I am an experienced urban researcher/architect, and am interested to join your team on a flexible/part-time basis. I have been following your work with keen interest, and have explored parallel themes in my own. Currently, I am pursuing urban research at Vereniging Deltametropool in Rotterdam. The research focuses on industry- and knowledge-clusters in Delft and Leiden, and combines spatial analysis, typological design, and collaborative networking with commercial partners. The research is project-based. Therefore, I am looking for opportunities to combine this with architectural work on a flexible/part-time basis, offering both my research expertise, and my experience as an architect, as combined qualities.
MOTIVATION LETTER
During my urban design studies at the Architectural Association I focused on emergent changes in the political, economic and geographical realm of the knowledge economy, and, evolving from that, new ways of governing plans for urban areas. In all my projects, I like to use spatial reasoning as both a diagnostic and critical tool. In the redevelopment of Lower Lea Valley in London, the importance lay in the integration of industrial systems in urban environments. The studio book “Techknowledge-neighbourhood - towards industrial urbanity” comprised the communal studio work, whereby I focused on the typological shift of industrial buildings and research buildings in the knowledge society. My March thesis was a deeper examination of the ‘Knowledge neighbourhood’ as a spatial diagram that enables innovative and economic growth. It concentrated on the example of Cambridge (UK), and how this monocentric city could be reorganised with a new sustainable development at its fringe. To understand the formation of innovative ecologies in regional systems, I addressed the changes of mobility systems and new nodality as well as rethinking the patterns of movement between different centers of excellence in terms of speed, services and synergies. I acquired helpfull information on this topic during my summer internship at Verenigung Deltametropool in Rotterdam. Over two months I analysed spatial difference between science parks in Singapore, NL, and Cambridge in terms of innovative clustering. This was followed by investigations on the potential economic landscape of industries in the Netherlands, with two small publications as outcome. Additional input over the year came from the two workshops I attended in the Netherlands and Taiwan. The workshop in Amsterdam aimed at the redevelopment of Amsterdam-Zuidas for a more integrated approach towards forming local and regional synergies. It served as an input for the ‘Making Cities’ International Architecture Biennale of Rotterdam 2012. Under the topic ‘Innovative Regions and Creative Cities’, the workshop in Tainan collaborated with the local graduate architecture institute, focusing on four private military sites in Tainan for urban regenerationin the light of a knowledge based economy. Followed with interest from the representatives of the Taipei City government, these investigations delegated to the INTA (International Urban Development Association) conference. Beyond this, I have four years of experience in several well-known architecture offices in London, Dubai, Switzerland and Germany, covering the whole range from conceptual design to construction planning in commercial, residential, healthcare and masterplanning projects. I am a German native speaker, with excellent knowledge of English. For now, I can understand and read Dutch, and am now actively improving my writing skills and oral skills. If necessary, I am prepared to follow language classes for a potential position. I am confident I would be a useful contribution to your team due to my previous work and research experience. My attention to detail, interest in research and distinctive problem-solving skills ensure that every project I work on is done accurately and to the highest possible standard. I am comfortable working as part of a team but also have the ability to take an authoritative role. My verbal communication skills and positive attitude make me an effective communicator with all clients and colleagues I work with. An extract of my work is enclosed, but for further information, publications and work samples please visit my website: www.ankewetzel.com I look forward to hearing from you and maybe have the opportunity of discussing my application with you further. Kind regards, Anke Wetzel
ANKE WETZEL dipl. Ing Architekt MArch Urban design www.ankewetzel.com 1e Jerichostraat 85B 3069GD Rotterdam Netherlands 0031 614 22 31 59 wetzel_anke@yahoo.de Rotterdam 11.10.2013
