Maria Ärlemo

After some years of professional practice I returned to academia to further my interest in an expanded perspective on and practice within the field of architecture. My research interests concerns the potential for architectural practices to contribute to social change. More specifically am I interested in issues of ethics, accountability and agency within architectural practice.

My PhD research explores contemporary discourse on 'urban justice' through a focus on the ongoing renovation of large scale postwar housing areas in Sweden, built in the 1960s and 70s as part of the Million Homes Programme. The housing areas were an integral part in the construction of the Swedish welfare state. They were built to provide good quality and affordable housing to all, but over the years many of them have become sites where societal injustices manifest. The overall aim of the PhD research project is to gain insight into local discourse and engagemet for greater urban justice. And to discuss how, potentially, architectural practices can contribute to the construction of a more just city, in terms of distribution, representation and recognition.