Urban Design Network City
Sponge Line one long and connected urban space
Sponge City Connecting City THE CITY AS AN ORGANISM | FACTS YOU CAN’T DENY | READING THE LANDSCAPE | INFRASTRUCTURE + SPEED | GET TO KNOW THE HARBOR | BRAINSTORM | HOW TO GET A SPONGE LINE | ABSORB STRESS | SOUND EXPERIENCE | SPONGE POINT ON TRACK
spo
ng
e
li n e .
To read the landscape means ...
Sponge Line Urban transformation and sustainable engineering techniques Urban design MSc01 Aalborg Universitet Supervisors: Lea Louise Holst Laursen + Jes Vollertsen Authors: Andrea Falk Pedersen, Anne Sofie Elgaard Sørensen, Carolin Föhre + Emma Lockwood Date: 15.11.2017 Publications: 7 Pages: 67
Intro Page 5 Meet the fleet
Andrea Falk Pedersen
Anne Sofie Elgaard Sørensen
Carolin Föhre
Emma Lockwood
... to read the past, present, ...
Objective | This project wishes to explore the urban potentials and qualities that are situated in Vejle with focus on densification, livable urban spaces and water management. Vejle has an extensive water issue due to climate challenges and therefore the site becomes an interesting case to work with intelligent solutions that can handle water management while functioning as an public space (Semester description – MSc01-URB fall 2017, 2017). Working with densification and a city that is anticipated to increase its population with 15% over the next 14 years, Vejle becomes the ideal city to accommodate intriguing and enduring urban and livable spaces (Vejle Kommune, 2017).
Intro Page 7 Objective
... and the future of the city.
Intro
Theory Page 17
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Intro | Manifesto
Intro | The Sponge City
Page 12
Page 14
Theory | The city as an organism
Theory | The networking city
Analysis
Page 18
Theory | Vejle as a network structure
Analysis | The situation in Vejle
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Analysis | Location of the barrier
Analysis | Facts you cant´t deny
Analysis | Facts you cant´t deny
CK · OUT
AG ST RA
M
H E · PEOP
IN
HE
·T
ED · TO · C
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LK
FOLLO
LE
G
O
W
VEJLE_IN_DEEP_WATER
· W E · TA
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Page 26
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Analysis | Flashback
Analysis | Process notation
Analysis | Reading the landscape
Get to know the harbor
Page 28
Page 30
Page 34
Analysis | Infrastructure + Speed
Analysis | Get to know the harbor
Analysis | Vejle in words
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Page 37
Page 38
Analysis | Sounds
Analysis | Talks
Analysis | Brainstrom
I n d e x
I n d e x
Page 40
Design
Page 42 Design | Welcome to the Sponge Line
Analysis | Sum up + Design Parameters
Include us! Always remember to include the citizens
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Page 45
Page 46
Design | How to get a Sponge Line
Design | Including the citizens
Design | The Sponge Line
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Page 50
Page 52
Design | Constructing the Sponge Line Design | Absorbing stress
Design | Sound Experience
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Design | Zoom 1
Design | Zoom 2
Design | Zoom 3
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The end
Design | SPOT
Design | Sponge Line worldwide
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Page 65
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The end | Ending
The end | Reflection
The end | Reference list
Intro
Manifesto | Imagine a design that can prevent flooding and in the same time establish connections between society and ecology, while proactively designing links between nature and culture and exploring the potential of social infrastructure. And then picture it to become a nationwide design that also can help and improve urban conditions in other resilient countries.
Manifesto
Page 10
Vejle is one of the ten most vulnerable located cities in Denmark at risk from flooding due to sea level rise and frequently more extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. By the year of 2100 it is predicted that low-lying residential and business areas in the city of Vejle will be under water (100 Resilient Cities, 2017). Reflecting the challenges that are ahead of Vejle there is a fundamental need to apply new approaches on sustainable urban water management. It is necessary to rethink the urban structure of Vejle but also the current approach of how we design sustainable, intriguing and livable cities. Climate challenges are global threats that these years make new demands of how cities must be designed. Hereby not only proposing technical requirements of how to design urban water management, but also of how to live with water and how to develop flexible urban spaces, growing city densities, and changing urban landscapes while engaging to social diversity. Looking into how the world already have addresses climate challenges the existing term called “Sponge City� have been addressed and studied during the researching period of water management in Vejle. The program of the Sponge City is an expanding tendency that promotes to design cities more like nature and therefore being able to absorb water and passively clean and use rainfall (Spacey, 2016). However this technical and scientific approach of working with city planning can be characterized as somewhat illiberal by neither incorporating or responding to the sociological layers in the city. This will be further discussed in the next chapter when the natural sponge and the Sponge City are to be investigated.
The Sponge City | Sponges can be pumped, expanded, and blown up with water, and afterwards squeezed and drained again. The metaphor of the sponge is a structure composed by multiple layers working together and producing energy – all processes of operating internal networks that can be stretched to even larger scales.
Throughout the next chapters the Sponge City will be discussed and put into a larger context, here by seeing the city as an organism in relation to nature, ecologies, networks, and the designing of city structures.
Page 11 The Sponge City
“How can we explore the term Sponge City and translate it into the context of Vejle?”
Intro
The scientific name of a sponge is “Porifera” meaning “pore-bearing” – this referring to the many channels and openings that the sponge is constructed by. The ancient Greeks spoke of sponges as beings that were crossbreeds between animals and plants, however in present time sponges are characterized as primitive animals living in water, indicating that sponges are living creatures that are formed by organisms and therefore can grow over time (The Sea Sponge Company, 2016). Sponges have the fascinating ability that they can both hold, clean, and drain water, as a result of the numerous layers which the sponge is formed by. These layers have diverse functions as being the skills of both obtaining and transporting water while absorbing and digesting the energy. This intelligence and smart instinctive technology is conceivable to translate directly into the context of urban design and city planning. When the sponge is living in a healthy environment with good conditions it grows, which also applies for cities. The various layers of the sponge can be symbolized and described as elements and functions in the city which can grow and be self-controlling as soon as the surroundings, climate, and settings are ideal. This brings us to the debate of “Sponge Cities” where the current main focus is the handling of water (Leach, 2016). The technical aspects of managing the transportation and absorption of water are embodied in the thinking of the Sponge City, however the social layers in the city are not reflected in this program. To make a healthy city that can regulate and handle great climate change, urban designers and planners also need to design cities that can be smart and new-thinking towards society, urbanism, and culture – here with a view to creating developments that must improve the conditions of life while being diverse and multifunctional. Sponge Cities have a strategic perspective where the program can be adapted to most cities that are challenged with water management. However the discussion of the urban surface, public space and landscape are not elucidated in the programming of the Sponge City. The aspect and intention of developing social and public spaces does simply not transpire in the term Sponge City, which can have a negative impact when the intention is to design healthy cities for people and the future. In relation to this it might be achievable to discuss social ecologies in both city and nature during the next chapters, when the definition of a Sponge City should be rethought. Urban surfaces will be unfolded in matter of designing solutions for exposed cities. The Sponge City characterise the technical design of cities that are exposed to water challenges as universal, yet the individual surfaces and structures of the cities are not reflected in the final design. To shape a dynamic and unique solution for a city the landscape and urban structures must be analysed before a Sponge City can be implemented, hence the next substantial step in the direction of creating a more propitious Sponge City is to define what characterise the individual city and how designers should use this information when developing a design. This leads us to the vision of the project:
The city as an organism | When you hear the word organism you instinctively associate it within a biological context. The biological definition of an organism range widely due to the fact that every living system such as plants, sponges, animals, and human beings are organisms. Essentially meaning that a living creature is consisting of several elements that serve to maintain the whole system of an organism.
