Frölunda Kulturhus is a cultural center in a suburb of Gothenburg. It’s a location for a great variety of cultural events such as dance, theatre, cinema, workshops and exhibitions. The building also houses a swimming pool, sports halls, meeting rooms and a library. It was opened in 1980 and up until recently the rooftop was unused. The building is owned by the municipality of Gothenburg.
Torbjörn Alstrom, a cultural producer at Frölunda Kulturhus that, together with a team of six other producers organized arange of events on the rooftop last summer, explains us how the idea for the rooftop started. “The idea of transforming the rooftop started many years ago. Someone who was working for the real estate department of the municipality had a big dream about this rooftop. Together with his architect he came up with a crazy design for the roof. There was going to be a restaurant on the rooftop, you could walk around the roof, it was just this huge dream. But at some point he had to give up on it because he couldn’t find funding for it.”
When the roof needed replacement the municipality managed to find some additional money to not only replace the roof but also transform it into an accessible garden. Even though a more modest version of the idea was realized in the end, it’s still a great space for the cultural center to organize events. The roof is also a nice addition to the Gothenburg’s roofscape, which already includes some interesting rooftops on top of hotels or restaurants. Though the roof of the Frölunda Kulturhus is the first accessible rooftop garden with a purpose of hosting cultural events.
Over the last summer (2022), since the rooftop was opened, Torbjörn organized several events on the rooftop. Also the artistic residency, part of the ECRN project took place on this rooftop. Two artist from Barcelona and Amsterdam produced an art piece here.
When we ask Torbjörn what appeals to him in using rooftops as a space for cultural events he elaborately explains. “We also do outdoor events in the park next to the cultural center, but it’s a totally different feeling to be on a rooftop. It creates a more intimate environment, that is perfect for small concerts or events. Being on a rooftop activates your senses. For example, over the summer we had a harp concert happening on the roof. Because it was a bit windy on the rooftop, the wind made some sounds on the harp as well, and the harpist was just enjoying this extra touch. A rooftop is also not only a place where you can enjoy a concert, while being part of a performance, you also have a view. You can look out and see all the environment and the history of the place.”
The rooftop is not only used for concerts, but also for workshops, sports, leisure and work. “Around lunchtime people can come up to the roof to enjoy their lunch and cup of coffee. Compared to the park I feel like the rooftop is really a space for resting, you see people coming up here, being very calm and enjoying the privateness, quietness while being outdoors. I also noticed kids coming up on the rooftop to do their homework in the summer. In the area there are a lot of big families that don’t have a lot of money living in small apartments.”
The renovation of the rooftop was managed and funded by the real estate department of the municipality. Torbjörn explains to use that there was no communication about the design of the roof between the managers from the real estate department and the people working for Frölunda Kulturhus, the people that would actually use the rooftop to organize cultural events. Torbjörn: “For example it would have been great to have one area of the rooftop covered with some kind of pent, to protect people from the sun in the summer and making it possible to also use the rooftop while it’s raining. Also, it would have been nice to have a storage space on the rooftop where we could keep technical material to host events, such as speakers, tables and chairs. Now we have to carry them up and down every time.” Furthermore, while the rooftop was being build, there were some organizational changes within the municipality. Torbjörn: “All of a sudden, the cultural department of the city became responsible for the rooftop, even though they were not part of the development. This resulted in long discussions between the real estate department and the cultural department, during which time we were not allowed to go up on the roof.”
Torbjörn and his colleagues are still figuring out some safety issues that come with using the rooftop as well. “Right now, we are not allowed to let people up there without us guiding it. We’re looking for the right conditions to let people up there safely.”
Overall the main advice Torbjörn want to give to someone that wants to start developing a multifunctional rooftop is this: “Make sure there is good communication between the people managing the project of implementation and the people who will actually use the rooftop after. Also think on the forehand about practical and safety issues and who is in charge of managing them after the rooftop will be taken into use.”
Do you want to get in touch with Torbjörn about this project? Email him at: torbjorn.alstrom@kultur.goteborg.se