kids playing in Vastra Hamnen schoolyard

I know this has little if anything to do with sustainable design, but I was riding my bike by the school in Vastra Hamnen and a bunch of kids were at recess.  I am always intrigued by children and how they interact and often wonder if their relationships and interactions have anything to do with culture and/ or the society into which they grow as they get older.  when I saw the kids playing I stopped to watch for a minute.  what I saw was amazing.

kids playing at the Vastra Hamnen school during recess

I realized almost immediately that I needed to take a picture of the scene because it was so interesting.  the kids were rough housing in the sand in a way that was absolutely amazing.  I'm not entirely sure if it was a game or just kids being kids, but I've never seen anything like it.

the kids were rough housing and knocking each other into the sand.  it was madness and mayhem

basically a kid would run up to another kid and shove him off his feet onto the ground.  then another kid would do the same to that kid or someone else.  it seemed random.  boys were knocking down boys, boys were knocking down girls, girls were knocking down boys.  it was a free for all.  yes, the teacher was standing about 10 meters away watching (to the right in the first picture).

the aftermath right before the end of recess

and yes, it was awesome.

there's no such thing as a utopia, even here in Sweden

so there aren't any pictures to go along with this post, it is simply an observation that I think means something for all of us, regardless of whether we are designing or building or investing or creating.  this is about the fundamentals of being human, of sharing a space on this earth together, and about breathing the same air.  I have, and always will, abide by the "we're all in this together" philosophy about pretty much everything from sports to work to politics.  I think everyone on this planet should live with a little or a lot of that philosophy...


I was performing my evening "ride around and look for pickup soccer games" routine the other night when I arrived to a neighborhood park (the neighborhood is not important here, but I can say that I had been there before and the people were hospitable and that the area is generally perceived, according to local residents, as a less desirable and certainly less affluent location in the city).

I was on the edge of the park, mostly out of the mainstream sight from the kids on the soccer field.  there was a ball sitting about 15 meters off of the field in the sand and there were about 8 kids, ages 6-12 or so sitting in the middle of the field talking.  the kids looked to be persian in descent and seemed to be speaking swedish.  two young black kids, probably about 6-10 years old slowly approached the field from my left as I watched.

the oldest and tallest of the group of kids in the middle of the field jumped up and started yelling loudly at the two boys, who slowly continued approaching the field.  immediately the rest of the kids stood up and began yelling as well.  there were hand motions and more yelling and the group in the middle of the field started to advance toward the boys who were approaching from the side.  the two boys approaching the field slowed drastically, to the point where it was clear as an outside observer that they were no longer going to enter the field itself.  they turned onto an altered course and paralleled the field, aiming to go around it or at least not onto the soccer pitch.

wheels were turning in my head as I started to pedal off.  I got about 50 meters before I slowed, turned a 180, and went back to the field.
"hey kid, can I ask you a question" I said to the tallest boy, who was still near the edge of the field.  "yeah"
what were you all yelling to those two boys?"
"nothing"
"it didn't sound like nothing"
"it was nothing"
"what did you say to them?"
"I told them that my cousin was getting the ball and they didn't need to get it"
"oh"

I could tell by the look on his face that his story was adjusted to suit my needs and he was hoping I would go away.  I asked again for a third time in a slightly different tack to see if he would tell me what was really going on.  his story evolved a final time, but he never admitted to what I think was happening.  if it weren't for the "hand in the cookie jar" look on his face and the exuberance of he and his friends' yelling, I might have believed him, but I didn't.

at that point I felt that there was little progress to be made, so I simply said to the kid, "I think everyone should be allowed to play in the park and on the soccer field, no matter where they come from"

I pedaled off toward home, feeling slightly better but mostly worse.

these streets were made for bikin'

tamara knows that I haven't been to the grocery store so she offers me "leftover" breakfast.  it's better than anything I could have whipped up... homemade rolls, scrambled eggs, and cheese.  the cheese is amazing.  strong coffee too.

typical swedish cheese.  mild, 26% milkfat.  from a cow

homemade breakfast sandwich by my hostess, tamara

I decided last night that today I would explore the city but not do anything specifically related to my research.  Just one full day to cruise around town to get my bearings.  I did make a small list of things I hope to accomplish today like find a bike shop, buy some groceries, and take some pictures.  nothing ambitious, I know.  I make my way into the courtyard to borrow tamara's old beat up bike.

the internal courtyard has benches, picnic tables, a sand box. people leave their personal grills out under the pergola

as I enter the courtyard and aim toward the bike parking, I notice it has a green roof.  wow.  it's just that simple.  put some grass up there and call it a day.  I'd love to look out my balcony into the courtyard and see grass growing instead of pavement or metal seams...