“A diffuse organism has been the underlying model for understanding the transformations of cities just as the organs of a living being grow, adapt, and transform themselves, in the same way the organs - the architecture - of the city grow, adapt and transform themselves in constant interaction with a natural or social environment which predetermines the scope of these changes” Theory
(Solá-Morales, 1997)
The city as an organism
Page 12
These sentences are the beginning of the chapter The Form of Change: Mutations written by Ignasi de Solá-Morales in the publication Present and futures - Architecture in cities from 1997. The chapter is one out of five sec-
tions which emphasise how to understand the city and the complexity of it. A city as an organism is a metaphor where you attach the city’s biological conditions. You need to understand and unfold that a city is constructed and formed by many layers and aspects and is more than just its buildings and architecture. A city grows, adapt, and transform in constant interaction with the natural and social environment, and that is also in evidence for an organism. In order for an organism to grow it needs favorable conditions both physically, biologically, and psychologically. The same story is present for a city; a city needs favorable physical conditions such as infrastructure, parks, and housing to be in balance. Favorable psychological conditions such as the mentality of the inhabitants feeling secure and likewise the biological conditions of the environment and biodiversity needs to be in balance (Solá-Morales, 1997). The way of seeing the city as a living organism have flourished in history previously. In the 1960s the well known architecture movement Metabolism originated in Japan where the first to define a completely new architectural vocabulary. The architects of Metabolism were inspired by biological processes and believed that cities and buildings were not static objects but ever-changing. Hereby the architects developed a powerful architectural language that embraced infrastructure with removeable and replaceable cell-like-parts (Craven, 2017). One of the most influential proposals during Metabolism was the “1960 A Plan for Tokyo” by Kenzo Tange. The project was a visionary plan of the Tokyo Bay that should accommodate the continuous expansion of the city by creating an radial megastructure which could grow and regenerate from present to distant future (Lin, 2007, p. 110). Tange saw the city as an organic and dynamic process that had no physical destination but would continuously evolve and grow over time. Reflecting the linear growth in the spines of mammals in the urban planning of Tokyo Bay the proposal became a complex, linear, and open system, that attached itself to the already existing city (Koolhaas & Obrist, 2011, p. 284). However the plan of
Theory Page 13 The city as an organism
1960 A Plan for Tokyo
the floating city was so futuristic and utopian that it was never fully realized. Where the Metabolist movement understood the organism from a very literal and physical perspective Solå-Morales studied the tendency in a more abstract manner. To Solå-Morales the understanding of the organic structure was diffuse and became an underlying and hidden perception of how to think ecosystems whereas the architects of metabolism perceived the organism as a specific designing parameter and principle. These statements pass to an interesting discussion of how concepts and ideas should be assigned to projects and to what extend the form of the urban surface relate to the public and users of the spaces. By characterising the city as an organism and something that is responsive and changeable it is logical to examine the city as being a part of a larger ecosystem. When investigating the processes and systems in nature (herby not indicating the aesthetic and figurative meaning of nature and landscape) one will achieve a deeper and more fundamental understanding of what nature is and the elements that nature is composed and influenced by (Andersson, 2011, p. 15-17). Although before one can discuss changing ecosystems and its impact on cities the interpretation and view on nature must be defined. In the article Et mangfoldigt naturbegreb (A diverse understanding of nature, trans.) the author Hans Fink discuss, compare, and rationalise seven different perspectives on how to understand and categorise nature. In the first six conceptions of nature the human is being dissociated and brought in contrast to nature, whereas the seventh perspective emphasise nature as being everything surrounding us and therefore people being nature too (Fink, 2003, p. 29-37). The last point of view identify nature as being unlimited and all-encompassing, whereas nature is the indigenous, existing, and forthcoming signifying that nature is both the areas that have been influenced by humans and those that have not yet been interfered. Hereby Fink states that everything that has been touched by human is nature (infrastructure, urban spaces, and residential areas). In regard to this nature becomes the relationship between even the most distinctive influences. However it is still essential to emphasise that this statement does not indicate that urban planners should not consider and acknowledge the diversity between land and city, but should also take responsibility for nature as the wild and rural. Nonetheless it is necessary to process and analyse nature as being an instrument in a larger context – here in relation to technology, city development, infrastructure, and social components. Seeing the city as a comprehensive ecosystem (or organism) opens up for a creative and artistic approach that can stimulate the development of long-lasting, sustainable and holistic design solutions for our cities. In organisms every part depends on each other, implying that if you change a small part of the organism it will adapt to the environment and over time change its form. Looking and working with Vejle as an living organism, all layers have to cooperate and work together to make a well-functioning city that is able to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances, such as storm flooding, sea level rises, changing social conditions, and a growing city density.
Theory
The networking city | Ecosystems and organisms have no physical boundaries in the same way as cities in many ways can be characterised as borderless. Domestic relationships and networking communities grow across extensive regional – if not global surfaces, making invisible patterns and structures connecting cities from all corners of the world. Therefore, being a city fronting vast climate challenges, Vejle has formed part in the community 100 Resilient Cities.
The networking city
Page 14
“[...] it is important that we can globally share experiences and learn from each other. Our vision is to become a global leader in resilience and an inspiration for others. The strategy invites action and cooperation with citizens, businesses, knowledge institutions and Non-governmental organizations to develop the future resilient Vejle.” (Sigtenbjerggaard, 2016)
The word ‘resilience’ identify something being resistant, tolerant, and robust to challenges and threats (100 Resilient Cities, 2017). In order to make resilient cities various communities, institutions, individuals, and systems have come together to cooperate and secure cities from climate stresses and shocks. Vejle is currently the only city in Scandinavia that is a part of the 100 Resilient Cities network and thereby Vejle has become an innovative city, demonstrating and promoting that small cities also can be a part of solving greater problems. Vejle is a small municipality with only 111.138 inhabitants (Danmarks Statistik, 2015), but nonetheless, together with 99 other cities Vejle has committed to a federation where cities work together developing and sharing sustainable solutions and accomplishments. The goal of the 100 Resilient Cities is to create a greater network where cities can help, inform, and learn from each other to become more strong to physical, social, and economic challenges. This means that the design following solution have a potential to be communicated and adapted into a global network.
Vejle Municipality Citizens: 113.243 (2017) Area: 1,058.43 sqm Population density: 107 per sq. km Language: Danish Currency: Danish kroner DKK
Page 15
cities
Vejle
Frederecia
Theory
Kolding
National scale [ Denmark ]
Regional scale [ The Triangle area ]
Local scale [ Vejle Municipality ]
Site scale [ Vejle Harbor]
Vejle as a network structure
Page 16
Vejle as a network structure | Networking and a network is two different things; one is a verb and the other is a noun, however the terms are in a strong connection and often leads to each other. Where networking indicates social interaction and exchange of information a network on the other hand state an interconnected system with crossing intersections. In a city context infrastructure forms the most visible network as the movements, motions, and flow have an important impact on how people experience cities. Movement is one of the four major urban functions together with housing, work, and leisure due to the Athens Charter document by Le Corbusier (1943). The accessibility of a city depends a lot on the infrastructure and this has a great influence on the activity, quality, and how people interact with the city. It is not alone the conventional way of thinking transport such as airports, motorways, and ferry terminals one should concentrate on when discussing infrastructure – the intersections of distributional networks create vast opportunities to interchange and generate new flows. This is claimed in the chapter The Form of Motion: Flows writing by Ignasi de Sola-Morales in the publication Present and futures - Architecture in cities from 1997 where networks are described as a worldwide factor, caring flows of information to every part of the world (Solá-Morales,1997).
