DEC 2025

at 09.30

DEC 2025

at 13.00

Symposium: Urban Well-being through the Five Senses

Welcome to the Fourth Symposium on Social-Ecological Urbanism: Urban Well-being through the Five Senses, hosted by the Urban Studio research programme at University of Gävle.

We experience our surroundings not only through what we see, but also through sounds, smells, and microclimates. Yet, this multisensory perspective is often overlooked in the planning and design of cities. This symposium offers a chance to rethink urbanism through the senses, exploring how different sensory pathways affect well-being.

Date & time:
December 2, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
December 3, 9.30-13.00

Location: Gävle Concert Hall, Bo Lindes Hall

Social-ecological urbanism is an emerging discourse on sustainable urban development, with a main focus on how the built urban environment together with urban nature can promote human well-being and resilient cities. Launched in 2016, the triennial Symposium on Social-Ecological Urbanism has become a recurring forum for advancing this conversation.

This year’s edition opens with a full-day event on December 2 featuring invited speakers, leading scholars from Sweden and beyond, that will share their perspectives on how sensory experiences of urban spaces and nature shape human health and well-being.

In a half-day workshop on December 3, we will probe how ‘urbanism through the senses’ could be linked to social and ecological urban processes and support sustainable and resilient approaches to urban planning and design.

Registration

Attendance is free, but registration is required. Secure your spot and join us for two days of thought-provoking talks and discussion. Last day for registration November 25.

Registration form

Programme

Tuesday 2 December - Seminar

09.30-09.50

Drop-in

09.50-10.00

Opening remarks: Anders Kottorp, Vice-Chancellor of University of Gävle

10.00-10.45

Keynote: Terry Hartig, Uppsala University

10.45-11.15

COFFEE

11.15-11.45

Talk: Mare Löhmus, Karolinska Institutet

11.50-12.20

Talk: Bryce T. Lawrence, TU Dortmund University

12.20-13.20

LUNCH

13.20-13.50

Talk: Fredrik Lindberg, Gothenburg University

13.55-14.25

Talk: Jessica Fisher, University of Kent

14.30-15.00

Interactive session: Key insights from the day

15.00-16.00

COFFEE & MINGLE

Wednesday 3 December - Workshop

09.00-09.30

DROP-IN

09.30-10.00

Workshop, part 1

10.00-10.20

Talk: Nohemi Ramirez Aranda, TU Delft

10.20-10.40

Talk: Åsa Gren, University of Gävle

10.40-11.00

COFFEE

11.00-12.00

Workshop, part 2

12.00-13.00

LUNCH

Speakers

Prof. Terry Hartig
Terry Hartig is a professor in environmental psychology at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. His research concerns restorative environments with a particular focus on natural settings. His talk will focus on the environmental psychology of natural settings and their role in supporting well-being.

Dr. Bryce T. Lawrence
Bryce Lawrence is a research scientist at the TU Dortmund University, Department of Spatial Planning, Germany. He will share his research on urban soundscape ecology and green infrastructure and the challenges of connecting noise exposed populations to multi-sensory quiet areas.

Dr Mare Löhmus Sundström
Mare Löhmus Sundström is an associate professor at the Centre of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Her fields of research are occupational health and environmental health. Her talk will address the health impacts of noise.

Prof. Fredrik Lindberg
Fredrik Lindberg is a professor at the Department of Earth Sciences at Gothenburg University, Sweden where he studies local climate processes in cities. His talk will focus on the connection between urban climates and health and well-being.

Dr. Jessica C. Fisher
Jessica Fisher is a research fellow on the E3 Sharing Space for Nature initiative at University of Kent, United Kingdom. Her research explores the social side of nature restoration as well as multisensory attributes of nature experiences. Her presentation will delve into how sensory dimensions of nature, including smells and textures, contribute to well-being.

Dr. Åsa Gren
Åsa Gren is a senior lecturer in sustainability science at University of Gävle, Sweden. In her research she focuses on the challenge of how to create fair, healthy, sustainable and resilient cities for everyone through urban planning and design. She will highlight the importance of urban planning recognizing multi- and cross-scale interactions in urban environments and their role in supporting well-being

Dr Nohemi Ramirez Aranda
Nohemi Ramirez Aranda is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Urbanism at TU Delft, the Netherlands. She will talk about private and public spaces fostering climate resilience and multisensory well-being, linking sensory experience, nature, microclimates, and social-ecological performance.