CHALLENGE
Vollsmose is exceeded only by Hans Christian Andersen and the football club Odense Boldklub in terms of the outside world’s knowledge of Odense. Denmark’s so-called ghetto areas have great potential that goes beyond housing and social problems.

How do you transform Vollsmose from a ghetto to a district that people visit to experience something special?

FINDINGS
You cannot change the reputation of districts using traditional branding tools; instead, you must work in the long term integrating different fields such as branding and urban development as well as cultural and social initiatives.

The ‘ghetto stamp’ sticks due to a number of things, a.o. no road signs in Odense pointing to Vollsmose. The area literally does not exist as a district of the city.

If you want to change the image of the housing and social area you need an activistic, action-oriented attitude to branding, where you create a conceptual framework around the unique voluntary forces that characterise the district.

SOLUTION
Beneath the reports about conflicts there is a district where a decade of investments and initiatives resulted in flourishing popular associations, sports, local life and shopping activities. “Visit Vollsmose” is an action-oriented branding platform that opens Vollsmose towards the world outside as a different experience for tourists as well as the people of Odense. Vollsmose’s current brand is so negative that the best way to improve it is to invite people to experience what Vollsmose actually has to offer.

Design 2+1 Idébureau
Project partners The Ministry of Social Affairs, Mediehuset i Vollsmose, Municipality of Odense