Winter City in translation: The Winter Cities movement and the design of an Arctic Norwegian City

This article explores how seasonal considerations shape cities, broadening our understanding of winter’s multifaceted and dynamic role across spatial, economic, cultural and political dimensions. Focusing on Tromsø, Norway, the article unpacks how various actors and processes before, during, and after the Winter Cities Tromsø 1990 event mediated winter as both an urban challenge and opportunity, shaping urban design, dynamics and broader change. Utilizing mega-event analysis, Actor-Network Theory and urban policy mobilities, the study examines how the ‘Winter City’ model translated, critically assessing the networks and considerations that advanced the Winter Cities movement in the late 20th century. Newspapers and policy documents illuminate the agencies and urgencies that transformed Tromsø into a Winter City. The study reveals how multiple representations of winter collide and coalesce, providing valuable insights for addressing the complex dynamics of seasonal Arctic urban environments.