Blue surfaces – a great potential as places for physical activity

The Nordic countries are rich in coastal kilometers, and their coasts and lakes offer enormous recreational potential. Over the past 10 years, an increasing number of people, both children and adults, have started engaging in a variety of water-related leisure activities, even outside of the summer months. New activity communities have emerged, both in self-organized settings and within clubs.

In this seminar, we get to listen to LOA-fonden, which has played a key role in developing innovative facilities with high architectural quality, always based on exploring the local site-specific potential. Jens Øyås Møller, Innovation Consultant from LOA-fonden, will showcase exemplary blue projects from Denmark addressing both the potential and challenges of developing facilities in blue spaces.

We will also hear the City of Gothenburg, represented by Landscape Architect and Project Manager Amelie Sandow, talk about prototyping and citizen involvement in the development of Jubileumsparken in Frihamnen. The first phase of the permanent park, featuring an award-winning harbor bath, a spectacular public sauna, and a large playground, opened in 2023 as part of the city’s 400th anniversary celebrations. The park is well-visited and recognized internationally for its diversity of accessible recreational activities – both on land and in water – and for the harbor bath’s innovative technology.

Moderator: Olav Torp, board member IAKS Nordic.