Open discussion with Viktoria Walldin from White Arkitekter, Sweden

Timber skyscrapers, city relocation, zero energy houses, sustainability research - just some of the few things that White Arkitekter achieved, one of Scandinavia’s leading architectural practices, whose works are on a wide range from small scale interior and sustainable architecture designs to urban planning and landscape architecture.

During their interdisciplinary projects they work with various professionals, just like Viktoria Walldin, a prominent social anthropologist of the built environment in Sweden. In 2014, Viktoria was awarded for her efforts with the prestigious Sweden Green Building Awards for positive contributions to sustainable urban development.

She is a partner at White Arkitekter and leads the social and cultural sustainability team. How does a social anthropologist contribute to urban planning and development? What are the merging issues related to sustainability when it comes to our cities and our society? How can we adopt social innovation into wide scale planning? Which tools and practices do they use in the process or working? In our event you can take a look into the methodologies and mindsets of this unusual architecture and urban planning studio then you can ask or discuss your theoretical or practical questions related to sustainable architecture and urban planning. Beside the current projects Viktoria will give us an insight about the processes and structure of the studio.

Event program:

20 mins introduction

1 hour open discussion with participant

Event location:

KÉK - 1111 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 10-12.

We have limited places, so registration is needed in this link

The event is supported by the Swedish Embassy.

More about Viktoria Walldin:

Viktoria received her master’s degree in Social Anthropology from Stockholm University and has since specialised in environmental psychology and the social dimension of the regeneration of places. She has vast experience in working with ethnographic methods such as observations, interviewing and place analyses. Her own method of working is based on communication, often through outreach, with residents and users of urban environments. By collecting and analysing data of their experiences, values and behaviours, she widens the understanding of their needs. Allowing this understanding to inform the planning process is essential in delivering socially sustainable architecture.

On many major regeneration projects, Viktoria has been a key contributor in Sweden and abroad. Projects at White include the relocation of the City of Kiruna in northern Sweden and the design of a development plan for an industrial estate in Nairobi, Kenya. She has also served as an advisor to the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, contributing expertise on social aspects of urban development.

Additionally, Viktoria has also had an advisory role in Sweden’s Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, the government organisation for municipal planning for housing. With her great enthusiasm for the social aspects in urban planning, Viktoria is often engaged as a keynote speaker. She has lectured internationally as well as participated in forums and debates on urban development and social sustainability.