EDUCATION September 2011 - March 2013 Architectural Association London - London, UK M arch Housing & Urbanism October 2002 - August 2007 University of Applied Science - Dresden, Germany Dipl. Ing Architekt SOFTWARE SKILLS CAD-programs Vectorworks, Archicad, AutoCAD, Microstation 3D - programs 3D Studio Max, Sketchup, Cinema 4d
Geographical Mapping - programs ArchGIS, QGis
LANGUAGE SKILLS German - native language English - fluent in speaking and writing Dutch - intermediate Russian - intermediate
CU RRICU LUM VITAE
Layout - programs Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, Premiere, Corel
SCHOLARSHIP DAAD SCHOLARSHIP FOR MArch Graduate study scholarships for 16 month PUB LICATIONS November 2012
“Leidens Bio-tech cluster needs its Hinterland” - Factsheet @ Vereniging Deltametropool, Rotterdam,
September 2012
“Science Park or Science City’” - SprintStad #5 @ Vereniging Deltametropool, Rotterdam, September 2012
WORKSHOPS Februar 2012
”Winterschool Making Zuidas” - Amsterdam, NL
July 2012
“Innovative Regions and Creative Cities” - Tainan, Taiwan
WORK HISTORY July 2013 - October 2013 Vereniging Deltametropool, Rotterdam, NL Creating innovative production environments - spatial design testing strategy for Delft and Leiden - Starting grant Creative Industry fund March 2013 - July 2013
Freelance architect and Urban designer, Dresden Germany Projectassistenz ‘TOPOMOMO’ - Typologies of Modernist Buildings Foundation Haus Schminke - European funded Project (EFRE)
August 2012 - September 2012 V
Vereniging Deltametropool, Rotterdam, NL Project ‘Sprintstad’ - Transport Oriented Development in NL Investigations industrial landscape - Location Delft und Leiden, NL
August 2009 - August 2011
Loosli and Partner architects, Bern, Switzerland
Care Home Altenberg, Bern, Switzerland concept and detailed design, reconstruction facade Parish Hall Ittigen, Switzerland facade design and interior
CU RRICU LUM VITAE
Care Centre Boesingen, Switzerland competition nursing home
Clinic Area Siloah, Guemligen, Switzerland urban design / master planning
Nursing Home Wydenhof, Rubigen, Switzerland design and application for planning permission, extension nursing home
Family Coaching Centre Suedkurve, Lyss, Switzerland concept design, conversion of an old factory building into an community centre June 2008 – July 2009
PRC Architects Ltd., Dubai, UAE
Hotel Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi feasibility study, 5 star sport and business hotel
Guesthouse, Dubai concept design, small hotel King Wilhelm Land, Saadiyat Island, The World, Dubai feasibility study, residential development Ferries Wheel, Abu Dhabi feasibility study, 170 m diameter ferries wheel 500 Villas in Rumania concept design, residential development
T win Tower, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai feasibility study, 2 residential towers
Al-Masood Tower, Abu Dhabi concept design, commercial tower Kay Bizz Tower, Ajman facade studies, commercial tower
The One - Tower, Abu Dhabi layout and facade studies, commercial tower
Faberge Hotel and Residence concept study, hotel and commercial tower October 2007 – June 2008
PRC Architects Ltd., London, UK
Whitley Village, Surrey, England master planning, residential and commercial development
Tolworth Tower, London, England feasibility study, residential tower East Hill, Wandsworth, England feasibility study, residential development
Lakeside Healthcare Centre, London detailed design, construction drawings Clinic SWH Lift, London feasibility study and 3D-visualisation April 2006 – June 2006
S.H. Architects, London, UK
CHLOÉ Stores worldwide concept drawings and interior design
August 2005 – October 2005
Architecture office Claudia Muntschik, Dresden, Germany
Europan 8 – Erfurt Ilversgehofen urban planning competition
CU RRICU LUM VITAE
West End Green, Paddington, London feasibility study, residential and commercial development June 2006 – Februar 2007 Sonnemann Toon Architects, London, UK
CONTENT ABSTRACT CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECT “CREATING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS” ABSTRACT MARCH FINAL THESIS “EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF THE KNO WLE DGE NEI GHBOURHOOD” PUBLICATION - “LEIDENS BIO-TECH CLUSTER NEEDS ITS HINTERLAND” - FACTSHEET PUBLICATION - “SCIENCE PARK OR SCIENCE CITY’” - SPRINTSTAD #5 EXTRACT BOOKLET TERM 2 “TECH -KNOWLEDG E NEIGHB OURHOOD - TOWARDS INDUS TRIAL URBANITY“
ABSTRACT CURRENT TRESEARCH PROJECT
