Pelago

Purpose and goal

Our project goal was "a successful platform and test arena for co-creation of a living archipelago through collaboration, research, innovation and entrepreneurship." The project shows good goal fulfillment. We developed a model called "The Innovation Staircase" which we tested in seven pilot cases together with residents, entrepreneurs, researchers and students, municipalities and landowners. We have focused on local environmental and water challenges in the Stockholm archipelago.

Expected results and effects

Key lessons have been documented in seven student theses and five project reports. The pilots demonstrate varying degrees of success and effects. Shared problem formulations and trust have been crucial to success. Lessons are being integrated into Värmdö municipality´s planning work in the archipelago. An important insight is that the archipelago constitutes a “schizotope” (split landscape) where the different needs of the summer and winter seasons complicates collaboration and sustainability.

Planned approach and implementation

The COVID-19 restrictions have seriously hampered local processes, dialogue and trust building. Despite this, and despite staff changes at Värmdö and KTH, the project has delivered far more test cases than planned. The four project partners have collaborated well and we have benefited greatly from involving as many as 14 KTH students. We have actively communicated results via the website, LinkedIn, in newspaper articles, to Värmdö municipal board, to the archipelago council and a final seminar.