policies and inclusion-driven social policies, or if some kind of new equilibrium is reached or sought after. 

This project aims to gain an understanding on how social inclusion ideals and traditions of waterfront developments have been contested and transformed in the age of the financialized urban growth machine. What kinds of variations have appeared and why? This project views social inclusion as social and political participation and access to services, housing, and public spaces. 

1. Theoretical Synthesizing (responsible: Jani Vuolteenaho)

2. Case Study Coordination (responsible: Johanna Lilius)

3. Policy-makers Negotiations (responsible: Sampo Ruoppila) 

4. Civic Negotiations (responsible: Salla Jokela) 

5. Social Inclusion Transformation by and with Waterfront Developments (responsible Markus Laine)

6. Dissemination (responsible Johanna Lilius)

We conduct case studies in major cities in Finland, as well as Stockholm, Copenhagen and Brussels.

This project delves into social inclusion effects of waterfront developments. This approach differs from previous studies, which typically have focused on visible signs of change with a presumption that investments on the waterfront will trickle down to benefit the public at large, usually with minimal interest in following who is actually benefiting from the transition. To achieve sustained societal impact, this project focuses specifically on this question by engaging with different civic groups, as well as by voicing and interpreting the perspectives of different actors on the waterfront. These results appeal to and can be utilized by policymakers, as they provide hands-on information and policy recommendations on how the financialized urban growth machines transform social inclusion goals. Thus, this research improves the understanding of current urban policymaking and its consequences for social inclusion, informs decision-making, and facilitates the development of good practices. The development of an iterative process for using AI-generated visualizations in imagining and creating pathways to possible urban futures can also be applied by policymakers in different planning contexts. Furthermore, this research project enhances international knowledge exchange by examining case studies across countries. By providing in-depth explanations of current developments through a public blog and videos, the results are ensured to have both long- and short-term impacts.

Once publications have been released, the relevant links will be listed here.