Dubbed “Sweden’s best urbanista” by Dagens Nyheter, Rio de Janeiro resident Bobo Karlsson knows more than most when it comes to living in big cities. His successful book Urban Safari is a soulful portrait of 12 of his favourite cities, where finding the corner where he would like to live works as his starting point. He has recently published a follow-up, in which he takes us to New Orleans, Mexico City, Marrakech, Hamburg and Lisbon to name but a few.
You have spent more time in more different cities than most – what do you think makes a city a good experience? And is that experience different for the inhabitant and the visitor?
More than anything else, I think people go for the soul and energy, the personality of a city.
Those who live there may have it in their blood. We have to walk around in different neighborhoods, try to smell it out, find our new “second home”. It’s not so much about the grand spectacles and those kind of memories anymore. It’s to find the spot to return to next time, a street, a café, new friends – where you feel at home in Paris, Berlin, New York.
What is it that attracts you to big cities?
People. Meeting their eyes, the talk, the energy, just follow the flow… For me it is like a theatre, a cabaret, a great novel – right in front of my eyes.
Is there any smaller town you can recommend for some particular reason?
Haha… I will never forget Karlstad, where I grew up, or Strömstad where I spent my summers as a kid. Well, when I lived in New York, Sag Harbour out on Long Island was a favourite. But strongest smaller city ever for me is Santa Fe in New Mexico. And here outside Rio de Janeiro, Parati is a place like that. And to get lost in paradise? For me that’s Itacaré and Jericoacoara, charming villages along the Brazilian coast.
Will there be an Urban Safari 3 or have you run out of big cities that are interesting enough to write about?
The first two books were about cities I have visited a lot of times, sometimes lived in for years or months. It’s much tougher to go for the first time – to somewhere like Moscow, Mumbai – and try to write like that. I have a fascination with all the “second cities” – No.2, we try harder! But maybe I should concentrate on Brazil, because of the upcoming World Cup 2014 and the Olympic Games in Rio 2016.
How you would you describe a well functioning city?
I think there is a strong sense of decency and a feeling of respect in all the cities we love the most – where everybody feel included, integrated, part of the proud community.
What particular strong points does Stockholm have compared to other cities?
Stockholm is an old beauty, with a strong, youthful, creative vitality – the mixture of urban modernity and nature, plus water around the corner all of the time. And a sort of high quality overall.
In your opinion, what is the one change Stockholm should make immediately to increase the quality of life?
I’m no expert, but I think Stockholm has the same problem as all big European cities. To find a decent way to integrate and include more people in the marginal, the suburbs. The success story is when everybody can say “I’m a stockholmare and I’m proud of it”. There’s too much bullshit about Stureplan and Söder in the media.
And if we look long-term, what are the main things we should strive for and think about?
Isn’t the schools, the subway etcetera always the highest priority, and how to build apartments and houses for the future? More and more people are priced out from decent living.
We have seen the urban population of the world pass the fifty percent mark and it’s heading higher – how do you think cities in general will change over the coming 10-20 years?
In a way I trust human beings. It’s easy to forget that just about a hundred years ago Berlin, Paris and London had the worst slums on earth. The new scenario I think is that more and more people feel that we are all in this urban boom together… and have to come up with new smarter solutions… Isn’t that what the UN conference in Stockholm – Future of Places – is all about?
What is your favourite city in the world and why?
As I say in my books, my problem is that I love them all. Stockholm will forever be close to my heart, Paris is like an old lover, I can never forget my ten years in New York, I’m dreaming about moving to Berlin. I am fascinated by mega cities like Mexico City and São Paulo, my favorite odd fellow is Beirut.
But if money, work etcetera were no problem I would probably end up in Los Angeles – for me the climate, the energy, the people, the creativity, the openness, the food, everything comes together there. The only problem is of course where in L.A you should end up living…
Bobo Karlsson writes for several Swedish journals and magazines, and his new book Urban Safari.2 (Norstedts) was published in April. The first Urban Safari was published 2009, with paperback editions published in 2010 and 2011.
