Redegørelse Architecture follows Nature by Gergana Todorova

Architecture follows Nature Water and City Water as mediator When water enters the body

Gergana Todorova Todorova Afgang 2018

RedegĂ¸relse Architecture follows nature Water and City Water as mediator When water enters the body Afgang 2018 Studio Urban Design & Landscape Aarhus School of Architecture Student: Gergana Todorova Toodrova st. nr.: 2013225 Supervisor: Birthe Urup Nygaard Internal censor: Katrina Wiberg External censors: Karsten Sinning & Rasmus Kierkegaard

TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary I page 1 Motivation I page 2

XL I page 3-4

Global level I page 5-8

L I page 9-10

Denmark - future I page 12 Denmark - subset of events I page 22

M I page 23-24

Aarhus - problem formulation I page 26 Aarhus - characteristics and landscape elements I page 30 Aarhus - landscape corridors I page 34 Aarhus - catchment areas I page 36 Aarhus - catchment belts I page 38 Aarhus - walkways and green junctions I page 40 Aarhus - landscape wedges I page 42 Aarhus - climate adaptation projects I page 44 Aarhus - vandplus projects I page 46 Aarhus - water as an anchor I page 48 Aarhus - kulturringen I page 50 Aarhus - aarhus bugt I page 52

S I page 53-54

Egaa - egå engsø - site description I page 56-57 Egaa - egå engsø - interventions I page 58 Egaa - pictures from 2006 to 2015 I page 59-60 Egaa - the precipitation events in 2007 I page 61-62 Egaa - 1st & 2nd meeting with the site I page 63-64 Egaa - 3rd meeting with the site I page 65-66 Egaa - 4th meeting with the site I page 67-69 Egaa - 5th meeting with the site I page 70 Egaa - history I page 71-72 Egaa - high risk of future floods I page 75-78 Egaa - extreme rainfall I page 79-80 Egaa - structural plan I page 81-82 Egaa - diagrams I page 83-88 Egaa - site plan I page 89-90 Egaa - sections I page 91-92 Egaa - area of interventions I page 93-94 Zoom in - invitation to aarhus bugt I page 95-96 Zoom in - invitation to the open landscape I page 97-98

REFLECTION I page 99 LIST OF REFERENCES I page 100 CV I page 101

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION Motivation

The following thesis deals with three main problems climate adaptation, accessibility and awakeness of peoples’ thoughts.

The climate change is a huge issue nowadays. It consists of many layers like the global warming, the greenhouse gas effect and mainly the rising water levels. People are becoming more and more aware of the climate impact on their future living and lifestyles. It is a matter of time when the water will become part of our life, cities and landscapes. It is a very broad topic, therefore the specific case study of this project will be Denmark as a country, Aarhus as a city and the area in Aarhus called Egaa as a specific site of interest, investigations and design parameters. The scales will be as listed below:

We are in the middle of a change and at the same time a crisis. It is an environmental crisis that challenges our perception. It forces us to examine whether we are doing things the right way. As Rahm Emanuel said in 2008, no serious crisis should go to waste. The question is how to turn something that seems negative for our cities into an added value that increases the quality of life for our urban areas and landscapes? This is the aim of my research.

XL_Extra Large Scale Global Level (research, case studies, inspiration) L_Large Scale

Denmark (illustrations, diagrams, materials, which will support the architectural design strategy)

M_Medium Scale Aarhus (further studies in a form of mappings and diagrams) S_Small Scale Egå system, Egå Engsø (strategic architectural vision)