To see Vejle as being a part of a network in both small and large scales it is necessary to understand the location and surroundings of the city. By zooming in and out on Vejle the scales can be explained in five different perspectives: global scale, national scale, regional scale, local scale, and site scale. On the national scale Vejle becomes a nerve center for connections and transportation in Denmark. Being a central hub and an influential connection that links Denmark together implies that many people knows about Vejle. On the regional scale Vejle becomes a part of the collaborative triangle area, where the regional green spaces and regional networks systems are developed together with Fredericia and Kolding. The local scale characterise the connecting networks within the municipality of Vejle. The site scale is a much smaller and detailed scale, illustrating the materials of the individual zones along the harbor front. By seeing Vejle in a larger network and a city that is networking across border lines, it is evident that Vejle is a city in change. Therefore it could be interesting to develop a universal model-system that can be adapted to smaller as larger networks and city contexts. In some way Vejle can be characterised as a networking network city, meaning that Vejle is a city with a growing influence and an expanding city structure.
Page 17 Vejle as a network structure
(Solá-Morales, 1997, p. 12)
Theory
“[...] these forms of interconnection are international, or as we have become accustomed to saying more recently, global, extended across the whole of the terraqueous globe, is based on the experience - once again specific to the last thirty years - that the networks caring flows of information and transport now reach every part of the world”
The situation in Vejle | Climate change is a reality and in the future the weather in Denmark will become generally warmer and there will fall more rain. The increasing precipitation will frequently cause more extreme rainfalls and heavy storms, and overall is the sea level going to rise which will induce changes in the groundwater level several places in Vejle. The changes in the climate will hereas additionally affect the compositions of plants and animals. Vejle City is especially affected by the climate changes due to its location at the end of a river valley and due to Grejs Creek and Vejle Creek that pass through the city. Vejle is often flooded due to heavy rainfalls and high tides in Vejle Fjord lead to houses being flooded, incalculable power networks and roads becoming impassable. (Madsen et al., 2012)
The hinterland | The hinterland around Vejle has a huge influence on the amount of water there will float to the harbor area. Mainly because of the rivers and the creeks and the heavy precipitation. Therefore it will be optimal to have detentionponds in the hinterland there can hold back the water, and let it drain with a smaller velocity.
Sea level rise | The extend of the flooding from Vejle Fjord, increases over the years. From year 2017 to 2100 the sea level will rise 0.5 meters to 1.4 meters in Southen Denmark. Due to storm flood the sealevel will reach a total hight on 2.44 mteres over currant sealevel in 2100. On the diagrams belowe you see the most exposed and vulnerable areas in Vejle due to sea level rise.
0.00-0.25 meters 0.25-0.75 meters 0.75-1.40 meters
Year 2050
Year 2100
Analysis
Year 2017
Page 18 The situation in Vejle
Precipitation.
Transpiration from grass and trees. The sewer system in Vejle is not seperated. To make sure that there is enought capacity in the system, it should be seperated.
1871: stomflood +2.15 meters 2006: stormflood +1.68 meters 2013: stormflood + 1.52 meters
Increasing precipitation mm
Placement of detentionponds in the hinterland. 9000
Grejs å
6000 3000
2006
2017
Year
Mølleåen Omløbsåen
Vejle å
0m
200m
1000m
Analysis Page 19 Evaporation from open water.
The situation in Vejle
Evaporation from open water.
Water is comming from the hills on both sides of the city. The sealevel rise in the Fjord will flood the city.
Analysis Location of the barrier
Page 20
Location of the barrier | The harbor front in Vejle is a pulsing area with many contrast, diverse atmospheres, and functions which needs to be preserved from storm floods and rising sea level. Therefore a storm surge barrier must be implemented along the waterfront to protect Vejle. The barrier has great potential to create and expand new urban qualities and public spaces to a city in growth. The barrier is situated along the waterfront, as seen on the map to the right. This placement gives liberty to create a close connection between the city and the new urban intervention, as the location has no limits for the size and expansion that can happen over time. The barrier is a long-termed solution that will create a sustainable framework for a city in constant change, whereas the barrier can expand into all directions.
facts you can’t deny! Population
5% 80+y 3% 0-2y 3% 3-5y 13% 6-16y 11% 17-24y 30% 25-39y 13% 40-49y 13% 50-59y 6% 60-64y 14% 65-79y
Demography
80+ years
65-79 years
60-64 years
50-59 years
40-49 years
25-39 years
17-24 years
3-5 years
0-2 years
People 60,000
6-16 years
40,000
20,000
DK 92.3% The Nordic countries 0.4% EU/EØS 3.3%
0
Age groups 2017
2021
Increase in population
2026
2031
The numbers indicates that Vejle municipality is close to reach the goal on a increase with 10.000 citizens towards year 2020.
56,000
9,98%* 46,000 2006
Non-member countries 4.0%
45% of the new arrivals have lived in Vejle before.
Increase in popolation 2016-2017
Facts you can’t deny
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The diagrams are representative for all of Vejle Municipality.
The population forecast
People
Analysis
2017
Vejle is a growing city that is becoming greater in both size, extent, and quantity due to several upgoing and increasing parameters. The population is growing and is predicted to increase over the next decades. In order to the boosting population the amount of houses in Vejle Municipality have also enlarged. The economic and financial conditions are likewise rising and the average income has enhanced over the last few years. In order to follow the growing population the amount of jobs in Vejle Municipality has increased, and the amount of unemployed citizens is falling.
2017
Years
The reason why people move to Vejle is mainly because of familyrelations, work, the nature around Vejle, and traffic conditions. 57% of the new arrivals, settle down in Vejle city, and the rest settle down in the hinterland and the smaller villages in Vejle municipality.
Persons per house
Age of the population
Persons*
2.2
80.7 41.0 Chronological age
Average age
80.8 years is the average chronological age in Denmark.
*2017
Amount of houses Year
House size 122.4 sqm Average area per house
55.3 sqm Average area per person
2016
54,329
2014 2017
2012
50% of the new arrivals lives in apartments, 31% in single-familiy homes, 8% in terrace house, 7% lives on the countryside and 4% lives in other housing forms.
52,739
2010
52,289 Houses
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Jobs
310,525DKK
Amount of workplaces
Vejle Denmark
Goal
53,000
Year
285,000 2012
Facts you can’t deny
300,000
Year
47,000 2010
2015
2018
The goal from the municipalities is to get 5,000 more workspaces before year 2020.
Vejle has the highest income per houshold compered to Fredericia, Horsens, Kolding and Aarhus.
The income after age in 2016
76.8%
higher income 1885-2014
DKK
Vejle has a low amount of unemployed citizens in year 2017, the amount is 3.5%. From 2016 to 2017 the number has been decreasing, and the amount is lower then it is in the near by municipalities Fredericia, Horsens, Kolding and Aarhus.
Analysis
Amount of workplaces
Average income per household
DKK
53,727
2012
450,000
2016 Average income 315.259DKK
0 15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
74+
Age
(Juul, J.S. & Blicher, S.P., 2016) (Vejle Kommune, 2016) (Vejle Kommune, 2016) (Danmarks Statistik, 2017)
Flashback | It is not only the progress in numbers and statistics that characterise a city, one also has to analyse the larger perspective. Therefore it is essential to look at the past to understand the identity, structure, and form of a city. By bringing the harbor in perspective and in context to its surroundings it is possible to get an understanding of the layers and structures that the city is formed by. From the timeline and diagrams below the most influential development are described whereas it is obvious to see that Vejle is a city that has gone through a great evolution over the past decades. The harbor front has formated dramatically and this have had an enormous impact on Vejle as a city for industry and business. Therefore it can be determined that Vejle is a city in constant transformation and that the city and inhabitants are capable of adapting to large scale alterations. By connecting the past to the present it can be accommodated what type of spaces Vejle needs when making spaces for the future.
