Friday, November 09, 2007

Friggebod Friday - Koloniområden


Known in Swedish as Koloniområden these are shed community areas with allotments for hobby farming, flower tending or just as a personal green chill out space, writes Shedworking's Northern Europe correspondent Sy Willmer. It is common in Sweden for urban residents to live in low rise apartment buildings: on average far more purpose built blocks of flats are constructed in Scandinavia than in the UK.Families living during the week in 150 – 200 square metre rental apartments is the norm and this mean those that do owning some kind of summer/weekend house. This can be a holiday home, cabin by the lake, beach or in the forest. Obviously not everyone can afford an extra property or may not even want to travel far from the city or town limits but still wants to get out for the weekend.So one finds well-kept micro societies on the outskirts of towns and cities in Scandinavia. Just as in the UK they have members' associations, rubbish collection, mains water and electricity supply with most usually including a central green with flagpole proudly flying the Yellow and Blue.The main focus of activity at a Swedish Koloniområd is not gardening but recreation, more in keeping with the weekend caravan user of the UK.

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