GLOBAL LEVEL point of departure

Looking at a world map, one can see how many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest cities are located close to sea. The reason why so many cities have been founded at these locations is that the coastal zone always has provided accessibility to resources like food and trade, and offered easier passage (Tett, Sandberg and Mette, 2011). This has been significant in the beginning of human settlements, especially before the development of agriculture that secured accessibility to food for inland settlements. (Tett, Sandberg and Mette, 2011). The locations close to the sea or rivers, however, also secured the possibility for easier passage after the introduction of agriculture and the industrialization, which was essential with respect to generating the trade network. The nodes around the world soon bloomed into great cities. Furthermore, the land disruption in the coastal zones proved to be suitable areas for agriculture and livestock farming (Tett, Sandberg and Mette, 2011). If one element should be mentioned as the foundation for our predecessors to gather in cities, it is the marketplace. Imported goods was distributed from these trade nodes out to the communities, as well as local produced goods were exported from these spots. Increasing connections to exotic locations and the intensity in trade made these marketplaces valuable, which created a need for protection. This was the foundation for the first fortifications of marketplaces, which can be seen as the cradle for the cities as we know them today (HĂ¸jlund, 2017). With the development in trade, the cities became more valuable, which forced the cities to expand. The result of this has been that areas, which was earlier unsuitable for development, has been transformed from its natural state to heavy cultivated land. Nevertheless, the increased urbanization from the first settled cities and to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s megacities has brought a change in the way we deal with natural threats. Historical maps show how city development was first done in areas suitable for human settlement. Later, man interfered with the order of nature by land reclamation, damming and draining wetlands. This interference has not been done without problems.

Map showing the main european trade routes of the late medieval (Late medieval trade routes)

GLOBAL LEVEL how the dutch make â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;room for the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC; by redesigning cities The Netherlands forms the low-lying delta of North-Western Europe. Over the past 1000 years the rivers have been harnessed between higher and stronger dikes. However, due to climate change, the relationship between land and sea is not a static matter, a fact that we now see with the rising sea levels, which will occur more frequently. After the river flooding in 1995, the national Room for the River programme was initiated to give back more space to the rivers in order to reduce the risk of flooding. More than 30 locations have been chosen for the programme Room for the River. The most complex project is created in the river Waal, where several new bridges are introduced to improve the connectivity of the area. The island and bypass channel together form a river park that not only reduces flood risks, but also offers recreational, ecological and aesthetic values. However, some paths will be flooded in the event of high water levels, only being accessible via steping stones. The accessibility has been improved.

Before

After

A map of medieval London (Braun and Hogenberg)

Room for the River I Nijmegen I The Netherlands I H+N+S Landscape Architects

DENMARK what will happen in the near future? Water levels around Denmark will rise significantly in the future. There is an estimation that shows a scenario of a rise between 0.3m and 0.6m within this century. The Danish Meteorological Institute is estimating a sea level rise around Denmark to be from 0.3m to 0.6m from 1986-2005 to 2081-2100, depending on the yearly factors as the thermal expansion, melting ice sheets and glaciers. However, the expecting and most realistic change will be between 0.1-1.2m within this century. The results show that the most northern part of Denmark has seen a land uplift of around 15cm-20cm in this century. For the most southern part of Denmark, the land has risen 5cm-10cm. In Northern Jutland, where the land is rising the most, this will be experienced as a fall in water level until the climate-change-induced rise becomes more significant. If we have an overall look at the situation in Denmark, there are certain areas with flood water danger. Those areas are broadly spread around Denmark in Jutland (Jylland), Funen (Fyn) and Zealand (SjĂŚlland). Many cities are experiencing a dramatic transformation because of the climate change. However, the most affected places will be those located close to the water, or the areas around the fjords because of its nature - long, narrow and deep inlet of the sea that enters the land naturally. Furthermore, the diagrams shown on the next few pages will be unfolding the main points of interest for this research such as the the sea level rise, the foundation for the existing landscape typologies and corridors in Denmark based on the historical map of Per Smed, and the natural flow path of water movement from the core of the land to the perihery.