CREATING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS a spatial design-testing strategy for Delft and Leiden STARTER GRANT at Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie by Association Deltametropool
Europe’s economic and urban systems are becoming increasingly regionalized. This process of agglomeration is connected to patterns of innovation and potential manufacturing in the South-Holland area, which is seen as the economic motor for the Netherlands. But there are fundamental obstacles to the growth of the area. The current separation of manufacturing and knowledge systems do not allow for entrepreneurial, integrated, and synergistic environments to compete in global markets. To overcome this weakness and to understand the value potential of certain places we propose a spatial testing strategy as a tool to speculate the formation of successful clusters and
innovative corridors. Seen as a starter project to form a matrix for a bigger scale project for the region, it will concentrate on the location of small companies in the area around Delft and Leiden. Based on the economical study ‘Weerbare region’, we use the concept of the ‘Knowledge Neighbourhood’ as a spatial organisation to govern the design test. Including the spatial analysis of existing industry-related clusters and their comparison to international case studies, the project will foster greater depth of knowledge and will establish links between academic research and local industries to show new ways to strengthen the regional production system.
The focus on small scale companies and ‘Gazelles’ (firms that started small and established their position on the market for more then 5 years) therefore becomes increasingly important. Seen as the most flexible and innovative companies, they show the greatest opportunities to grow and to form strong new cross-over relationships between the university and local industry. After a broad study of Gazelles in South Holland, we concentrated on the spatial behavior and movement. In cooperation with our project partners from the Utrecht University, Province South Holland, the city Delft and Leiden, we are now working towards redevelopment strategies for certain industrial clusters. ICT-related companies around Leiden in 2010
SEMILAB
Exitence: 7 years Employees 1996: 5 Employees 2010: 16
EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF THE KNOWLEDGE NEIGHBOURHOOD
“The contemporary town is not one but many places. It is a complex, many layered, multifarious structure, made up of complementary and interconnected ideas, concepts and systems.� (O.M. Ungers)
ABSTRACT MARCH FINAL THESIS
Europe’s economic and urban systems are becoming increasingly regionalized. The flexible networks of companies cluster into agglomerations that integrate into a system larger than the city itself. This process of agglomeration forming new centres is connected to patterns of innovation and potentially manufacturing to compete in an increasingly extended market. Second tier cities play an important role in these regional systems, especially those that have a high knowledge component. An outstanding example of this in terms of a centre of knowledge is Cambridge in which the city has considerable potential to grow and become a key part of a regional system. But there are fundamental obstacles to the growth of the city, which can be seen in its structure and morphology. The current separation of manufacturing and knowledge systems do not allow for the entrepreneurial, integrated, and synergistic environments one could speculate having in order compete in global markets.
This separation is grounded in the typical land use plan. To overcome the weakness of the current market and to understand the value potential of certain places we use a morphological plan as a tool to speculate the formation of successful future communities. Rather than thinking in typical land use categories, the role of the plan is the transparent and flexible development of an area to bring different stakeholders on board, for a diverse and complex development. To clarify the structure and ambition of the new development we use the concept of the knowledge neighbourhood as a spatial organization and as an alternative instrument to govern the plan. These characteristics must be understood at a variety of scales, but logically imply a plan that covers a consistent and integral urban area of at least 60 hectares, based on the patterns of everyday mobility that underlie the concept of a neighbourhood. Still this area must be seen as containing a variety of smaller, functionally and spatially differentiated clusters, while also forming a substantial urban area within the larger Cambridge system.
