From Space to Place  – and Why Apologising is Sometimes Better Than Asking Permission

Fredrik is a Stockholm- & international based placemaker with focus on city- and urban planning, culture and social innovation. As former deputy mayor of the City of Stockholm, he has been instrumental in shaping the city he is from and lives in. Fredrik was also chairman to the national arenas of Stockholm (Aviici Arena/The Globe and Tele2) and the ports of Stockholm. He is a board member of Placemaking Europe and founder of Glad Stad (Happy City). Fredrik is currently working with the city development of the world's largest city project – NEOM.

As a placemaker at heart, Fredrik will share his best kept secret: how to turn space into an appreciated, vibrant and attractive place. In his view, creating a place is about creating memories, and adding value. Fredrik will also talk about his principals of place activation, based on a simple formula around creating content to reach shared goals. Through live examples from his past ranging from international festivals to local markets and his time at city hall we will explore how these principles can be applied to build places and create attractive destinations.

Fredrik will also take you down the rabbit hole of creative bureaucracy and how to apply placemaking activism in rigid municipal structures and create systemic change, and why apologising is sometimes better than asking permission!