Inspired by art in Visby

inspired by

art in Visby

by Christian Hegardt | christian.hegardt@gotland.se

Visborg is a former military regiment area south of Visby on the island of G otland. The area today offers workplaces, schools, green areas, sports and recreation environments in close proximity to the city and the sea.

With the coming addition of housing and new urban space, a unique and exciting neighbourhood begins to take shape. Development in Visborg aims to create the right conditions for new housing, preschools, service and recycling, all characterized by innovation, sustainability and a holistic perspective. Visborg of the future will offer a unique environment to work and live in. The development will take place in stages starting in 2020 in the northwest part towards Visby and later further south. A total of 400 hectares can create opportunities for 3500 attractive housing within the coming decades.

Art in urban planning

Public space where people meet is an important part of the planning and here the artistic perspective can inspire design, content and experience. Working with artistic design early in the urban building process is possible through a collaboration with the Swedish Public Arts Agency and the Visby-based artist residence Baltic Art Center (BAC). City Architect Christian Hegardt works with the design of the area and Helena Selder from BAC is assigned the task of involving artists in the project. By adding different perspectives of art, artistic interventions with connections to both history and new experiences can influence the planning process and the new city district. and that new ideas can help strengthen social sustainability in the district”, Christian Hegardt says.

“Yes, it is extremely gratifying that the Region of Gotland includes the artistic thinking in the planning of Visborg. The idea is that we should be able to involve artists in exploratory projects on site that may in the long run influence the design of the emerging area’s common space” continues Helena Selder.

As artistic director at Baltic Art Centre since 2016, an international production-based residence for contemporary art based in Visby, she has a long experience working with public art, for example as a curator for Marabouparken Konsthall in Sundbyberg, Stockholm, where she invited artists and local collaborators to develop projects in and around public space. The collaboration with the Public Art Agency and BAC, “Art in Urban Development in Visborg” is ongoing until December 2020.

Lithuanian artists Gediminas and Nomeda Urbonas together with landscape architect Emilia Friberg Olsson (to the right), at the site of Visborg