1100 1200s 1327
Analysis
1500-1600
In 1100 Vejle was found as a city by a ford somewhere around the river.
In the 1200s the Sct. Nicolai church was build.
In 1327 the first signs of Vejle being af market village appeared.
Vejle was having its days of glory until the start of the 1600s where the nearby villages took over the retailing. Vejle was also in big influence of the plague.
1767
Flashback
Page Page 24
1794
In the early 1800s the Vejle fjord was to shallow for big ships in order to enter the harbor of Vejle.
1824-1826
A new harbor was build, placed east of the end of Kirkegade. A channel was made and connected the harbor to Vejle Fjord. A year after the new harbor was build, Vejle now had the opportunity to be a trading post for agricultural products and import. A few years after the new harbor was build it was expanded and some improvements were made.
1830 1859
In the early 1800s the Brosteder was formed. In 1830 Ă˜stbyen was build.
1868
Vejle was now a railway town, because it now was a part of the route from Aarhus to Fredericia.
1886-1887
When Vejle got its first harbor and city engineer, the construction of the harbor was improved even more, and the dock ended up being twice the size.
1890s
1900-1945
The fairway was made deeper and connected to the newly build railway track from the harbor area to Startsbanegården. In 1890s the area Vestbyen was build. The Nordre and Sønder residential areas were build around 1890.
In the early 1900s the harbor did develop even more as Vejle turned in to one of the country’s most industrious cities. In the years after the Second World War, the harbor once again had its time of glory because of the export of brown coal. Since the 1940s there has been build a lot of comprehensive towerblocks both in the Brokvarter and Nørre- and Søndermarken. Also the suburbs growed.
1100 1901-1975
Analysis
1945-1970
1980
The Vejle Brigde opend as a part of the moterway through Denmark.
2006
The significant housing project Bølgen was bulid. And it is now an importent landmark in Vejle.
2007
Vejle was now an important service and commercial centre with many big companies. From 2007 Vejle has been important when it comes to administrative business, because Vejle is now the center of administration of Region Syddanmark.
2009
The city council of Vejle decided a new masterplan and vision for Vejle Lystbådehavn, to insure the continuation of the businesses of the harbor and that it would be used for recreational purposes.
1100 2017
Illus. 01
Flashback
The years between 1945 and 1970 the activity on the harbor was decreasing. In the 1970s it went busy again because of the oil industry. Since the 1970s the business of the harbor has been going up and down in periodes.
Page 25
Elements you need
1 x wifi
1 x you
1 x cellphone
Process notation | The Instagram page “Vejle_in_deep_water� contains snapshots from the entire process of the design development; from the very beginning of visiting Vejle and reading the landscape to the finished plan of the concept. The page has been made to create an active link between Vejle and Aalborg, where people who has become interested in the project can follow the process and development of the design. By uploading and documenting the accomplishments on a social media platform the project have reached corners in the field of urban design. Vejle_in_deep_water becomes an appetizer of the urban design solution and a short introduction of the large perspective that has been the driving factor for the development of the project. Feel free to follow the page and explore the world of building the barrier of Vejle.
Analysis
Step by step
Process notation
Page 26
01
03
Locate your cellphone
Search for: Vejle_in_deep_water
02
04
Install the Instagram app
Follow Vejle_in_deep_water
Graphic by Silvia Artak
Reading the landscape | Professor in landscape architecture Anne Whiston Spirn describes in the chapter Restoring Water from the publication Design in the Terrain of Water (2014) the analysing method of “reading the landscape”. The essay addresses the issues of floodings within a city and the negative impact this can have on the urban areas and social conditions, if specific urban circumstances get neglected.
“Landscape literacy provides a way of seeing relationships among actions and phenomena that may seem unconnected, but are in fact closely related.” (Anne Whiston Spirn, 2014)
Analysis Page 27 Reading the landscape
The overall impression of the harbourfront exude a complex and compound area, that is full of urban, social, and functional contrasts. Within a radius of 500 meters there is a large industrial harbor, multiple residential areas, allotments, a high school, green spaces, and a marina – all together creating the foundation of a diverse neighbourhood. In the industrial area there is a big scale character with large buildings and ships, provoking an unrefined and monumental atmosphere. It has been applied by Vejle Municipality that the southern part of the industrial area, which is located near Vejle Å, possibly will be transformed into a business area in the future. On the other hand the wetland that is located in the south have a more local and tranquil rhythm with wildlife and dense vegetation. Nearby the wetland there have also been addressed a potential of building new residential areas by the Municipality of Vejle. The area at the north part of the harbor is currently going through an extensive development where new residential buildings are being erected, mostly intended the upper-class, which is causing a social disconnection to the city. In the northern part of the site Rødkilde Gymnasium is located, opening up the potential of working with a educational related design proposal. This area is also in strong connection with Skyttehushaven, the allotment gardens, and the marina – all functions that support re-creative and social spaces. To read the landscape means to read the past, present, and future of the context. The city is an ever changing structure, where it is important to understand that nothing stays the same. This approach of analysing the urban context have been actively used at the site in Vejle. By observing and examining the problems and potentials that are located in the area there have later on been made a concrete design proposals, that leads back to how the urban landscape have been read. Hereby the main challenge is to find the existing problems that exist in the context and turn them into potentials that echoes the urban landscape.
Infrastructure + Speed | How do you know Velje? A lot of people only know Vejle because they have passed the city by crossing the Vejle Fjord Bridge. This pass-by result in a city montage that is being experienced from a great distance and in a high speed. Vejle is one of the only cities in Denmark where the first meeting with the city is from a high and distant perspective, and this is something that makes Vejle identifiable and recognisable. Not only does the bridge connect Vejle to a larger network and infrastructural nerve center, but it also displays the city and shows its size and urban form as you drive past. On the regional and national scale the city becomes a part of a greater network of infrastructural systems that merge in the center of Vejle – here addressing both high-speed infrastructure like trains,
Analysis
Main roads City walking route National cycle route
Infrastructure + Speed
Page 28
Regional cycle route Local cycle route
ships, and cars, but also vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians. What there is applicable for most of the infrastructural layers are that they work around the harbor and only operate in the city center, which leads to a harbourfront and an industrial area that becomes disconnected to the existing city. The industrial harbor is not accessible to regular citizens, which mentally separates the area from the rest of the city. By working with an active industrial harbour area, where almost 30 ships are docked every month, it is also essential to fulfil the technical requirements in the design solution. It would therefore be interesting to approach this issue by integrating and connecting the harbor area in the city, while making a recognizable design solution that is visible from the bridge, so it can allure people to visit Vejle as they drive across the bridge.
30
ships a month enters the harbor.
Cars cross the Vejle Fjord Bridge every day.
110 km/h is the allowed speed on the Vejle Fjord Bridge
Frederikshavn - Vejle - København
Ship route
Vejle has a trainstation on the route there goes the hole way though Denmark.
Big scaled structures in a small city: the Wave, the fjord and the Vejle Fjord Brigde. Train route Local cycle rute Regional cycle rute National cycle rute City walking rute Ship rute Train rute 0m
200m
1000m
Main rute
Page 29 Infrastructure + Speed
Speed
Analysis
73.300
Get to know the harbor
Weetland
LystbĂĽdhavnen
Roundabout
The Wave
Kirk Kapital
Residential area
Analysis
LystbĂĽdhavnen
Page 31
Skyttehushaven
Get to know the harbor | The area around the harbor variates a lot both in the programming, atmosphere of the individual districts, the connection degree to the city and the general typology. On the diagram above the different areas are pointed out and explained further.
Get to know the harbor
TirsbĂŚk strandvej
Analysis
To get to know the harbor of Vejle even better the following pictures marked in the map on the page before, will help to understand and imagine the different situations on the harbor line and the relations in between. The contrasting characters at the harbor become visible and are described under the pictures.
