Decode - Design for Conflicting Desires

The aim of the project was to create a platform for sustainable urban development through an inclusive and efficient development process. Decode’s main contribution is to facilitate collaborative processes that contribute to a division of power which can handle conflicting interests, and build innovative thinking collaboratively.

Decode contributed to four aspects of sustainable urban planning:

1. Process steering – developing new ways for how urban development processes can be systematically steered through cross-sectoral collaboration;
2. Inclusion - as a democratic tool for taking account of citizens’ and local actors’ interests;
3. Costs - efficient and qualitative guidance for planning that promotes shorter lead times and reduced costs; 
4. Sustainability - constructive processes and methods for reaching sustainability goals.

The services developed are designed to be utilised within the framework of Citylab - a national forum for sharing knowledge about sustainable development. They are also  freely available to municipalities, developers, etc., with certain pre-conditions.

The Decode project team is comprised of a unique combination of expertise. The project was headed by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden Green Building Council and Tyréns, in close collaboration with:

• five partners from academia - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Göteborg Research Institute, Score, Stockholm University, and Södertörns Högskola;
• two national authorities – Boverket and Statens konstråd; and
• eight local urban development projects/municipalities - Järfälla kommun, Norrtälje kommun, Sorsele kommun, Stockholms Stad, Täby kommun, Upplands Väsby kommun, Uppsala kommun and Älvstranden utveckling AB.