Breathing City

THE BARENTS PROJECT – Department of Urban Design and Planning NTNU
Trondheim

What happens in the periphery as the urban areas grow? In a few years time around 70% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. With this enormous exodus of the rural areas, it is problematic only to focus on the issues that arise in the urban realm, while the problem actually is far more severe for the depopulating remote rural areas. The focus of the project was the development and future potential of rural towns and villages along the coast of the Barents Region in a time of change, economic revolts and environmental threats.

Is it possible to rethink what rural living implies? Can smaller towns and villages play a new role in a time when we see an increased focus on the bigger cities? Maybe one should allow considering temporary inhabitants like commuters, shift workers, specialists on rotation and even tourists as citizens? Could modern demands for culture, leisure activities and shopping be fulfilled through introducing a part-time urbanity? Can a new type of «rurban» living manage to stem the stream of rural refugees? And is this type of living actually the most ecological and sustainable solution for tomorrow?

Project team:
Magnus Jørgensen, Kari Dalland, Ragnhild Førde, Matteo Gregori, Clemence Lepelletier, Ingunn Lindbach, Katarina Margoldova, Rune Stangeland, Synnøve Sæle and Eirik Gya Jacobsen.

Breathing City

Oslo

Tromsø

Murmansk