Get to know the harbor
Page 32
Analysis
Page 33 Get to know the harbor
Analysis Vejle in words
Page 34
The industrial area
Vejle in words | Inspired by the diagrams from the book Learning from Las Vegas (Brown & Venturi, 1972) a similar analysis of Vejle has been made. In the diagram to the left the transition from city development (Havnegade) to the industrial district (Strandgade) has been mapped out by illustrating every written word seen from the road. In the city the words have a familiar and urban character with many advertising signposts. After the roundabound the atmosphere and context change dramatically into an industrial zone with many warnings, regulations and numbers which makes the area appear unwelcoming, dismissive, and separated from the city. Hereby the diagram indicates a missing link between the city structure and the industrial area.
The walk along TirsbÌk Strandvej from Rødkilde Gymnasium to Skyttehushaven illustrates an area outside the city where there is few signs and informations. The diagram also reflects a stretch with less traffic and more dynamic and monotonous rhythm in contrary to the industrial area.
Analysis Page 35 Vejle in words
The way to Skyttehushaven
time: 15 sec.
time: 0 sec.
File: water_dripping.mp3 Location: StĂŚvnen Date: 12.09.17 10:43:09
people talking together
File: train_station.mp3 Location: Vejle Station Date: 12.09.17 10:17:22 metal being melded
File: industrial-area.mp3 Location: Industrial Harbor Date: 12.09.17 11:29:13
File: the_bridge.mp3 Location: Vejlefjordbroen Date: 22.09.17 18:29:05
dog barking sound of waves
barking again
and again...
File: nature.mp3 Location: Skyttehushaven Date: 22.09.17 11:43:01
Sounds | All sounds that the human ear perceives are vibrations traveling through the air as sound waves. These sound waves are all caused by the vibrations from objects. The amplitude describes the strength of the sound wave and this is what human beings and animals interpret as volume, loudness, or noise. The higher an amplitude, the more loud a sound. The ability to receive, identify, and interpret sound makes the sense of hearing an essential instrument to read the atmosphere and pulse of a space or environment (Apple Inc., 2017). The diagram above illustrates the sound waves from five areas in Vejle city. Near the marina at StĂŚvnen the sounds are monotonous and repetitive in contradistinction to the Industrial Harbor where characteristic deviations are recorded. Likewise indicate the perceived sounds at Skyttehushaven sounds that are local and specific of a green and natural area. The sounds that have been recorded in Vejle mirror a city that is full of contrasts; some areas are loud where others are more quiet and peaceful. At Vejle Station, The Industrial Harbor, and at Skyttehushaven are there great variations of sounds that are arrhythmic and random.
Enjoying the fountains
<3
More re-creative spaces at the harbor
Livable urban developments
Sunday hikes at Ådalen Exploring shops
Chaotic harbor area!
Listing to live music ...
Skating and chilling at Bryggen
Chill out at Ungdomshuset Hanging out near the water fountains
Nice green areas
More cosy places :-)
Swim in the fjord
Social gatherings
I love to ride the bike cycle!
More places to chill out
Good swim
Get in touch with nature!
A city in transition
Haha!
Education near water
Hanging out at Vejle Bypark
Drinking coffee with friends at cafés Hi!
Diverse planning
We need more social spaces
Talks | Through asking specific questions as “where do you hang out in your spare time?” and “what is your favourite place in Vejle?” landmarks and local “hot-spots” have been defined and mapped out (see the map below), illustrating that most of the social activities in Vejle are parks, shopping centres, and re-creative places that are located in the centre of Vejle and along the northern coast and in Ådalen. A common note from the citizens was that the newly build residential area on the harbor front had a uninviting atmosphere, lack of social diversity, and only addresses the higher income society. This encourage a design that invites to social interaction and public spaces that will welcome all of the citizens of Vejle.
1. Rødkilde Gymnasium 2. Angling 3. Skyttehushaven 4. Økolariet 5. Bryggen 6. Skyttehuset 7. Vejle Ungdomsskole 8. Albuen Beach 9. Vejle Musikteater 10. Maria Parken 11. Ådalen 12. Byparken
Vejle, Denmark · 12.09.17
Brainstorm | The developed brainstorming diagram acts as a guideline, reminder, and kick-start of the designing process of the barrier. Hereby the diagram shows the words and terms that have been the driving factor for the development of the design solution. The words are structured in two axes: the y-axis shows the spectrum between reality to utopian, and the x-axis categorise the words from small scale to big scale. The vertical axis establish a connection between realistic approaches and ideas of how to work with water issues and more utopian ways of thinking. Thinking outside the box can lead to great ideas which have an impact on the more realistic design proposal afterwards. To find possible ideas for Vejle as a growing city in Denmark, but also as a member of the 100 Resilient Cities network,
Utopia
SPONGE Flexible Expand Unfold
Hold clean and drain water Absorbing materials Changes in texture
LIVING ON THE SEA Analysis
Housing on the sea Interaction with water
Layers
Bring people to the sea
Brianstorm
Structure Soak up
Absorbing Living organism
Social housing Student apertments
Living on houseboatsh Water activity Swimming Splash
Page 38
Puff up Pop-up Inflatable
Absorbing stress
CHANGES IN CULTURE Connection between social layers
SOCIAL SCALE Mingle Hang out
Social get together A place to come together Togetherness Solidarity
Reality Small Scale
Making Vejle available to all social layers Rich people lives by the harbor Residential issues
Get to know Vejle Who is Vejle?
Protection from the weather Outside or inside? Shell NEIGHBOURHOOD Pavillion The social neighbourhood of Vejle Smaller communities in bigger cities Free education Accessable education Young people Families
Mores places to live in the future Needs for new and more space
Vejle is growing
NEW NEEDS (new ) Places to meet (new ) Places to live
the horizontal axis therefore connect perceptions of both small and large scale perspectives. Many of the words in the diagram are linked to motions and rhythms that creates characteristic pictures in one’s mind, here referring to words like inflatable, pop-up, absorbing, and machine. One of the categorises also explore the question “What does Vejle need?” which leads up to a lot of phrases, for example; wide time frame, building the future, and involving nature. Many of the words of the brainstorm have afterwards been discussed and examined, where the words that are underlined are those that have been brought further on in the designing process.
ATLANTIS Water Vejle Vejle fly high Vejlantis
Skyhigh Vejle
Vejlandia
VIEWS See Vejle form the city See Vejle from the sea
Storytelling Visibility
See Vejle from beneath See Vejle from above
Building the future Global scale
Zoom in and out
INVOLVING NATURE Green connections Let the green save the blue Urban ecosystem Grow
A place that can grow on itself changeable
Translation
MACHINE Flexibilily
Plug-in Fuel Adaptable Development Adding
Layers Mix and match New layers Module
NETWORK CITY Units
A project for other cities Collaboration Accessibiliry
DENSITY
More people living in Vejle
Growth Accessibility
WHAT DOES VEJLE NEED? People protecting Vejle Something simple + somthing extra CLIMATE CHANGES New functions Changes over time
Help
SOS
Rising water Vejle is sinking Protecting factor Floating city Water is coming The power of water Save Vejle with water
Needs to power up Gigantic Power Massive Size
WIDE TIME FRAME
Changes over time Let it grow
Strong
Big Scale
Protecting the city from flooding, and thereby absorb the ”stress” from the citizens The Sponge Line should create links between the city and the harbor. The barrier should contains different experiences and lead up to different activities Connection in a bigger scale, where the barrier should be able to be adabted to other cities.
The barrier should function, spread out and be build like a sponge, where the barrier contains different layers and is able to absorb and drain water.