Diagram of Denmark, showing sea level rise by 010 cm

Diagram of Denmark, showing groundwater conditions in 2010

Diagram of Denmark, showing sea level rise by 070 cm

Diagram of Denmark, showing groundwater conditions in 2050medium

Diagram of Denmark, showing sea level rise by 120 cm - realistic scenario in 50 years time frame

Diagram of Denmark, showing groundwater conditions in 2050dry overlaid with the main water elements around Denmark

Diagram of Denmark, showing sea level rise by 350 cm overlaid with the historical map of landscape typologies and corridors in Denmark

Diagram of Denmark, showing groundwater conditions in 2050wet

DENMARK subset of events Denmark is a lowland country. The surface was formed by Ice Age glaciers and glacial streams. The highest point is approximately 170 metres above sea level. The coastline has a length of more than 7300 km. Dikes and other permanent installations have been built along about 1800 km of coastline to protect the low-lying land against flooding and storm surge. The water level is not a static measure. The tide causes the sea to fall and rise hour by hour. In Denmark, water levels and waves are particularly higher during the winter than during the summer season, because of the local weather conditions such as more windy days in winter, which lead to raised water levels in the sea. These are called storm surges.

Diagram of Denmark, showing sea level rise by 700 cm overlaid with the main flow paths around Denmark utopian scenario

AARHUS problem formulation The City of Aarhus is closely related to the sea and this is of significant importance to the economy and development of the city over the years. Aarhus harbour has grown through the years and turned into one of the largest and busiest container ports on the territory of Denmark. Nevertheless, a significant part of the growth takes place in the former business areas along Aarhus Å at the harbour. The new development happening there seems to be naked and out of scale, while the older harbour has gotten a soul and stories to be told. Urban qualities does not come because the time goes by. Just as one can plant trees that turn into beautiful forests, one can build cities that do not have meaningful public spaces. Aarhus must embrace greatness and conceive great relationships. Each urban space must be thought in a larger context, after which it can have its own narrative. Water is a huge element of the expansion of Aarhus as a city and it is an important feature in the cityscape represented by Ådalen as a foundation of the city and a cohesive factor. No matter where one is standing, water can be experienced many places along the city: to the west - Brabrand and Årslev lakes, in the north to Egå Engsø and from north to south - Aarhus Bay. After the stormwater event in 2006 and the almost constant precipitation in the first part of 2007, it is clear that the city, and especially the coast and coastal areas, are vulnerable to floods. The terrain lies in level 1.80m and the water rise in the autumn of 2006 reached the level of about 1.76m. Therefore a plan referring to the climate change was made - Klimaplan 2013. Aarhus city is experiencing a lot of challenges regarding to the climate change. However, Aarhus can offer more unique places in the future. Those areas are already present in and around the city in the form of recreational landscape and a land of use. The city needs to be understood as a whole - to deal with city’s single parts, one must recognize the whole picture. We must think the city as one - Aarhus with Ådalen, the landscape corridors, the forests, the new port city and the topography. The great qualities of Aarhus has to be maintained. The history of the city needs to be respected and unfolded.

AARHUS

characteristics and landscape elements The history of Aarhus began as a fortified Viking settlement founded in the 8th century. The city was founded on the northern shores of fjord at a natural harbour and the primary driver of growth was the trade in agricultural products.

Flow paths diagram

Høje målebordsblade 1842-1899

Høje målebordsblade 1842-1899 showing the historical flow paths overlaid with current flow paths situation

AARHUS landscape corridors Aarhus is located on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula and has the characteristic moraine landscape closely related to the bay of Aarhus. In contrast to other coastal cities and towns along the east coast, Aarhus has an unique visual connection towards Kattegattet, where the water acts as a ‘passage‘ between the moraine hills and the coastal cliffs, enclosing the city with landscape ‘screens‘. The landscape formation of Denmark as country, and Aarhus as a city, is a result of historical events as melting glaciers, which led to the current landscape patterns and the existing tunnel valleys around the country.

AARHUS catchment areas - the river of aarhus and its surrounding As most of the fjord cities, Aarhus appeared on a place where a significant river catchment area accumulates water from the surrounding systems and it slowly leads the collected quantity of water to the sea. The river drains approximately 300 km2 of the Mid-Jutland area, which covers more than 60% of Aarhus Municipality. It is closely connected to Egå system and Solbjerg Sø and it does not mean that the other systems do not have the same role as Aarhus Ådal. They are used for transportation of water from land to the open sea, but the quantity is different than in Aarhus Ådalen. That means a lot of water has to go through the system to reach the sea and it experiences a great tension. Furthermore, it is very important to have Ådalen in mind when discussing climate adaptation projects and working on the prevention against future floods.

