Malmö experiments with ‘sharing economy’

The city hosts one of the four Swedish testbeds that research a new paradigm for urban living (VIDEO)

There is a national programme unfolding currently in Sweden, called ‘Sharing Cities’. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at addressing the excessive resource consumption prevalent in contemporary societies. The alternative model that will be put to the test is that of creating ‘sharing cities’.

The City of Malmö, which is one of the four cities in the country to test out this approach to urbanism (the other are Stockholm, Gothenburg and Umeå), recently unveiled a 3D computer model of its new climate-smart district – Sege Park. It gives people the chance to see what living there might be like before the actual district is completed in 2025.

The idea of ‘Sharing Cities’ is to research and share findings and approaches

A sharing economy may sound bohemian and a bit too left-field for many people, but this initiative is as serious as it gets. It counts with solid participation from Swedish academia, businesses and municipalities.

Sharing economy means that people share goods and services so that one can own less and at the same time have access to more. In Sharing City Malmö, the question has been asked whether the sharing economy can contribute to reducing the climate impact for residents and at the same time reduce the socio-economic gaps by creating a city with good living conditions for all. The focus has been on testing new sustainability solutions and, above all, pushing for the sharing perspective in the development of the new residential area.

In Sege Park, all actors involved will work together to create a local system of innovation around housing, services and infrastructure. Here, completely new methods will be developed for sustainable urban development.

“By stepping into the digital 3D model, you as a Malmö resident or prospective resident can explore the opportunities that will exist to live and live sustainably in this attractive park environment,” explained Juliet Leonette, project manager at City of Malmö and coordinator for Sharing City Malmö.

Sege Park district, located in the eastern part of the city, will consist of about 1000 new homes, a mix of newly built and renovated old buildings. Many features of life there, which previously were assumed to have been an integral part of one’s private domain will be taken out into the communal scene. That means that many premises, equipment and tools will be shared thus reducing costs, increasing efficiency and creating a sense of community.