04 Absorb stress 04 Social scale 03 Act like a sponge 02 Diverse experiences 01 Adaptability
Analysis Sum up + Design parameters
Page 40
Sum up + Design parameters | A sponge grow when the conditions are favorable and it has the ability to adapt to changing environments. The same story is present for Vejle. Vejle is extending and growing on many parameters, which will cause that the population and density will extensively grow in the future. Vejle has been in constant change since the year 1100, this proposing that Vejle is a city that is able to adapt to new circumstances and improve its position as a livable city. This leading to the statement that Vejle is an expanding city, where there is room for further improvements and large scale developments. At the moment the harbor is disconnected to the city and therefore only a small amount of the citizens are using and visiting the harbor. Moreover most of the harbor front is ascribed to industrial or residential developments, such as The Wave and the office building Kirk Kapital. For this reason the challenge, which the barrier is facing in Vejle, is to collaborate with new and already existing structures by catching the citizen’s interest to interact with the harbor. By talking to the inhabitants of Vejle it was clear that the people prefer to spend their time in green areas, parks, and at social places in the city center. Along the harbor where the barrier is located the area expres contrasting qualities from north to south; both in scale, atmosphere, and functions.There is already a green and blue structure in the south of the harbor which carries an enormous recreational potential. In the middle of the 3 kilometer long stretch the big industrial harbor is placed, further on at the northern part a large marina area is unfolded and nearby the Rødklilde Gymnasium is located. These surroundings carry qualities that should be implemented in order to capture the interest of the citizens. People experience their surrounding with their eyes. According to Robert Venturi’s strategy of Learning from Las Vegas the usage of signs, symbols or even scripture can attract attention. Therefore the barrier should be visible from the city center in order to attract people to the harbor area. Nevertheless, people are able to perceive the environment not only with their eyes but also with their ears. The sound analysis shows what people can recognize different positions and characteristics at the waterfront. Adapting these qualities into the barrier and embracing the variations in atmospheres, could therefore become a motivation when creating a diversified walk along the harbor line. Due to the reality of the climate change it is necessary to design a solution that protects Vejle from storm flooding. At the same time people should also feel protected without the impression of being captivated. Vejle is not the only city which faces the problem of rising sea level. Cities all over the world get into dire straits when it comes to flood protection for the next 50 to 100 years. Perhaps the answer is then an adaptable flood protection system, which could be adapted to any resilient – big or small. This leads up to the design proposal of the Sponge Line: a long, public urban space wrapping Vejle in a climate secure structure that is accessible for everyone from north to south.
Analysis Page 41
â&#x20AC;?
â&#x20AC;?
Sum up + Designparameters
The Sponge Line is an adaptive module system that can stimulate social layers while absorbing the stress of any city in change.
Sponge Line
Welcome to the
Design Page 43 Welcome to the Sponge Line
Sponge Line: one longe and connected urban space
Elements you need
How to get a Sponge Line 1 x city
1 x problem
1 x population
1 x cellphone
Is your city flooding? Then call for a Sponge Line. The water is coming due to the threatening climate changes and our cities will soon float away. Therefore the Sponge Line is the solution! Follow the six steps below and you will get your own custom-made and unique Sponge Line exactly after your cities needs and desires.
Design
Step by step
How to get a Sponge Line
Page 44
01
04
A flood event occur and floods the city.
The city order basic units, carpet layers and add-ons from the Sponge Line catalogue.
02
05
The population realise the situation and calls for help.
The articles are getting delivered.
03
06
An urban designer reads the landscape to find the needs of the city.
The city can now build the Sponge Line, and thereby the city is now protected.
Graphic by Silvia Artak
Include us! Always remember to include the citizens
Design
Add-ons catalogue
Page 45
Procent
Give your opinion A big tower at the Pier!!! Sign / s / m / l / xl
I would like to have a water slide at the educational area, that would be super nice! :-)
Lamps
Pavilion
Bench
I think there should be added some more trees around the educational area. Mayby some
Birdcage
Some more benches at the green area.
Including the citizens | By including the inhabitants of Vejle in the screening process of designing a specific Sponge Line, the citizens will easily evolve affiliation to the site when the Sponge Line have been build. Through developing an online voting platform the citizens can be integrated in selection process and give their personal opinion on which activities and functions that would be the most desirable in Vejle.
Including the citizens
Tower / 3m / 5m / 10m
Design The Sponge Line
Page 46
The plan shows the location of the Sponge Line and the functions and interventions that are placed along the line.
Design
Page 47 The Sponge Line
Design
03 The Add-ons
Constructing the Sponge Line
Page 48
02 The Carpet layer
01 The Basic unit
Constructing the Sponge Line | The Sponge Line is a technical, sociological, and urbanistic way of designing with sea level rises and storm floodings, and still creating opportunities for urban spaces that can lead to social enrichment and physical connections to the city. Climate change is a reality and sea level rises are global problems that cities worldwide are facing these years. Therefore the design of Sponge Line is an adaptable system that can be implemented to other cities around the world with similar climate challenges as Vejle. The Sponge Line in Vejle is constructed by a linked module system that contains 300 units that are assembled on their own unique way all depending on the public needs, structure, and urban landscape of the city. Hereby every single unit is constructed by three layers: layer one being the basic and technical unit, layer two being the carpet that gives the barrier form and structure, and layer three being the many add-ons that can supply the barrier with extra needs and functions. Together the three layers shape a holistic and multi functional project of social and urban qualities. Herewith the Sponge Line offers Vejle a framework solution that can be adapted over time accommodating the needs and desires of the future.
Layer one
Where the basic unit has a uniform and consistent design through the entire Sponge Line the carpet layer works the exact opposite. The carpet is the layer that gives form to the basic unit and create possibilities to shape public spaces by allowing the barrier to grab the existing city and thereby create physical connections. The carpet works as a urban fabric that reads the existing urban surface and landscape, and performs as a structure that invites to social interventions to engage social diversity. Therefore becomes the carpet a unique design for each city and has no limitations of how it shall perform; it can be an even surface in one area and dramatic and organic in another. Likewise is there no limitations for the materials of the carpetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface; it can differentiate from soft grass to rubber and hard wood to concrete. The carpet makes the three kilometres long stretch of the Sponge Line and interesting and diverse experience, that both relate to the green landscape and the regularity and bigness of the harbor.
Layer three
The add-ons are objects that can be added, removed or readjusted on top of the carpet surface or on the side of the barrier. The add-ons accommodate many different users by ranging from small scale objects like a bin or lamppost to large scale facilities like pavilions, residential complexes or a public swimming area. The add-ons provide the Sponge Line with more specific functions in relation to the carpet layer which can enhance the overall atmosphere of the area.
Page 49 Constructing the Sponge Line
Layer two
Design
The basic unit is the carcass of the Sponge Line and forms the universal and technical solution that protects Vejle from flooding in the future. The unit is a simple construction builded in concrete and is installed with a pump that makes the barrier able to absorb water which will provoke an inflatable balloon structure when the city is exposed to a storm flood. By absorbing water or in other words the â&#x20AC;&#x153;stressâ&#x20AC;? of the city, the inflatable balloon becomes an icon of the Sponge Line and hereby also the city. Storm floods does not occur often in Vejle and therefore the inflatable balloon will be a rare sight for the inhabitants, however storm floods are highly probable to appear more frequently in the future. The basic unit is 2.5 meters tall which makes it able to perform as a barrier until year 2100 when the sea level have risen 1.4 meters. The technical solution of the basic unit is described further on page 48.