AARHUS landscape belts - green zones and routes enclosing the city The green structures and routes are placed around the city like landscape belts. They consist of parks as green connections, green walkways, the blue element as lakes and waterstreams, urban landscape, existing and future roads, existing and future railways, existing and future city development, future spaces, villages, recreative areas and forest. The municipality defines those belts as it follows: aarhus landscape belt, outer landscape belt and inner landscape belt. It is a very defined separation between those three and somehow it excludes the flow paths of water, going against their logical movement by creating the circle form around the city.

AARHUS walkways and green junctions - bringing the green into the city The recreational walkways and green junctions are contrasting the plan of the municipality for the landscape belts, which questions the logic behind it. The walkways and junctions must provide better connectivity between the inner city and the outskirts. Citizens should have the opportunity for active outdoor activities in the open landscape. Good access to roads and paths is a necessity and it is essential when reaching areas with opportunity for specific activities such as sailing, fishing, mountain bike, dog walking, forest bathing.

AARHUS landscape wedges - bringing the green into the city 1. Marselisborg skoven - located in the south part of Aarhus, stretching along the coast, connecting the periphery to ‘Tangkrogen‘, bonding to the harbour, and the new housing area in the former industrial site. 2. Aarhus Ådal - the river valley through the city of Aarhus. 3. Skjoldhøj green wedge is the green corridor between Brabrand and Tilst. 4. The North-west green wedge - connection between the Botanical garden and the outer landscape belt of Aarhus. 5. The North green wedge - connection between the coastal green and Risskov, and in meantime connection between the inner city and the bay.

AARHUS climate adaptation projects - adapting to more water Climate adaptation is about protecting our current assets - infrastructure, public spaces and housing. The various climate adaptation projects allow to utilize the increased amount of water. The aims of the climate adaptation plan are primarly intending to limit the damaging effects of cloudbursts and flooding. Water should be seen as a resource and not blamed for the problems occurring during a storm surge. The City Council’s vision of all the climate adaptation projects is to make Aarhus greener and bluer city where citizens have easy access to recreational zones, beautiful urban spaces and healthy activities. Nature, urban spaces, recreational zones and landscapes are indispensable elements in climate adaptation to prevent and limit future damages. The climate adaptation projects’ diagram on the left and on the following page maps the areas in the municipality that are threatened by flooding, whether the water comes from cloudbursts, the sea, streams or lakes. The investigations made are supported by precise measures and therefore wetland were introduced to the specific sites or there are plans for future wetlands. Some of the areas for future development regarding climate adaptation are as listed below: 1. Kapelbæk (20 ha) - possible wetland 2. Fløjstrup/ Hovedstrøften (25 ha) - possible wetland 3. P-Ådale to Solbjerg Sø (30 ha) - possible wetland 4. P-Ådale to Brabrand Sø on the west (150 ha) - possible wetland 5. P-Ådale to Brabrand Sø on the east (150 ha) - possible wetland 6. Skjoldhøjkilde - possible wetland 7. Kasted Mose (40 ha) - possible wetland 8. Egå Møllerup (20 ha) - possible wetland 9. Hede Enge (120 ha) - possible wetland 10. Udmarksgrøften However, the implementation of all the mentioned above wetlands in the future will not protect completely against extreme cloudbursts and flooding. Flooding will also occur in the future. Adaptation to more water is a common cause. It is a matter of turning the challenges into opportunities.

