This study examines how trade offs between preservation, change and transformation are shaped in early planning stages, using Varvsstaden in Malmö as a case study. Through document studies and interviews, the study explores how different values and interests influence the development of the area, and how these trade offs become visible in the built environment.

The material shows that planning involves far more than simply preserving or building new structures. Questions related to cultural values, identity, sustainability, economy and feasibility constantly need to be balanced against one another, while different actors have different levels of influence over the development process. The study also shows that views on older industrial buildings have changed over time. Buildings that were previously often seen as problematic or difficult to use are today increasingly understood as resources and qualities in urban development.

In Varvsstaden, the industrial heritage is used to create identity and maintain a connection to the history of the place. Through reuse, material choices and preserved industrial buildings, the planning aims to retain the feeling of the former shipyard area even as the district changes. At the same time, the study shows that not all parts of history are given the same amount of attention. Certain stories and environments are highlighted more clearly than others, which illustrates that heritage and place identity are not entirely neutral.

The study also shows that sustainability has become increasingly important in the planning process over time. Reuse and transformation are used both as sustainability arguments and as ways of maintaining the area’s identity. However, the interviews reveal that such solutions are often more difficult to implement in practice than the planning documents initially suggest.

Finally, the study shows that trade offs between preservation, change and transformation are complex processes where there are rarely simple or obvious solutions.