Wahlbecks business park and the Railway yard

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URBAN CREATIVE POLES

WORKPACKAGE 6

PRE-INVESTMENT CONCEPTS FOR LINKÖPING

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Idea

- Shortly what is the idea behind your concept? What should be done? (you can copy some of the explanaitions that you prepared for sending to the JTS)

- How is your project linked to fostering CCI and urban development?

The idea is to develop two areas in the city of Linköping. The first area is located a bit from the city center and is called Wahlbecks business park. The area has recently been developed by urban planners and will be rebuilt in near future. In Wahlbecks we see the opportunity to establish a creative node and a house for culture and for performing art. There is already a cluster of artists’ ateliers called ALKA since 20 years. We have met a very opened minded attitude from the existing companies at Wahlbecks business park when describing the value of artists and CCI entrepreneurs giving value and colour to the park.

The political ambitions are to develop the whole area into an attractive business park corresponding with Mjärdevi Science Park close to Linköping university in the very

neighborhood. In the area there are several semi-old buildings that suits CCI entrepreneurs very well. The rents and other running investment could be held on a quite descent level which entrepreneurs can coop with.

It should also be mentioned that Wahlbecks business park is very close to Gamla Linköping (Old Linköping), an open air museum with old buildings moved to a special area. It is one of northern Europe’s most famous museums of its kind and inside people rent apartments and there are also small businesses established in various handicraft branches of cultural and creative industries. Another advantage to develop CCI in Wahlbecks business park is that they already offer, in a small scale, an incubator for young people trying to start up businesses (called Wahllink) These activities could be developed with CCI entrepreneurs. In the plans for the new Wahlbeck business park three key words are being repeated: Growth environment- where ideas come true, marketplace for sustainable solutions and a sustainable city.

An area that is very much in focus in Linköping right now is the railway area. The second concept is situated in the railway area of Linköping and a very central part of the new master plan for the railway station and the plans for the city extension over the river Stångån. There has been a discussion during several years of a new railway station and fast train connection to Stockholm from Linköping. There has been a political decision on national level that a new rail way link from Stockholm and to Linköping, the East Link will be built. This means that a new context with the railway in focus and the railway yard will be reality in near future. A new railway station will be built and about 5000 new housings will be developed. In the railway area there are already CCI enterprises located in different buildings. There is a music and concert place for young people called Skylten, a culture house called Framtiden and work ateliers for artists and fashion designers. It would be a very natural progression to implement more of CCI in the area. The actual houses are the old round houses for locomotives and brick houses close to the railway yard.

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Part-financed by the European Union

(European Regional Development Funds)

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- Shortly describe the location of the building/plot for your new investment, include pictures and plans

- Shortly describe the neighbourhood/area the building is in.

A) Wahlbecks business park i located in the south part of Linköping and close to Gamla Linköping (Old Linköping). The surroundings consists of residencial builings and student housing. The area of the business park consists of enterprises and an art atelier and studios for local artists, sculptors and painters.

In Linköping there is a development for area where new small businesses can be establihed. The area is goint to be connected to the univerity and the develpment is ongoing. The municipally owened company St Kors has on behalf of the owner prepared a very concrete plan for the remodeling of the area. The main idea is to mix housing and enterprises and the idea is to develop ideas from ALKA artists association and use it for the purpose of cultural and creative industries. There already is a concepte made by architects and a published and printed broschure that has been presented in Stockholm. The master plan for the area will be ready in 2014 and the construction will start in 2015. It will be completed in 2023.

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Wahlbecks business park At the moment this is the main building The parking will be built underground

Wahlbecks business park – site plan over new urban development

ALKA artists´s´ studios “The Galax” new main building

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B)

The railway yard is centrally located and close to the city center. The surrounings are a large post center and small industries and of course the rail way station and the river Stångån. The area is a part of a long term urban planning. A new city district will be built in the north west part of the city. There is already a new football stadium, a music and hockey areana called Cloetta Center. There is alos a discussion if the new train route will pass over a large bridge or be built in a tunnel underground and below the river Stångån. It is important to emphazise that this is a event district with stadiums for large activities and creative activities. At present time there is a music place and concert hall called Skylten that was established 25 years ago.It was the first rock music and rehearsal place in Sweden. In the area there is a few industrial buildnings that is suitable for this kind of activity. We see opportunities to develop the area togehter with the property owner Jernhusen. The urban planning of Linköping also emphasize that the city of Linköping needs to becom more round and coheseive city.

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Potential users and clients

- Who are the potential users of your new project?