AARHUS vandplus projects VANDPLUS is exactly the case of seeing a challenge as an opportunity. The aim of VANDPLUS is to develop new urban spaces and not investing billions on technical solutions for water management. In this way, the cities we live in will become more robust and better to live in. Four projects were granted and they have been working intensively to develop opportunities for creating climate adaptation with added value. Those projects are a call for synergy and more complex understanding of our urban spaces and landscapes. 1. Viborg, Sønæs - how climate adaptation combined with water purification can help creating an attractive park and waterscape. 2. Gladsaxe, Vand på sidelinjen - how to refurbish through a climate adaptation a classical sports facility to a park of sports that with new, informal activities invites to whole city to the area. 3. Frederiksberg, Byens Vand - a classical city park was renovated and a whole new city center Sløjfen, has been built. The central lawn is designed as a large, oval bowl, the bottom of which is a new scene with circular seating. To the south you will find the loop, a former car park and a passageway, which now features a water artwork, fountain, outdoor seating and good accommodation. 4. Solrød, Kilen - how a small unused, neglected area can be upgraded to a combined rainwater pool and multifunctional urban space focusing on community, movement and learning.

AARHUS water as an anchor - water as a key element of interest There is a need for drinking water, in agriculture, in nature, in industry, in household, for energy and for pleasure. Everyone needs water in the right amount of the right places. The drinking water and groundwater needs to be protected. The rain water and the waste water need to be separated for getting a better living environment and living conditions. To ensure all water needs - in the future and under climate change events - it is important to understand the water cycle.

AARHUS kulturringen Kulturringen was created in 2017 and it is a cooperation between the East Jutland municipalities - Favrskov, Norddjurs, Syddjurs, Aarhus, Odder, SamsĂ¸ and Skanderborg. It runs through the east coast of Jutland unfolding a beautiful and varied landscape. The route goes via asphalt roads, and several places also have a bike path. There are plenty of alternative options for driving or taking the train, ferry or bus to unexplored places. Along the way there are also service facilities, extra air in the tires, as well as toilet and water. It connects the whole east coastal area of Aarhus, opens up to Aarhus Bugt and expand the idea behind a city as a whole. To deal with cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single parts, one must recognize the whole picture.

AARHUS BUGT

After all the analysis done in the previous pages something appeared in my mind and made me thing of Aarhus as a city in a completely new way. The city needed to be understood as a whole and a new reading had to be introduced. Suddenly everything appealing from the core of the land was opening up towards Aarhus Bugt and by creating a loop generating a magnificent experience. Bugten became the anchor element for my understanding of Aarhus as a city and the relation between land and water, and the opposite. Consequently, the city was perceived out from the blue element instead of the building typologies and urban spaces. The landscape happened to be the element from which the city started evolving. New connections developed out of historical traces and structures. The intention is to transform old layers by adding new values or just simplifying old ones. The vision is also to create better accessibility - a better link between city and landscape.

Aarhus Bugt mapping - the final version will be presented on the boards

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egaa engsø - site description Egå is a neighbourhood of Aarhus, which is closely related nowadays to the outskirts of Risskov, Egå Marina and the lake Egå Engsø. The area is densely populated, low-lying and at high risk of flooding under increased precipitation. Since the 1950s, the area was an object of extensive drainage to gain more agricultural land. Two pumping stations were established at the existing natural stream at that time, Egå, in order to pump water out of the wetland and into a new channel that carried it to Aarhus Bay. Intensive farming was the dominating factor at Egå valley. Nowadays the stream has been partly restored to its natural state and represents an example of adaptation to climate change that has had multiple benefits. After some years, it was realised that the intensive farming and the leaching of nitrogen in particular had negative consequences on the animal and plant life which led the Danish parliament to adopt the Action Plan for the Aquatic Environment II in 1998. Its purpose was to reduce nitrogen leachate to the aquatic environment. One of the means to achieve this was to restore original streams and wetlands. One of the places where the Action Plan for Aquatic Environment II had been applied, with the colaboration of Aarhus municipality, was the Egå valley. The process included a removal of old stream dykes in 2006, which costed significant flooding of previously reclaimed areas. The result turned to be the establishment of Egå Engsø. The lake is 115 ha. with a mean depth of approximately 1m, where the deepest area is 1.7m. The water level can be raised by about 1m depending on the seasonal and rainfall conditions. Egå Engsø is providing both space and time for achieving a water balance. The lake acts as a holding lake, which helps to reduce high water levels downstream and in mean time extends the period during which the water table is slightly raised. Egådalen is characteristic water landscape element in the cityscape, which is very low-lying in comparison with the surrounding terrain. The low-lying areas at the bottom of Egådal near Risskov are at risk of flooding, either through intense runoff from uplands or when high tide in Aarhus Bay occurs. Currently, the area is protected by levees and a pumping station at the Egå mouth in Aarhus Bay. The lake’s holding capacity is reduced if the water level in the lake is already higher than normal because of significant rainfall. This was the case during January, February and March in 2007, where lakes, streams and groundwater were at maximum capacity. Furthermore early March also saw a large amount of snowmelt, which increased the danger. This resulted in the highest sustained water flow rates in 10 years and Egå was close to exceed its capacity. Emergency teams from all over Denmark were called to the area to prevent a flood that could have major economic consequences. The event highlighted the need for further preventive measures.