courtyard looking toward bike parking

I unlock the bike, which is obviously worthy of a picture.  single speed, as it seems most bikes in sweden are.  rusted out everywhere.  duct taped seat.  wobbly wheels.  grannie handlebars.  kickstand.  and of course, coaster brakes like the kind I had on my huffy when I was a kid.  simple.  pure. dependable.  and no one will steal it.

tamara's bike.  perfect for rolling through malmo

I don't even roll 10 meters before I realize that I am in the middle of a massive and ongoing construction project.  I couldn't really see any of this too well last night in the dark, but literally 50% of what I can see are apartment buildings under construction.

construction "trailers" are simply stacked shipping containers.  this is the "courtyard" directly south of where I just was with the green roof bike parking.

everywhere I turn there is something to see.  the building adjacent to our complex that appears to be mostly complete has a rainscreen wall system.

north face of apartment under construction.  rain screen.

one side of the building has grey cementious clapboards that are likely blind nailed, except around the windows where it switches to a screwed in black panel that also looks like the hardie material I have used before.  the other side of the building has lighter green panels that are also screwed to the runners.

north window in rainscreen before clapboard application

rubber strip applied to 1x3 strapping runner.  flashing above window.

strapping held 2" off above north window

Gerber would be proud that the first thing I noticed and the first pictures I took were of the details of the exterior cladding system.

looking up to the clapboards

east side of the building with screwed in panels and larger operable windows

I hop on the bike and go another hundred meters and enter a park that runs east/ west from my area of the neighborhood toward turning torso.  it has constructed "natural" areas, art and sculptures, various fun looking contraptions for kids to play on and climb, and a boardwalk with benches.  I can imagine being a young child spending days in the sun playing in this park.

park and kids play area near Bo02 and Bo03

boardwalk in the park with constructed "natural" areas and play areas for kids

and of course, santiago calatrava's turning torso is a centerpoint to Vastra Hamnen and can be seen from most areas in and around northern and western Malmo.

I head towards town on... a bike path that is right alongside the street and immediately adjacent to the sidewalk.  imagine that.  pedestrians have a path.  cars have a path.  and... bikes have a path.

bike lanes have their own stoplights and pedestrians walk alongside the bike path in the... pedestrian path

bike stoplights go from red to red/ yellow to green so you know when the light is changing

finally get to the main center of town where the shops, restaurants, bars, and offices are... only to be completely amazed at the city bike culture.  the whole place is functioning around pedestrians and bikes.  cars have lanes, but there are streets that are closed to cars during certain hours and other streets that are permanently closed to cars!  everyone seems to be riding.  most major streets have bike signs as well as car signs.  there are signals for the bikes and pedestrians and cars.  there are bikes locked or unlocked on every corner.  no one is wearing a helmet because bikes are like treated like people here.  pedestrians don't wear helmets because why should they...?

for some reason this reminds me of the "if you lived here you'd be home now" sign in Boston but really its just showing how many bikes can equal one car parking spot.

I ride around town for a little while checking out the scene.  it's about lunchtime and people are moving about in the central part of the city, some eating lunch in the sunlight on benches or at outside tables at cafes.  I can't help but take pictures of the bikes and the signs and the people.  it's all so simple.

this sign says something about how people should be allowed to walk in the street without fearing for their lives.  I think the red x means please be nice to pedestrians.

I love cargo shorts but I love cargo bikes even more!  I can only imagine how many pizzas could be delivered with this bike...

catching sunshine near city center along the canal.  those stripes down the steps are a water feature that creates the sound of rushing water without the mess. at the bottom the water pours into a little drain.

#maildelivery

I leave downtown in pursuit of a rentable bike for the next couple of weeks.  after a couple of tries, I find a bike shop called Cykelaffar that has some used bikes for sale.  anders (the owner) is not really selling what I am looking for, but after some convincing, he decides to rent me a bike he was selling.  1000 sek for 18 days is pretty good considering what else I have seen so far.  anders also gives me a kryptonite lock, a helmet (Lauren will be very happy) and a water bottle cage.  now I can commute, hop across town, or go for a longer ride for exercise or to Lund for a day.  now I just have to ghost the beater home (easier said than done)...

my transport for the next couple of weeks

I head back to Vastra Hamnen to drop off the borrowed bike and explore.  cruising around see lots of little italian themed coffee shops along the water before I arrive at the base of the torso to Green, the local high end sustainable minded grocery store.

high end grocery store in Vastra Hamnen in the shadow of the turning torso

after a lap around the store to check it out, I take a second lap and pick up some necessities which include fresh local vegetables, eggs, milk, butter, apple juice, fresh baked bread, pasta and sauce, some (not local) fruit, and of course, smoked salmon and capers.  when in rome...

yes... Green (the grocery store) delivers by bike to your door

one key thing I have learned during this grocery trip.  apple juice is apple juice but appelsin is orange juice and beer here is 2,1% alcohol on average.  and we complain about watered down budweisers!