>> about <<
Urban planner - engaged in research and practice
Hello, hej,
My name is Rosa Danenberg and I am based in Stockholm. I work at the intersection of research, design, and advocacy for more inclusive, human-scale cities.
Currently, I work as a Postdoc in the Landscape Architecture division at SLU in Uppsala, working on the Formas-funded project “RULES AND TOOLS – safeguarding neighbouring green space for human health and well-being” with Prof. Helena Nordh, Dr. Mari Kågström, Uppsala Municipality and Nordregio.
I defended my PhD in urban planning and design at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in December 2023. My research explored the role of ground floors in shaping vibrant street life. My thesis, titled “Main Streets as Resilient Public Spaces. Zooming in on ground floors in Stockholm”, examined how the physical form of cities interacts with public life, and how planning and design can strengthen the relationship between people and place.
Outside of research, I am engaged in Sweden’s planning association, Förening för Samhällsplanering, and joined the editorial board of its magazine PLAN.
I have experience moderating panels, giving guest lectures and guiding city walks. Feel free to contact me for this.
My interested in the field of urban planning and design comes from a strong passion for the human scale. My starting point has always been a curiosity about the conditions that make cities liveable and inclusive. For me, this translates into the question: what are the ingredients of well-functioning public spaces, and how and why do people use them – or avoid them? I am especially interested in the dynamic between urban form and public life, and in the importance of public space as the connective tissue between the two.
Cities today face increasing segregation, privatization, commercialization, and digitalization. The decline in the quality and quantity of public space is not only worrisome, but also costly and unjust. This is why I am committed to working for cities that prioritise and (re)integrate the human scale into planning and design.
For more background, you can find my CV here.
A short introduction: where and when did my interests for cities start?
Copenhagen (2011) The Erasmus study abroad period introduced me to what became my main interest: Life between Buildings. In Copenhagen I learned about the work of Jan Gehl and became fascinated with city planning.
Amsterdam (2007-2013) I developed an interest for the governance of cities. This interest evolved during the freelance work (2012) in the neighborhood Oost in Amsterdam where I worked with citizen-led networks.
Stockholm (2013) I studied the 2 year master’s Sustainable Urban Planning and Design at KTH.
Istanbul (2014) During another Erasmus study abroad period, I delved into topics as citizen activism, urban governance, and spatial politics. Eventually, I wrote the master thesis about bottom-up development in Stockholm and Istanbul (see publications).