Case study Cambridge - from points to fields Case study Cambridge - from points to fields
from points to fields - morphology through mobility from points to fields - morphology through mobility
To To encourage encourage economic economic growth growth we we need need to to rethink rethink the the patterns of movement between different centers patterns of movement between different centers of of excellence excellence and and aa new new nodality nodality based based on on the the characteristics characteristics of the knowledge economy in terms of speed, of the knowledge economy in terms of speed, services services and synergies. The location and spatial organization and synergies. The location and spatial organization of of the the existing existing station station cannot cannot accomplish accomplish these these ambitions, ambitions, most most especially especially in in relation relation to to the the potentially potentially growing growing manufacturing sector, but also in manufacturing sector, but also in terms terms of of housing housing the the region’s talent base. Cambridge needs to be become region’s talent base. Cambridge needs to be become better better organized organized as as aa multi-nodal multi-nodal system system in in which which rail rail integration integration along along the the M11 M11 corridor corridor will will have have aa central central role role to to play. play. One One or two additional stations could conceivably provide or two additional stations could conceivably provide speed, speed, flexibility, flexibility, and and spatial spatial differentiation differentiation that that would would encourage encourage the formation of a multi-nodal regional system. the formation of a multi-nodal regional system. The The accommodation accommodation of of international, international, regional regional and and local local services services and and the the emergence emergence of of new new spatial spatial synergies synergies would would lead lead not not just just to to aa transformation transformation of of the the stations stations themselves, themselves, but but also to the rethinking of the surrounding station also to the rethinking of the surrounding station districts. districts. AA larger larger ambition ambition to to include include multiple multiple stakeholders stakeholders and and create a balanced mobility system would create a balanced mobility system would influence influence the the mode of planning and the potential financial instruments mode of planning and the potential financial instruments for for development. development.
PUBLICATION
PUBLICATION
INNOVATION CLUSTERS
LEIDEN BIO SCIENCE PARK
SCIENCE PARK OR SCIENCE CITY?
tries and other entities related to skills and technologies. This article discusses the urban planning challenges of science parks, by means of comparing Leiden Bio Science Park, Cambridge Hi-tech cluster and the inspirational case of Biopolis in Singapore.
Knowledge and innovation are regarded as the main catalyst of contemporary economies, where only continuous innovation can guarantee competitive advantage in the global economy. Science parks play a key role in this - they are the cluster formations combining universities, R&D facilities, indusI
A new science park model: connectivity and multiscalarity Today’s knowledge exchange is based on the fast flow of information between multiple actors. From the former isolated science parks, the tendency has moved towards a more integrated and linked model, which relies more on face-to-face interaction and proximity. A dense network of institutions in the surrounding area provides shared facilities and meeting places at the ground levels of the complex. Recreational water and green areas also increase spatial quality to the standards of the ‘creative class’. These upgraded campuses and science parks can globally be regarded as science cities. International links between science cities are essential (air and fast rail connections). Local and regional public transportation is necessary to integrate the whole knowledge cluster in the region (network value). II
CAMBRIDGE HIGH-TECH CLUSTER
SINGAPORE BIOPOLIS
Leiden and Cambridge Investments in biotechnology have increased the demand for high-skilled scientists and engineers, as well as for science park facilities. The Bio Science Park in Leiden (Randstad Holland) now faces the challenge of either intensification or extension. Compared to the Cambridge science park, Leiden is wellconnected by public transport and contains a good mix of entities on the campus. The monofunctional buildings do not generate street life however. Both developments are characterised by poor walkability and isolated buildings with no relation to the street, which are lined with parking spaces. Green spaces and water are merely used as buffers, strengthening the island-like formations, rather than providing a connecting recreational space.
neration. Key public and private research institutes have been mixed with housing, cultural and sport facilities and green areas, providing a rich civic environment where one can live, work and research. An important part of the One-North cluster is the biomedical R&D hub Biopolis: a vibrant cluster of mixed use buildings close to a metro station, which offers several services at the ground level and underground parking facilities. This gives rise to a dense complex, with vivid street life and meeting places. What can Leiden learn from Singapore? The proximity to the train station and the city centre makes Leiden’s Bio Science Park a great location for high quality housing. Mixing those functions may provide financing for urban redevelopment, where redundant spaces can be transformed to create a lively urban landscape with shared amenities and meeting places at the ground level. To compete with global knowledge clusters, the linkages between different universities and specialised industries need to be strengthened. The existing mobility system in the Netherlands may provide a backbone for such a regional innovation network, integrating strong specialised economic sectors. IV
PUBLICATION
During an internship, at Deltametropolis Association, architect Anke Wetzel investigated different models of innovation clusters, in relation to their connectivity and spatial TOD qualities: Leiden Bio Science Park, Cambridge Hi-Tech cluster and Biopolis Singapore. In 2013 she presents her Master Thesis on this topic at the Architectural Association in London.