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egaa engsø - interventions Aarhus municipality has created a plan for the remaining reclaimed areas as a design for ‘possible future wetlands‘. Those wetlands will have several functions and purposes: ~ reduction in nitrogen leaching into Aarhus Bay ~ further reduction of the risk of flooding in the lower part of the Egå system through attentuation ~ improvement in the natural environment by ensuring environmentally-conscious land management ~ improvement in recreational opportunities in conjuction with Egå Engsø. The new wetland will function as a climate change adaptation project. Aarhus municipality’s investigations in the area show that it could hold large volumes of water, therefore reducing the risk of flooding around Risskov.

What - a blue-green corridor, which will serve as a recreational connection

for the area, a recreational room for everyone, on the edge or on the water. The existing district of Egå Engsø needs to be expanded to handle the future larger water quantities. The capacity needs to be adapted to the extreme events that will come in the future. An intervention that will allow the water to be there when it comes and in the same time avoid to cross major roads, gardens and basements, as is the case today.

Who - Most of the property owners around the area are affected by the wa-

ter - the other ‘invisible‘ owner and user of their belongings. Therefore there is an urgent call for a new approach to handle the amount of water that is already present on site by new architectural programs or by rethinking old ones.

However, my project will take into consideration the plans that the municipality is already discussing and mostly focus on the improvement of the recreational value of the area. I will use the water as a mediator between natural and constructed form. The fieldwork was a significant part of the project’s progress. Most of the time during the project was used on developing the architectural strategy for the area around Egå valley and understanding the movement from Egå Engsø to Egå marina.

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pictures from 2006 to 2015 The pictures on the left and below are taken from the local archive in Lystrup Bibliotek, where people living in the area made me familiar with the site and explained the problems they had faced during the extreme precipitation events in 2007. The lake created very rich flora and fauna, inviting either rare or relatively rare specimens to Denmark. Therefore the place is highly appreciated by the local people.

Historical pictures showing the conditions of the soil and the area

Pumping station - demolished

Before EgĂĽ EngsĂ¸ came

Pumping station- demolished

Pumping station - existing

District heating pipes

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the precipitation events in 2007 The precipitation events in 2007 showed the other side of the area, and how dangerous the nature could be when it is underestimated. The low-lying district could not handle the coming water, the capacity of the pumping stations and systems was exceeded. Water was present at many places around the lake and the zone of Åkrogen.

