5 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RIVERCITY TO MARK ISITT

Mark Isitt is a freelance journalist, writing articles for Göteborgs-Posten among others.

1. Why do you think that there is an international workshop on the future development of Gothenburg harbour next week?

‘It is an area of the size of Halmstad, that is supposed to be rebuilt in the city centre in the 2^nd largest city in Sweden and probably the best located city in Scandinavia. It is an amazing opportunity!’

'The city sits on the shores of the Atlantic, and unlike Stockholm it’s lost it’s contact to the water. I never thought of Gothenburg as being a port town.’

2. Do you feel like you are a part of Gothenburg harbour? If yes or no, then why?

'No! Walking up the main streets of Gothenburg you definitely not sense that you are a part of the harbour. The reason might be that the whole city is facing southwards and turns its back to the river.'

‘As soon as you pass Brunnsparken on your way to the water, you come to something that really lost all its charm’

3. Could you point out 3 recent initiatives that have been good for the harbour?

'The area of Eriksberg has been good for the harbour. It started really nicely even though it lost track of the quality on the way through development.'

'The new Ryaverken water plant even though it doesn’t physically connect to the river - it’s a good initiative, something that is proud and just stands there without being ashamed of itself.’

'The Opera, which has a fantastic location, was a very good initiative. Gothenburg was very early and forthcoming in its decision to realizing it’s potential by placing an Opera close to the water.'

4. Could you point out 3 initiatives that would make you use the harbour more?

'The city most develop on the northern side of the river, making activities happen and the crossing of the river a natural part of all gothenburgers life.'

‘If we could establish some institutions on the northern side - a multimedia library, an arena or a Hasselblad photo museum and spread the eggs and not put them all in the same basket - then we would be challenged.’

'Create a harbour bath similar to the ones that exist in Copenhagen.'

'Criss-cross the river with bridges, not just one, but five or six of them. There is a lot of talk about boats crossing the river in Gothenburg, but it just doesn’t signal the same as a bridge – it’s permanent, it’s there, and it makes the north side accessible in a total different way then a boat would do.’ 
'The industrial activities in the harbour should not suffer from these new bridges; they should all be possible to open for passage of big boats. When it comes to public transport, the trams should be lead in a tunnel for an undisturbed flow of traffic.'

5. What if Gothenburg city was to start all over, where should it start, what is the essential learning from the past?

‘Gothenburg doesn’t have the same relationship to power as Stockholm – it’s got a strong relationship to trade and industry and to people who wanted to express themselves. One should try to make more out of that. Private initiatives should be welcomed, that’s the way the city got its character.' 
‘What we today see at Andra Långgatan - small businesses flourishing, helped out with low rents and an environment that isn’t to planned or proper – that is a climate we should encourage.’

‘If Gothenburg would start all over again, it should be it’s own potential of being – continental with an outlook to the rest of the world – it should have all the qualities that people expect it to have, but that has been lost as time went by.’