Singapore In Asia, many examples of huge innovation clusters, multiple science parks integrated with universities and industries are forming dense top-down science cities. The One-North project in Singapore has adopted an interesting approach to sustainable planning and creating mid and long term value geIII
26
Cambridge, UK
Leiden, NL
Singapore, SG
airports and regional network
Cambridge
Leiden airport city center science park
Singapore
institutions and green areas
institutions site area 200m
public transportation
highway train metro busstop
network value: 1055 trainstop
network value: 1340 P P
P
P
P P
P P P
P
P
P
P P
P
P parking
P
P
P
P
P P
P
P
P
P
P P
entrance delivery entrance pedestrian
P
P P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P P
P
P
P
P
cluster organisation
P
P
P
P
PUBLICATION
50m
Singapore Biopolis
Leiden Bio Science Park
SUMMARY
Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood towards Industrial Urbanity
Cities have been the centre of world economies for centuries, yet the combination of spatial dispersion and global integration has created a new strategic role for them.The Lower Lea Valley is located at the intersection of financial centres, specialized services, and innovation and production markets, which contribute to the synthesis between knowledge and the market for which the products are produced. We imagine the engagement between the industries and their locality to constitute the next generation industrial environment, or a “Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood�. We believe the redefinition of the city through an industry-led initiative is crucial in providing stable, economic growth to counterpose the instability of the financial services sector in an ever globalizing economy. Through a redefinition of the existing potentials within the Lower Lea Valley, our strategy uses an approach to differentiation by exploring a morphological-based plan utilizing the open block, and typological shifts within dominant building types. These become the defining qualities of the urban quarters which will establish a unique character in every neighbourhood. This triggers the process of transformation by developing the complexity required for urban life and will contribute to the formation of a renewed productive city where experimentation is the fundamental driver. This approach leads to the conception of industrial urbanity within the Lower Lea Valley.
Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood: Towards industrial Urbanity
Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood
07
Open Block
23
From Shed to Industrial Urbanity
53
Reshuffling the Interior
64
Transforming the Type
72
Exploring the Deep Plan
80
Outcome
85
TECH-KNOWLEDGE NEIGHBOURHOOD
The Ambition for Lower Lea Valley
8
Cities have been the centre of world economies for centuries, yet the combination of spatial dispersion and global integration has created a new strategic role for them. These strategic roles of the city must be understood not only as highly concentrated points in the world economy, but as key locations for finance and specialized firms. Cities are the site of the production of goods, as well as the production of innovation, and the city center performs the key role by creating the market which ties these elements together. The synthesis between the market, the demand for production, and the innovation sector are the key components of the knowledge-based economy.
[2]
Yet, in the middle of the 20th century, the industries associated with the production of goods were relocated to the outlying, peripheral areas of the city. Recently, due to economic conditions and technological innovation, the formerly peripheral areas of production are responding to the rapid change in demands of the market by realizing the potentials which are associated with being well connected to the city center. The formerly peripheral areas need to combine production with innovation to develop a reflexive relationship with the city center in order to maximize the value of both areas.
[3]
[4] Lower Lea Valley (1).Hamburg (2). Bilbao (3). Amsterdam (4).
[1]
9
TECH-KNOWLEDGE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Our projective vision of the city is not about encouraging an ever growing centre, whereby the division between centre and periphery is apparent. By recognizing the characteristics of the broader site, we find more possibilities of integrating the city centre and the periphery.
