The forest's values stay local

Photo: Gaia Arkitektur

Tell us briefly about the prototype. What questions are you exploring through your future prototype?

- New eligibility requirements, climate change, biodiversity loss and growing insights into the role of forests in the transition – shed light on today's forestry and its challenges. At the same time, it opens up new perspectives and opportunities.

LångLivat – Borlänge 2050 explores how a society can develop if the value from the forest is allowed to stay more local. What happens when a municipality controls its own forest value chain – from natural farming to local processing, education, crafts and construction? How can new business models emerge – when the raw material is processed locally, the parts of the chain are connected and actors collaborate around long-term societal benefit?

The future prototype consists of a city film from the future that visualizes Borlänge in 2050 – a society where the forest builds something much bigger than individual buildings – and a physical pavilion built from wood from Borlänge’s own forests. The pavilion is also a prototype for a building system that minimizes material use, enables local production and can be adapted over time. Together, the two prototypes show how a place-based, circular and resilient forest value chain can take shape – where the forest and society are interconnected and create added value.

Who are you trying to reach?

- We are primarily addressing decision-makers in the Borlänge region, but also other municipalities, city planners, forest owners, construction companies and architects. By extension, to citizens, educational environments and the research world. The project is aimed at everyone who has the opportunity to influence how our societies are shaped – and to those who are looking for new, hopeful stories about the future. Borlänge is here both a role model and a testing ground.

How is the prototype designed? And how have your target groups been able to interact with the prototype?

- The film is based on backcasting and stages a research-based future scenario based on initiatives that are already sprouting today. It combines documentary elements with scenes of the future, where today's "seeds" have grown strong and become the norm.

The pavilion – built from natural timber harvested from Borlänge’s own forests – serves as a gathering place and dialogue space in the square, and is intended to become an outdoor classroom in one of the municipality’s school forests. It shows how sustainable forestry, raw material flows, building systems and the social life of the place can be woven together.

Target groups have been engaged through meetings and previews, consultations in the pavilion and co-creation during the filming – with space for dialogue, reflection and shared learning.

What thoughts and feelings has the prototype aroused in the target group?

- The film has served as a powerful tool for concretizing an otherwise abstract societal transformation. By visualizing a future Borlänge where the values of the forest are utilized locally, it has created a common image to gather around – both within the municipality and among forestry and construction stakeholders. At the same time, the film has aroused emotions beyond the local level. One participant wrote:

"Initiatives like this film and organizations that dare to stand up for a truly sustainable forest value chain are incredibly important at a time when the government's forest investigation is going in the completely opposite direction."

The response shows that the prototype is not only inspiring, but is also perceived as politically and strategically relevant – a conversation tool in a polarized forest landscape.

What happens with the prototype going forward?

- The film will be used as a tool in Borlänge Municipality's continued development work. Among other things, by inspiring the ongoing work on a new master plan, wooden building strategy, sustainable procurement and the development of new business models linked to a local forest value chain. The pavilion is ready to be activated during public discussions and events, for example as a stage, classroom or dialogue space.

Going forward, dissemination is planned through several channels, including through screenings during Almedalen Week 2025, Vinnova's exhibition in late autumn, Regional Konferens in Dalarna – A sustainable and local forest value chain (September 4), which is arranged by Trästad in collaboration with Living Forest, Living Society, and an autumn screening in the talk series Talbar at the Museum of Technology.

The film is also used in an SMHI-funded project on climate adaptation in forestry, in collaboration between Gaia Arkitektur, the Swedish Forest Agency, the County Administrative Board of Skåne, the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Malmö, Sustainable Utveckling Skåne, Trästad Sverige and Trolleholms gods.

In addition to this, the film is being distributed to more municipalities that want to explore local value chains, climate-adapted construction, new business models and a new view of the forest as a community-supporting resource.

Read more about the project and all actors involved on the project page

Watch the movie Long Live


Thank you so much Ulrika, Ania and everyone else who was involved!

Read more about Vinnova's transformation journey for a sustainable forest value chain