1.0 m
1.3 m sea level 2100
Design
1.5 m
Page 50
1.0 m
Absorbing stress
sea level 2017
water pump
1:25 section
1:100 elevation
one unit 10.0 m The basic unit The technical solution will protect Vejle from flooding in the future. The basic height (1.5 meter) will protect from normal sea level rise until year 2100, and the inflatable water balloon will protect when a storm flood occur. Before the storm flood hits the city a water pump will fill the long balloon with water after the storm flood the pump will push the water out again, and the balloon will fold back in the unit. The unit is a concrete shell that can be filled with local materials, for instance sand.
A
D C
B
Design Page 51
Absorbing stress | The Sponge Line frames a big area of the harbor channel, which creates a big pond that is being equipped with a gate, in order for the ships to come in and out of the harbor area. Here a pump in also being installed to push the water out of the pond when the city is exposed to a storm flood. This location is marked with a black dot on the drawing. In order to only install one pump, the river has been moved across the industrial area and ends in the channel on the north side of the industrial area. This have an economic benefits likewise it gives opportunities to implement the river in the already existing wetland. In normal weather conditions the gate will be open and the water from the river will be led out in the fjord. When a storm flood event then occurs the gate will be closed and the pump will be turned on in order to push out the big amount of water from the river, which is carrying water from the hinterland. This is the reason why the pond is not able to act like a detention pond to store water from the city under storm floods, but instead the pond will work like a retention pond that will treat water from the area around the harbor.
Absorbing stress
The dimensions of the retention pond should be 200-250 cubic meters per reduced hectare, and have a depth around 1.5 meters. The channel in the harbor has a depth of 7 meters, therefor it is necessary to lift the sea ground where the retention pond is located, in order to reduce the risk of oxygen-free conditions at the bottom. Hence the sea ground is raised to 3 meters where the retention pond is located. The industrial area, the new residential area, and a part of the city center are therefore the areas where the water is being treated (Vollersten et al., 2012).
A retention pond with an inflow and outflow will ensure that a natural treatment process will happen, parallel to what happens in a natural lake, and thereby improve the quality of the water before it is led out into the fjord. This will occur by physical, chemical, and biological processes in the pond by sedimentation on the bottom and absorption from plants, which reduce an amount of pollution and particles in the water (Vollersten et al., 2012).
City + Residential area
Total area: 75.6 ha
Runoff koeficient: 0.7
Reduced area: 52.92 ha
B
Industrial area
Total area: 38.98 ha
Runoff koeficient: 0.7
Reduced area: 27.29 ha
C
Pond
Total area: 140,000 m2
Waterdepth: 7.0 m
Cubic meters: 980,000 m3
D
Retention pond
Total area: 6684.17 m2
Waterdepth: 3.0m
Cubic meters: 20,052.5 m3
Design
A
5. The Pier cran lifting materials
4. the gate wind blowing
2. the green area cow muhs
ship horn
3. the wetland
1. south coast line
muh ...
children playing football
bird pip
car driving
9 8
7 6
5 4
3
2 1
The Sponge Line Sound experience I As you wander through the Sponge Line a long sequence of urban vibes and rhythms will be experienced. The diagram portrays the diverse characteristics that evolve along the Sponge Line, here the formation from the quiet green wetland to the stamping and urban beat that identify the industrial harbor, and afterwards the local atmosphere along the marina. Diagrammatically the sound waves illustrate the pulse of the Sponge Line unrolling all of the different experiences you can meet one your way.
crane lifting materials
9. Skyttehushaven train people talking
6. Olafur Eliasson building ... and talking
7. boat harbor kayaks being pushed in the water
splashing water
8. gymnasium young people talking
waves
01
The Green Area
e
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Design
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Zoom 1
Page 54
The green area along the Sponge Line is the new re-creative area in Vejle. By creating a link to the residential area further south, the Sponge Line activates the neighbourhood and becomes the backyard of Vejle. With a natural flow the Sponge Line touch the nature and reach out to the existing city by connecting itself to the paths along Vejle Ă&#x2026;. The organic shape of the structure reflects the already existing green environment and invites people to stay, relax, and interact with nature. Here the Sponge Line creates possibilities to interact with the structure in many various ways. As seen in the section and plan the Sponge Line spreads out in the water and creates a delicate meeting point between water and concrete. In the same way the concrete structure lifts itself and make space for a shelter that can be used for humans as well as for animals. Activities such as fishing, strolling, reading or discovering animals and interacting with them can engage the landscaping zone to become a popular urban space, where people spend their free time with pleasure to escape their everyday life.
1:2000 The Sponge Line in The Green Area
Section aa 1:200 The section illustrates the Sponge Line spreading out in the landscape
a
are
Design Page 55 Zoom 1
Visual
The Sponge Line between the Vejle Fjord, the green wetland and Vejle ĂĽ.
Design
The Pier
Visual
5
3 4
A.
B.
6
7
A. 1:400 1
8 9
5 3
10
4
1:4000
B. 1:400
Zoom 2
Page 56
By walking down the nearly 500 meter long pier a completely different experience, compared to the previously described green area, is being composed. Echoed in the industrial context and the small scale marina, The Pier becomes an big scale urban intervention that works with the long flow and visual connection to the city and the fjord. The Pier provides space for flexibility and the instant needs of Vejle. Supplied with a multi-purpose sports court and three pavilions, The Pier becomes an adaptable and central space where the municipality can arrange events, exhibitions, markets and start-up hubs in the city. By extending the marina to The Pier, the long public space becomes an urban area with many crossing networks. These structures and contrasts are reflected in both the materials, scales, and atmospheres that develop along the pier.
2
The visual shows the three pavilions and the football area on the long piere.
1. Bike path, 2. Market hall, 3. Street lamp, 4. Main pavement: concrete, 5. Visual connection: coloured concrete, 6. Coloured rubber, 7. Activity area: coloured rubber, 8. Start-up hub, 9. Graduated coloured lines, 10. Boat house
02
1
b
Design
b
Page 57 Zoom 2
1:1000
The plan of The Pier shows the long walk between the industrial area and the marina.
Section bb 1:500 The section cut illustrates the market hall and the multi-purpose sports court.
03
The northern part of the Sponge Line is the educational and active space of the urban structure. Reflected in Rødkilde Gymnasium, the local water sport activities, and the newly build residential area, the space indicate an urban meeting point where many user groups intersection. As seen in the visual and the plan drawing the large surface of the Sponge Line extend out in the open environment and accommodate various activities. The large stairway acts as an amphitheatre, creating possibilities for outdoor lectures, intimate concerts, and skating. The connection to the water is being integrated as an alternative public swimming area, that can develop over time. In the two sections the evolution of the sea level rise is illustrated, indicating how the water will influence and change the urban structure over time. The Sponge Line works as an urban link, that creates a physical connection between Rødkilde Gymnasium and the harbor front. Hereby the area becomes an important access point of the Sponge Line.
Design
The Educational Area
Ax on
om
Zoom 3
Page 58
Visual
etr
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of
the
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wim
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The urban surface is constructed in bricks, which cause a local atmosphere in a larger and more open area.
c
c
Design Page 59 Zoom 3
1:1000 The plan shows the swimming area and The Educational Area.
Sea level 2017
Section cc 1:400
Sea level 2100
Section cc 1:400
Design SPOT
Page 60
SPOT | In order to create a greater relationship and more physical connection between the city and the Sponge Line, the Sponge Line has spread out in Vejle and left â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spotsâ&#x20AC;? on specific locations. The purpose of the individual Spot is to create a smaller urban space that refers to the atmosphere, form, or function as experienced at the Sponge Line. The Spots are constructed by the carpet layer, which functions as the urban fabric, and add-ons, that give the Spot additional functions. The location, programming, and form of the Spot will thereby communicate and drag further attention to the Sponge Line. The Spots do not have to be permanent installations in the city, but can just like the Sponge Line develop over time. Three Spots are located in Vejle; the first Spot is a bus stop placed at the end of a path that leads directly to the Sponge Line. The second Spot is a tall advertising pillar that communicate and exhibit the events that happen along and on the Sponge Line. The Spot is strategic placed at the end of the industrial harbor, which makes it possible to see The Pier of the Sponge Line from that specific Spot. The third Spot is a floating raft nearby the swimming area that creates possibilities of various water activities.
