Cultsus – bringing cultural heritage into the present
In Gothenburg, a city full of construction hoardings and cranes, there may be a risk of losing history and cultural heritage. But the answer does not necessarily have to involve protecting the oldest buildings from demolition.
“TIME IS NOT THE ONLY MEASURE of cultural heritage’s strength,” says Feras Hammami, leader of the cultural heritage and sustainability theme, Cultsus. “What’s happening here and now also matters, like when you smell your neighbour’s food or go to an association meeting.”
Sustainable urban development requires a balance between different values: economic, social, environmental and cultural. The Cultsus thematic area brings together researchers from almost every faculty to discuss these values in an interdisciplinary manner and from a cultural heritage perspective. The aim is to challenge established views and to reinvigorate research on cultural heritage and sustainable development.
“Cultural heritage is not only the history of buildings” says Feras. “It’s also about the here and now. We need to harness the culture that has emerged and is alive in order to create sustainable cities.”
The Gamlestaden district in Gothenburg is a good example of how many different layers cultural heritage can consist of.
At the turn of the 20th century, large numbers of people moved there to work in the district’s factories, such as SKF, and new buildings emerged to house these workers. Workers moved in from other places and, after the Second World War, from various European countries. Once there, they made their lives in the district. They started families, built moorings down by the River Säveån, planted allotments in the meadows, started various associations and practised crafts.
EVEN TODAY, WHEN MOST OF THE OLD factories have closed down and SKF has shrunk in size, many of these associations still remain, as do the boat sheds and the houses. New groups of residents in Gamlestaden have also established shops, mosques and associations to meet their needs. Cultural heritage is becoming even more diverse.
At the same time, the district is transforming at a rapid pace. New residential areas are being built on top of the allotments, and high-rise buildings have sprung up at heart of Nya Lödöse – the medieval ‘old town’. The question is this: How can urban development continue without losing cultural heritage and making Gamlestaden rootless?
“With Cultsus, we want to contribute by asking new, more helpful questions when places are transformed,” continue Feras. “Often, when urban planners and building historians are asked to consider cultural heritage before a transformation, they ask the question: ‘What should we preserve?’ But it would be better to ask: ‘What exists here, and what is happening here?’ This question requires a different approach – talking with people about their experiences of the place, and taking stock of the life going on and nature. Then the next question might be: ‘How will the cultural heritage be affected by our plans, and how might preserving this cultural heritage affect society in the future?’”
Feras points out that there is a genuine interest in cultural heritage and archaeology in Sweden. Development in Gamlestaden since 2006 has been characterised by a dialogue between archaeology, urban planning, traffic and other sectors. However, the commitment often stops at technical solutions, such as a list of buildings of historical, aesthetic and economic value that must be preserved. Cultural heritage research has evolved since the 1980s, and greater importance is now attached to intangible values. Feras says that this does not reflect badly on the officials at the urban planning administration, but he believes that the collaboration between research and practice needs to be reinforced.
“We need to listen to people’s memories and experiences. In order to achieve sustainable urban development, it’s important to build social relationships and to have people with a sense of loyalty who want to take care of the city.”
HISTORICALLY, URBAN DEVELOPMENT has often been based on politicians’ ambitions to eradicate social problems by demolishing old buildings and erecting new ones. This tends to result in gentrification. The cost of living rises, forcing residents and businesses to move elsewhere. The new groups of people who move in have no roots or memories of the place.
“That’s not sustainable. Urban development should be inspired by the history of the place, and should be based on the residents’ perspectives. Residents can help to ensure that important cultural values which contribute to the identity of the place are not lost.”
Feras takes the lopsided, simply built boat sheds on the banks of the River Säveån in Gamlestaden as an example. This is a shabby environment, and few local residents visit it, which is a shame as the river has high social and natural value. As other parts of Gamlestaden are renewed, this area with its boat sheds will become even more unique, and an important part of the cultural heritage.
“We can view the boat sheds and the people who work there as a resource rather than a problem. Many of them are skilled at fixing or rebuilding things that are broken. It’s a sustainability mindset that could be spread further. If the municipality were to clear this away, we would lose important narratives and values that contribute to the diversity of the neighbourhood. And then the City of Gothenburg wouldn’t be following its own guidelines of promoting diversity.”
Feras has many colleagues with an interest in cultural heritage issues linked to sustainable development at the University of Gothenburg, and when Cultsus was established in 2023 it did not take long for a hundred researchers to register their interest. Cultsus allows researchers to meet across disciplines, share experiences and create new ways of thinking together. The thematic area has its roots in the Centre for Critical Heritage Studies and the Heritage Academy at the University of Gothenburg. For more than a decade, they have served as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the University and external stakeholders.
The Centre for Critical Cultural Heritage Studies is an interdisciplinary research centre that investigates and problematises what cultural heritage actually is, and how it is experienced and used in different social arenas today.
“With a strong ethical commitment, we aim to bring together research and practice, highlighting marginalised cultural heritage and promoting critical thinking about how we understand ourselves, our communities and our history,” says Annelie Sjölander Lindqvist, the centre’s Deputy Director. “Exploring how the past is used in the present and how cultural heritage can contribute towards a sustainable future is important, especially in today’s society.”
One of the thematic area’s aims is to promote ideas from critical heritage studies. It is therefore important for Cultsus to build platforms for dialogue with government agencies, development organisations, civil society and various research centres.
“We need to make more progress in our interdisciplinary research in order to ask new and better questions,” concludes Feras. “For Cultsus, cultural heritage isn’t just a matter of preservation, it’s also a resource for reflection and dialogue.”
Text: Olof Lönnehed
Cultsus is short for ‘cultural heritage and sustainability’.
The Cultsus thematic area was established in 2023 with the aim of developing the discussion on sustainability from a cultural heritage perspective. Research areas include sustainable resource management, construction, planning, education, adaptive reuse, art and design, repair, traditional crafts, eating habits, entrepreneurship, forestry and business development. At the same time, social, historical, cultural, political and economic aspects of how cultural heritage is produced and used are also studied. Ethical issues are brought to the fore, including the interplay between cultural heritage and injustice, exploitation and oppression.