The potential users are business from the cultural and creative field. It could be start-ups and more established companies. Small self-employed companies and larger firms. We believe in a mix of the companies’ size. There could also be young people within the cultural field such as performing arts in music and dance located in a house of culture where different performing arts disciplines can meet and get synergy effects. At Wahlbecks there is already a large atelier for artists called ALKA and new potential users could be painters, sculptors and artists. In the railway yard there is already a music place, a culture house and studios for artists. New users could be from the same artistic field or related creative fields. For example graphic designers, fashion designers and architects, advertising companies, book publishing.

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Elaboration process

- How was your pre-investment concept set-up? Which steps did you take?

- Did you have any workshops or events linked to the elaboration process (e.g. with potential users, the municipality, property owners)? If so, describe shortly when and where they took place, who participated and add some pictures.

We have been in contact via telephone and e-mail with the actual property owner for each area. We have had a meeting with the municipal property owner of Wahlbecks business park. The property owner of St Kors has had a number of workshops with existing tenants and other operators for example part of the municipal administration.

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The municipality of Linköping and the culture and leisure department has had moore then 20 year of old business relationship to the property owner of St Kors. It started with the artistis studio ALKA and 20 work ateliers. Through the years over hundred artists have crossed the studios of ALKA which is very unique for Sweden. ALKA is a very important artistic center in the region. The activity is based on a municipal support but the artists pay reduced rent.

The concept of the railway yard is based on the new master plan for Linköping and the urban development that is based on the city development. There has been a demand for culture and creativity in the new area. For the moment sport stadiums have given priority. There will be a cultural passage where the railway yard will have a central location. The idea is to move the railway station a few kilometers to the east and therefore there will be left over spaces and vacant premises. The roundhouses are antiques and have interesting architecture and would be suitable for cultural events. Even in this area St Kors is important and together with different actors they discuss culture in a long-term perspective. We have already discussed how the railway area could be marketed and St Kors are highly interested to start a

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Outline of necessary investments

- Which investments are necessary to implement your project? Please shortly estimate the kind and amount of money necessary for this.

- Which concepts (e.g. technical drawings, design sketches etc.) will you need? If you have already carried them out please shortly describe their content and maybe add some plans/pictures of the designs etc.)

Wahlbecks business park has already been an issue for studies and we have been aware of a very careful design sketch of the business park with 3D images, perspective views and site plans which you can see below. We have first sketches from architects of a house for culture and performing arts and how creative businesses can be implemented and contribute to a dynamic urban development.

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Possibilities for financing the investments

- What could be possible ways to finance your planned investments?

- Do you already have confirmation e.g. from the municipality that they fill finance (part of) the investment?

- Maybe you have to write application to get public funding – if so, from which resource? Have you already written applications? No application is made.

Most important things is to involve the municipality funds dedicated to the culture sector. However we have very good experience of these funds due to investments over the last 20 years. The “Westman-Werner foundation” gives every fifth year contribution to the cultural welfare of the city up to approx. 4 000 000 Euros. The “Carlstedts foundation” gives every seventh year contribution to the cultural welfare of the city up to approx. 2 300 000 Euros. Information of these two important foundations could be presented but is not available in English.

It is possible to apply for funds for making investments. In the large investment plan the property owner of St Kors will divide the investment of several contractors. Several contractors will be invited and involved in the process.

The other property owner is Jernhusen which is a national company that care for maintenance and service of railway buildnings. Otherwise it is St Kors that will be the municipal implement since it is a municipal company.

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- Which are the next steps to be taken for implementation of the new investment? - When can it be ready for usage?

Next step is to evaluate the sketches of Wahlbecks business park and the new ones we have ordered form an architects firm.

New Wahlbeck business park

2013/2014 2015 2022

Local plan Start of construction End of construction

Railway area

2017 2022 2028

start of construction new railway station End of construction

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Expected output

- What will be the benefit for the local CCI scene and your cities once the project is finalized?

- What kind of benefit will the new building bring to its neighbourhood?

Wahlbeck business park

Through our ideas new Wahlbecks business park can contribute to a knowledge based urban development for cultural and creative industries. A house for culture for performing arts will support the other parts of the business park and become a natural part of the area.With support from Mjärdevi Science park and the university, new Wahlbeck can be a broad and powerful platform for entrepreneurship, innovation and business development. Businesses, entrepreneurs and other who want to develop new products, processes and business solutions gives great openness and flexibility. The university and its researchers get the possibility to use Wahlbeck as their own environment for design, experimental development and business development and for creative meetings. It is a interconnection of functions such as businesses, culture and housing.

Railway yard

The railway yard will be the center of a new part of Linköping that is going to be developed. Today there are already music businesses, fashion designers and artists in the area. Just recently there was a public debate on the question if there should be a railway bridge or a railway tunnel. Many architects wants a tunnel before a bridge. The railway bridge will be more than 100 meters wide and make a barrier that divides the city into parts.