Three strange days at Europe's 'idea camp' for urbanism

The common language at the European Cultural Foundation's second annual Idea Camp - featuring 50 'idea makers' from 23 countries who gathered in Stockholm to chase prizes of a10,000 - was English. Unofficially, it was urbanese

In the Stockholm suburb of Botkyrka, where 1970s towerblocks bathe in damp Swedish autumn air, and misty forests surround the peaceful lake of Albysjin, lies the former estate of telephone tycoon Lars Magnus Ericsson. He was a farmer's son, and once he was done with telephones he moved back to the country to return to his first love, bovine innovation. After his death the buildings fell into disuse and in the 1990s were bought by the local municipality for one krone, and turned into a "creative cluster" home to a series of arts institutions, collectively known as Subtopia.

For three long days last week this peculiar Swedish suburb - where substantial unemployment resides amidst allotments and gently awe-inspiring natural beauty - was home to the European Cultural Foundation's (ECF's) second annual Idea Camp, hosting 50 people called "idea makers" from 23 countries. The proposals - each with the goal to "Build the City" - have been selected by the ECF from 400 entries, and over three long days their multinational proposers are encouraged to develop their ideas via collaboration, discussion and a toolkit straight out of Blue Peter. If they can escape death by a thousand Post-it notes, the idea makers have the chance of winning one of 25 ECF research and development grants of up to a10,000 a piece. But it's not about the destination, it's the journey that matters - albeit a journey taking place inside Subtopia's huge windowless warehouse, Hangaren, the largest circus space in Sweden.