Location: Kiruna–Narvik

Clients: Pikene på Broen, 0047
Team: Anders Johansson, Erik Wingquist, Magnus Nilsson

Testbedstudio contributed to Barents Urban Survey (part of the Pan-Barents triennial) with Iron Trails: a large hand-drawn environmental section mapping the Kiruna–Narvik corridor and the Malmbanan railway’s role in tying together landscapes, resources, and everyday life. The drawing positioned the region as a testing ground for post-industrial futures and formed a chapter in the book Northern Experiments, linking ore logistics to new experimental economies.

The city of Narvik lies in a fjord, along the coastline of Norway. The inhabitants of the fjords live their lives by the sea, but close bye, there is a hidden resource in the hinterland. Behind the mountain range are the vast lands of Sweden, not normally considered an asset for the Barents region. But at one specific point, this connection becomes visible and active. This is at Narvik, through its connection to city of Kiruna via the Malmbanan railroad. The project concerns the Kiruna–Narvik area of the Barents Sea region, and takes as its departure the Malmbanan railroad. The track transports purified iron ore pellets from the mine in Kiruna to the port of Narvik. This trail of transportation ties together the two cities. It is their base of economy and it permeates everyday life. Together with the landscape and the resources of nature, these factors open up the possibilities for the future of the region. This has given rise to what may be called a testing ground, where many experimental and new technology ventures has started. Eventually, these activities may take over and form the new base of life in the post-industrial society. The drawing plots the characters and interconnections that together make up the region. The drawing offers a certain reading of the area, and enables speculation on how the region holds its future development in its own hands.