Work

District Greenhouse – Gothenburg

In spring 2025, Greenhouse Living prepared a detailed feasibility study for a so-called District Greenhouse in Gothenburg, located north of the Slakthusområdet in Gamlestaden.

The work was carried out in close collaboration with the Department for Urban Farming (avdelningen för stadsnära odling), City of Gothenburg.

Why a District Greenhouse in Gothenburg?

The purpose of establishing a District Greenhouse in Gothenburg is to further strengthen the city’s efforts to create optimal conditions for local food production and urban farming. At its foundation lies the city’s overarching goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030, with food supply representing a significant share of the city’s climate impact. There is also a strong ambition to enhance Gothenburg’s resilience and capacity to withstand crises and disruptions in food supply in the wake of war in Europe, pandemics, and the ongoing climate crisis.

What is a District Greenhouse?The concept of a District Greenhouse has been explored over several years. The idea is to create a multifunctional greenhouse that hosts both commercial urban farmers and serves as a hub for knowledge sharing, connecting the city’s residents and food consumers. Gothenburg has uniquely strong conditions for local, urban food production, as the municipality owns large areas of farmland. However, both the community of urban farmers and the infrastructure for local food distribution need significant strengthening. The District Greenhouse becomes the physical manifestation and concrete place for this development.

A District Greenhouse in Every Neighborhood?

The very name suggests that eventually each district of Gothenburg should have its own District Greenhouse – similar to the concept of district libraries. We hope this will become reality, as investments in locally grown food must be significantly scaled up if the municipality is to meet its food security goals. This feasibility study addresses the first full-scale prototype: District Greenhouse No. 1.

The District Greenhouse in Relation to the City

The City of Gothenburg is now exploring the first in a series of District Greenhouses, strategically located across the municipality. Each District Greenhouse is intended to serve as a hub for multiple stakeholders:

• Commercial urban farming enterprises

• The City of Gothenburg (Urban Farming Department, City Farmers)

• Academia (education and training in cultivation)

• Citizens of Gothenburg as customers, visitors, and participants in courses and events

Client: City of Gothenburg, Department of Land Development, Division for Urban Farming (avdelningen för stadsnära odling)

Status: Feasibility study completed. Design development planned for autumn/winter 2025/26.

Concept & Illustrations: Greenhouse Living