10
The Lower Lea Valley (LLV) is located at the intersection of financial centres, specialized services, and innovation and production markets, which contributes to the synthesis between knowledge and the market for which the products are produced. At the same time, we imagine the engagement between the industries and their neighbourhood to constitute the next generation industrial environment, or a “Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood”. The neighbourhood would support an innovative industrial sector at a local scale and be part of a high-tech exchange at a regional one. Based on a multiple stakeholders’ strategy, this development should facilitate low risk investments and can be implemented through a phased process.
With a close relationship between the production and science-based industries, the area would also integrate living and working facilities to promote a collective engagement into the private sector. In fact, the workspace environment will support “the interaction among strangers� and by highlighting the heterogeneous character of the region, propose a strong set of differentiated urban areas that could establish its integrated role within the urban metropolis.
11
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
[1]
54
The industrial shed is a legacy of land use planning. The primary objective of this architecture was merely to facilitate access, and to contain the technological function within a neutral envelope. As a result, the sheds are present wherever the land use plan has allocated industrial area. Mono-functional industrial parks both in the LLV and in other peripheral areas have shown us that divorcing the architecture from the interior functions leads to an inefficient use of land and to an exterior environment which is not conducive to creating the complexity required of urbanity.
[2]
IWB Storage Building (1), various plans of sheds, components of the shed (3), EKZ Distribution Center (4) GIRA Production Building (5), Mors Distribution Center (6), ITW Morlock Assembly Plant (7)
In short, the industrial shed has zero urban ambition. To rethink the Prologis site as a next generation industrial neighbourhood, the shed needs to be discarded as the dominant type.
[4]
ROOF + LIGHT
[5] STRUCTURE + SPATIALITY
ENVELOPE + FRONTALITY
[6]
GROUND FLOOR + ACCESS
[3]
[7]
55
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
There are three strategies to facilitate the transformation of the area utilizing the industrial shed. First, to keep the project costs low while accommodating the fluid transition to an upgraded industrial development, retaining a few of the key existing sheds can act as placeholders for future development within the area. However, rearticulating the interior is necessary to upgrade the shed from its previous position in the fabric as mere envelope, to a structure which fulfils both a social and collaborative role within the area. The second approach is a typological shift in the industrial shed. This allows us to develop new buildings which are conducive to delivering the characteristics of an urbanized area, while retaining the original dimensionality of the shed. The final approach is a strategy which uses a megaform logic, that is, to design new buildings which have the characteristics of very large sheds. The buildings can
56
1
Prologis site (1), Horizontal versus vertical multiplication of sheds (2), integrated parking (3), composite building (4). [2]
[3]
[4]
[8] Transitlager - Basel (6), College of the Arts - London (7), CitĂŠ des Sciences et de l‘industrie - Paris (8).
contain a great number of diverse functions which enable the formation of new business ecologies. Also, by creating an environment where all of the enterprises are linked, the building can begin to have characteristics similar to a university, in the way that the interior becomes a form of privileged space. These approaches to the treatment of the industrial shed, especially the typologically shift, have become the impetus for the transformation of the area. [6]
57 [7]
diverse productive system, there will need to be a change to the nature of the streets which will help it facilitate a high quality of collective space while maintaining service delivery functions. There are two critical issues to address the regeneration of the area. The first is to increase the capacity of the mobility which links the site to the metropolitan scale. There is an existing highway interchange toward the northwest area of the site, which directs the majority of the inflow of traffic to the area. However, the current road system which relies solely upon the vehicular mobility system is inadequate for the anticipated needs of the future actors within the development.
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
[1]
As opposed to SHL, Prologis is an area with an existing morphology and infrastructure that can facilitate larger scale industrial functions. Currently, the site is comprised mainly of large scale industries such as recycling and energy supply, food processing and logistics, warehouse and distribution, and aggregate production.At the moment, these industries are contained within sheds of considerable dimension. Their characteristics have been embedded into the ground and this has left a distinctive grain to the effect of their dimensionality. This allows us to analyse the potentials left by the persistence of this grain, such as the flexible nature of large scale structures which can be attractive for new forms of higher value industry. This also allows us to rethink the relationship between the buildings and the mobility system. While accepting the permanence of the plan, by upgrading the Prologis site to make use of a
58 [2]
To address the projective needs of the area, we have proposed a linkage to the A13 by creating a diagonal extension to the southeast of Prologis. This move permits the road to act as a spine which enhances the efficiency of the road network. The second issue addresses the internal mobility and distribution system within the site. The existing fabric is constituted by a series of parallel and perpendicular roads. However, there is a disconnect between the roads which is limiting movement, be it vehicular, pedestrian, or cycling. Therefore, implementing the logic of a grid could help us further develop the various parcels with an integrated mobility pattern.
