The role of reuse in the alleviation of housing crisis and negative stigma in Gottsunda, Sweden

This thesis celebrates an evolving relationship with construction material, in the context of climate crisis, housing crisis and the increasing stigmatisation of lower socio-economic areas. In these critical uncertainties we can examine previous points of flux and learn from their successes and failings.

The Million Program era in Sweden was perhaps the most successful post-war house building regime, summarised by stating that nearly one quarter of the countries current housing stock was built in the 10-year period between 1965 and 1974.

The thesis therefore suggests three principles: material reuse, community agency and urban densification which counter three identified problems of extractive resources, negative stigma and housing crisis.

With this guiding lens, a new municipal actor develops in the town of Gottsunda, operating at three different scales and specialisms regarding provision and upkeep of housing. The thesis provokes a radical cultural change to develop a circular economy, to empower communities and to start another house building program that regains housing as human right, not as commodity.