ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ecological transformation of urban space in Aalborg through the following six emblematic projects: Østerå, Karolinelund, Godsbanearealet, Gabriel, Eternitten, and Budolfi Plads, which are analysed with the Urban Sustainability Compass framework. The chapter approaches ecological transformation for urban regeneration as a situated, contested, and multi-dimensional process shaped by the intersecting logics of urgency, legitimation, implementation, and experimentation. By tracing how these logics are enacted across diverse spatial and institutional contexts, the chapter highlights the dynamic interplay between ecological design, socio-environmental justice, and adaptive governance.
Framed within international agendas on ecosystem restoration and biodiversity, the study reflects on the role of green infrastructure, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), and urban rewilding as key strategies for addressing climate challenges and reconfiguring the human–nature relationship. Through a detailed analysis of Aalborg’s planning practices – ranging from river daylighting to post-industrial remediation – the chapter finds that ecological regeneration fosters both environmental resilience and social innovation.
Methodologically, the research employs a qualitative, case-based approach informed by planning documents, regulatory analysis, direct observation, and interviews with practitioners.
