Abstract
Why have central areas in Norwegian cities become more popular in recent years? There is an increasing demand for inner-city dwellings changing the social composition of the inhabitants from lower to higher status groups. This phenomenon, ‘gentrification’, seems to be an international trend. Gentrification has been explained in different ways. Mainly, three different types of explanations have been suggested, related to economy/production, consumption/life-style and feminization of the labour market. In this paper, our standpoint is related to the two latter explanations emphasizing that living in central areas may also have important practical advantages. Long distances between home and the workplace, a mediocre public-transport supply and time-use in car queues are negative factors, while reduction of distances, ‘liberation’ from motorized transport and increased access to public services facilitate the organization of everyday life. Results from a survey of 5,000 inhabitants in Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen confirm that practical advantages are considered important for living in central areas.
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