[3]
Prologis - overview (1), Projected grid (2), Prologis existing fabric (3) and (4).
59 [4]
The grids are not straightjackets which must inevitably lead to uniformity, but inherently diverse forms which in turn can foster further variety. P.Groth
[1]
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
The grid is a tool to explore issues of balance, continuity, hierarchy and differentiation through the site. It is more than a network of roads, it works as a tool that supports the rationality as well as the diversity required of industrial urbanity. As a result, different patterns of movement can occur both within and across the grid. At the same time, the challenge to establishing gridness is to identify and highlight the difference within it. When we begin to incorporate the typological and morphological shifts of the industrial shed with the logic and the freedom afforded by the grid, the area gains vibrancy and permits the progressive refinement of the complexities in the envisioned neighbourhood.
60 [2]
Prologis site and the grids (1), Lower Lea Valley and the projected grid which is based on the understanding of the existing grid (2), Prologis site - differentiation of the patterns of movement - the distinction between parallel roads must be characterized by their dimensions, the materiality and the existing characteristics of the site, such as the river, the basin and the vegetation (3).
61 [3]
Two parallel lines can have different roles. While higher value functions are linked to densification and urban life and correspond to one street, production facilities and their associated system, such as the movement of large trucks, are located in the adjacent street.
Transforming the Type
[1]
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
Prologis - view of the park (1), Prologis aite - gridness and triangle (2), conflicting grid (3), ABB power Tower Baden (4).
72
We have established three typological shifts in industrial buildings which are conducive to delivering the characteristics of an urbanized area. The first is an integrated parking approach which places the parking at or below ground level, while the functions of the buildings are raised and placed on a plinth, as seen in the Chiswick Park development in London. This frees up the required land traditionally required for parking and allows building at greater density. The second shift is a stacking of functions, as seen in the ABB Power Tower in Switzerland. Here, the placement of lower value production facilities beneath higher value office space allows the construction of greater floor area on a smaller footprint, which decreases the amount of land required for construction. Finally, if the buildings in the next generation
[2]
Mobility system (1), design approach of the west bank (2-4).
[3]
[4]
On the west side of the river, the point block typology is projected to promote a porous relationship perpendicular to the water while utilizing a simple type in order to facilitate low risk investment. This generates a high degree of permeability between the existing housing blocks and the waterfront, while simultaneously creating privacy within the courtyards to establish a dual character to this bank.
81 [1]
b a
a
FROM SHEDS TO INDUSTRIAL URBANITY
b
82
On the east side of the river and at the adjacent basin, a more complex typology is implemented to help realize our vision for this portion of our Tech-Knowledge Neighbourhood. The fundamental nature of the innovation economy is to achieve synergies between research, engineering, design, and business development and we are trying to create an environment which urbanizes these synergies. This strengthens the relationship between innovative companies and the industrial sector.
Typological approach differentiates the water edge conditions.
[1] Model view basin (1), Christiansbro - project in Copenhagen (2), London Assembly - London (3)
Studying the Christiansbro project in Copenhagen, or the London Assembly in London, these projects establish strong relationships with people moving along the water. Furthermore, the buildings contain courtyards in between the blocks which are oriented perpendicularly to the water. This allows for views onto the water and movement along the water while creating privacy within the courtyard. This approach articulates both a path of movement which is public while fostering a sense of local privacy. Using this approach, collective work spaces and recreational facilities as well as galleries and exhibition spaces, encourage the public engagement within the area.
[2]
[3]
research living
living work parking
work
work parking
research manufacturing parking
parking
Section a-a
research / work
education
manufacturing
research / work
work
sport
foyer parking & delivery
83 Section b-b