Barriers

For three years, Erik Hagman have visited and photographed places in Stockholm's suburbs. The background is the city's transformation, following a decision that 140,000 new homes will be built between 2010 and 2030.

The pictures in the book show places that will either be built on or are under construction at the time of writing. Some images show environments of the kind that are often called gaps or barriers in the densification debate. Places that, from a city planning perspective, are seen as less important and that are considered to be able to get a better use by providing space for housing and services. Other photos show unfinished and temporary landscapes that arise in connection with planning and construction. Places that are often considered cluttered and unsafe while being part of many people's everyday surroundings.

In addition to being "just" a piece of land, there is also another dimension to these places. Even though these are environments that are not generally associated with the city's face and identity, they are part of the cultural landscape of our time. They tell a story — about what has been, but also a story about attitudes in our time, to the built environment and nature.