1
A bus stop
Design Page 61 SPOT
2
An advertising pillar
3
A raft
Design Sponge Line in the world
Page 62
Visual
Illustrating the Sponge Line in Can Tho, Vietnam
Belgard Calgary The Hague
Belfast Buenos Aires New York
Bangkok Boston Jakarta
Wellington
Vancouver
Can Tho is located on the south bank of the Hau River in the southern part of Vietnam. Occasionally the city gets flooded, primarily due to seasonal flooding events. Often seasonal floods can last for several weeks so the inhabitants are not able to reach their jobs during the flooding period. Thereby the local economy gets damaged and people have to endure poor circumstances, which often entails diseases. Can Tho is in desperate need to protect its citizens against future seasonal floods and in this case the Sponge Line would be a possible solution.
Sponge Line in the world
Toyama
Design
Worldwide | The Sponge Line is an adaptable module system, that can be implemented to any resilient city, that is exposed to the same water challenges as Vejle. The diagrams above show a small extract of the cities that can have interest in the Sponge Line. This highlight that the Sponge Line is a visionary planning strategy, that can help cities in many different scales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no matter culture or location.
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Ending | The already existing term Sponge City has been a guiding and
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conceptual term through the project. By extending the natural and hydraulic functions of the Sponge City with a social layer, the Sponge City develops from being a conceptual term to the concept of the Sponge Line. The structure of the Sponge Line is similar to the construction of the natural sponge; having layers and diverse functions, while having the ability to grow, absorb, and spread out under beneficial conditions.
The Ending
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The Sponge Line is an inventive design solution that captures the pulsing atmosphere of Vejle while handling water management and creating intriguing social spaces. This is reflected in how the Sponge Line grabs the city, unfolds its experiences along the stretch, and corresponds to its surrounding context and social needs. The Sponge Line is a new and characteristic element in Vejle, that will link the city with the harbor front and create new global and regional networks. The presented Sponge Line is unique and specially made for the city of Vejle. However the Sponge Line can be translated and adapted to other resilient cities, by reading the landscape and understanding the specific needs of the city, which are required in order to implement the right urban structure. In order to make the Sponge Line adaptable the concept is developed as a complex adaptive system with three layers, where the specific city has the opportunity to create their own unique Sponge Line. The technical aspect of the three layered unit system is identical in every Sponge Line, however the carpet and add-on layer depending on the city. Therefore the Sponge Line becomes a unique urban project, that have global potential. After reading the landscape it is clear that Vejle needs a connection line with multiple diverse social aspects that can bring people together and solve the problem of sea level rise. Access points have strategic been placed where there is a natural flow from the city. This emerge into a natural meeting zone between the city and the Sponge Line, creating open and public spaces with various possibilities. To create an even stronger link and visible connection between the city and the Sponge Line â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spotsâ&#x20AC;? have been placed around in the city. The Sponge Line is therefore an adaptable and flexible system that both can stimulate the social layers and absorb the stress of any city in change.
Reflection I Any design process gives occasion to a reconsideration of the
process, methods, analysis, and priorities that have influenced the design. The thoughts regarding the development of this project are described and discussed below.
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In order to make the Sponge Line into an adaptable system the term and the definition of the word adaptable have been considered multiple times, in order to find the most adaptable unit. Because what is an adaptable unit exactly? Is it that the unit is able to change its geometrical form, it technical construction, or the material? All of these questions have been investigated through the analysing process. Instead of working with three layers; the basic unit, the carpet layer and the add-ons, a solution could have been to create a unit system that contained all three functions in one. The final proposal of a unit system constructed by three layers can be justified, when the conditions of different cities are taken into consideration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; meaning that if a city is not able to implement such a big urban structure at once, the Sponge Line can be developed over time. Another solution could have been that there was created two versions of the Sponge Line; the basic solution and a budget solution, which would be capable of reaching out to a bigger amount of exposed cities, with a lower economic capacity. When creating a system constructed by layers, especially the add-on, it gives the opportunity to include the citizens in an bigger extend. This is not shown in the project, but to give the project a long-term quality the citizens needs to be included and have an influence in the development of the specific Sponge Line.
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The adaptable system has had a big influence and a leading role from an early state in the project. Therefore the question about the role of Vejle and its matter in this project leads to the question: has Vejle as the case city been forgotten during the process of trying to save the world due to global sea level rise? Therefore it can be discussed to what extend the Sponge Line have become a site specific or generic project. The Sponge Line is a strategic design proposal, that works with the large perspective and global networks. However the design does have detailed elements, that are specific for Vejle. Nonetheless it is important to underline that the adaptable system has been in a constant and evolving process in order to adjust and accommodate to the site in Vejle, but on the other hand it is questionable if the urban context have been studied enough and the landscape have been thoroughly read. Trying to read the landscape in a large area, due to the size of the site, might have pushed the focuss away from the small details and important elements, that could have shaped the Sponge Line more precisely to fit Vejle. For instance it would have been beneficial to investigate how much the height of the water level in Vejle Ă&#x2026; increase during sea level rise. This aspect have not been taking into consideration, which can lead to flooding when the gate is open because the water from the fjord have free access to enter the river â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and therefore also the city. Therefore it is interesting to discuss how sufficiently a project can be integrated to a city, without taking notice of what is already there. Which leads to the statement of how much and which level does a city need to understand and read the urban landscape. If cities are adaptable like sponges and develop over time, then perhaps large intervention needs time to function in a city. In the bigger perspective the city and its structure perform as a large network, with correspondent to the intention of an adaptable system that can cross physical borders and work over a wide timeframe.
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Fink, H., 2003, ‘Et mangfoldigt naturbegreb’, Agger, P., Reenherg, A., Læssø, J. & Hansen, H.P. (ed.), Naturens værdi – Vinkler på danskernes forhold til naturen, G.E.C Gads Forlag, Copenhagen, p. 29-37
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Hansen, H.T.R. & Knudstrup, M., 2005, The Integrated Design Process (IDP) – a more holistic approach to sustainable architecture, viewed 11 November 2017, link: http://vbn.aau.dk/files/1624830/The_Integrated_Design_Process__IDP____A_more_holistic_approach_to_sustainable_architecture Historisk Atlas, Vejle Havn, viewed 9 November 2017, link: https://historiskatlas.dk/Vejle_Havn_(6923 Juul, J.S. & Blicher, S.P., 2016, ’De rigeste kommuner har dobbelt så høj indkomst som de fattigste, Ulighed i Danmark, Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd, p. 7
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As city complexities increases and urban structures grow multitude social interests, ecosystems, and networks meet and merge in our cities. Due to climate changes cities will frequently become more exposed to extreme weather conditions, which induce new demands of how to approach city planning in the future. This project, the Sponge Line, propose a design solution that can handle water management while function as a large public space for the inhabitants in Vejle, Denmark. Manifesting the ecological qualities that are embodied in the natural sponge, as having the ability to hold, clean, and drain water, a sustainable and long-termed technical and urban solution have been implemented to absorb the stress of rising sea levels and storm floods. By questioning and challenging the already existing and conceptual term â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sponge Cityâ&#x20AC;?, the Sponge Line becomes an specific concept that works with the social layers in the city by reading the urban context and landscape. Working with a complex adaptive unit system the Sponge Line unfolds a strategic solution that have global potential to be expanded to other resilient cities as well.