Irma Vesterlund

There is a pattern of static development in rural communities. Life in the city is flourishing, while social and communal life in the countryside is falling into slumber. Countryside communities often become dependent on private initiatives.

My degree project focuses on common spaces in the countryside town of Hallstavik. Using site-specific micro installations, I want to engage in a discussion with those that use these spaces.

Hallstavik is a living mill town in the north of Stockholm County. The community has a strong sense of pride, established in their origins as a paper mill community and strengthened by their associations with and success in sports. But there is also an underlying sense of hopelessness and indignation towards the future.

Through these installations in Hallstavik, I have created a base for discussion, both onsite and digitally, through the online community forum. Perhaps these methods could be used within the larger discussion about life-in-the-common in rural communities.