SLU Urban Futures

SLU Urban Futures is a strategic platform that develops and strengthens transdisciplinary research, education and collaboration in sustainable urban development.

News item

Today’s energy choices redraw the landscape of the future

Sweden’s energy demand could double by 2035, according to forecasts from the Swedish Energy Agency. As fossil sources are replaced by renewables, energy previously extracted underground must now be produced above ground – a transition to leave visible marks on the landscape. Read the interview with the teacher and researcher Anders Larsson.

News item

Artistic approaches offer new ways to understand Stockholm’s waterscapes

A forthcoming scientific article – developed with seed funding from SLU Urban Futures to strengthen interdisciplinary writing, communication, and capacity-building across SLU – examines how artistic perspectives are reshaping Stockholm’s waterscapes.

Workshop

Workshop with the Swedish Biosphere Network

This is a workshop dedicated to forming strong, interdisciplinary consortia around challenges in the biospheres' waterscapes. We welcome SLU employees from all departments and disciplines to bring their expertise, perspectives, and ideas as we explore new opportunities for collaboration and impact.

Urbanscapes

To increase the understanding of the urban, SLU Urban Futures introduces a number of thematic focus areas for research; Urban Foodscapes, Urban Healthscapes, Urban Forestscapes, Urban Waterscapes and Urban Energyscapes.
Photo of a woman in front of forest in fall colors
Research profiles

Read more about our researchers linked to the Forum for Children and Landscape

At SLU, we work to strengthen research, education, and collaboration on outdoor environments for children and young people, brought together under the Forum for Children and Landscapes. Here you can read interviews with some of our teachers and researchers. Interviews in Swedish.

Thematic focus area

Living labs

A living lab is a creative meeting space where diverse stakeholders come together to test and develop solutions for complex challenges. Here, new methods and processes have the opportunity to grow in real-world environments, while we observe their social and practical impacts.

News from SLU Urban Futures

  • 2025-12-11

    Local Voices Uncover Hidden Needs in Ukraine’s Post-War Recovery

    When Ukrainians rebuild their lives after liberation from Russian occupation, some restoration efforts matter more than others. By visiting villages, SLU researchers found that actions such as restoring gardens and demining forest are crucial for people’s well-being – yet they are often overlooked.
  • 2025-12-08

    Today’s energy choices redraw the landscape of the future

    Sweden’s energy demand could double by 2035, according to forecasts from the Swedish Energy Agency. As fossil sources are replaced by renewables, energy previously extracted underground must now be produced above ground – a transition to leave visible marks on the landscape.
  • 2025-12-08

    Artistic approaches offer new ways to understand Stockholm’s waterscapes

    A forthcoming scientific article – developed with seed funding from SLU Urban Futures to strengthen interdisciplinary writing, communication, and capacity-building across SLU – examines how artistic perspectives are reshaping Stockholm’s waterscapes.
  • 2025-11-20

    Securing food in the cities of the future

    New risks, new legislation and new forms of collaboration raise the question: how can municipalities, regions and food system actors act to make Sweden more resilient in times of crisis?
  • 2025-11-14

    Food is a social lubricant

    Most people now live in cities, and the taste preferences of city residents tend to determine which foods are in demand. This is why the city is key to ensuring a sustainable food supply, writes Håkan Jönsson, coordinator of the Food and Cities initiative at SLU.

Upcoming events

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Follow us on LinkedIn and discuss current issues regarding the sustainable cities of the future.

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Stay updated about upcoming webinars, calls and projects in sustainable urban development at SLU.

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On Instagram, we share current events within the platform.

Urbanscapes

Learn more about our thematic work with urbanscapes on our external website.