Protection around Egå Engsø

2007 Åkrogen’s pumping station

Beredskabsstyrelsen

2007 Åkrogen’s pumping station

Water filtration system

Beredskabsstyrelsen

Active pumping

Åkrogen’s sluice

View towards Egå Å

Extra pumps

Barrier for the upcoming water

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first and second meeting with the site, 8FEBRUARY18 & 12FEBRUARY18 The first meeting with the site was quite fascinating for me. There was something special around the lake. It was a cold day, but even though the wind and the temperature, people were still here searching for nature and a quiet place to be and to escape the daily life. People were walking their dogs, having a walk with their partners, running, observing birds or simply passing by on their bikes on the way home or on the way to work. Everything was frozen and one could very easily see the presence of water around the area transformed in a different form. It was a walk around the lake that took about an hour and as I saw afterwards on the signs there, the walkway was around 5km long. It was a fantastic walk, but quite windy though. An open landscape that was friendly and at the same time rough because there were no places to escape the weather and take a break meanwhile. There were many activities and facilities around the lake such as shelter place where one can overnight, stone age fireplace typically used by kids, observation tower and some places where one can eat their lunch box. After a day spent there I was wondering what was missing and could not figure it out, but my curiousity took me further. Egå Engsø is a beautiful place, but I was still missing its context and not seeing the bigger picture. Egå Engsø

Egå Engsø

Fugletårn

Egå Engsø

Egå stone age shelterplace

Sluice

Egå Engsø

Traces from pre-existing fields

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third meeting with the site, 17MARCH18 After a month I decided to approach the site differently and instead of seeing only the lake, I started my walk from Egå marina and I was very curious to experience the ‘promenade‘ from the sea along the waterstream to the lake. On the next few pages you can follow the transition from the marina to Egå Engsø. However, the pictures on the left side are referring to the marina and more specifically to Åkrogen. They are showing the visual connection to Kalø Vig, Skødshoved and Aarhus Havn. As it was mentioned before Aarhus needs to be understood as a single part of a whole (refer to Aarhus Bugt’s mapping). The Egaa waterstream is a part of this story. Åkrogen is the zone where the land becomes one with the water. Åkrogen strand

Åkrogen

This was the begining of my walk towards the lake. Once I was standing next to the Åkrogen’s pumping station (picture 2), I was confused and I ask a lady which road or walkway should I take to reach the lake. She did not know and wondered if it is possible to accomplish such a walk. The first thoughts and questions appeared in my head and I was even more determined to explore the route along the stream. There were so many barriers and scenarios during my walk. It was a change of scene every time one reached a bridge. One needed to go over the bridge to continue its walk and many times to cross a major road as is the case with Brovej, Grenåvej and Lystrupvej (picture 9 & 10). It is very unconvenient if people have their bikes with them. The walkways are not suitable for cyclists (picture 9 & 20). Another aspect of the ‘passage’ was the constant change in the private - public relation. Many times I was wondering if I am supposed to walk there or not because I might be in someone’s property, or simply because there was not a proper walkway and I was going too close to the property line (picture 13 & 14) as is the case right after Grenåvej before you reach the small still existing green pumping station (picture 21, 22 & 23). Once you pass by this you end up on a long narrow timber bridge that gives you a view over a wonderful open landscape, called Hede Enge, with a small green pumping station standing there as a monument as simple as a kids drawing of a house (picture 16, 20, 21, 22 & 23). The pumping station connects the city to the landscape and emphasizes the relation between culture and nature. All of a sudden if you look on the other side of the pumping station things change completely, there is a walkway used by people and cyclists (picture 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28). It is a well defined and designed walkway that leads you directly to Egå Engsø.

Egå Å

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fourth meeting with the site, 21MARCH18 - a walk from Egå marina to Egå Engsø

1. To Egå marina

2. Åkrogen’s pumping station

3. To Strandhusvej

13. The dog walking route

14. Narrow walkway close to the private properties

15. The transition

4. After Strandhusvej

5. From walkway to asphalted pathway

6. From pathway to grass

16. Towards the open landscape

17.

18.

9. To Brovej

19.

20. The existing pumping station

21. The existing pumping station

10. Grenåvej

11.

12.

22.

23.

24.

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fifth meeting with the site, 29APRIL18 My last meeting with the site was all about the area around the small green pumping station. It is an area where many things happen and somehow the wonderful landscape behind the pumping station is neglected. There are many directions of movement around this point - up and down, over and under, left and right (picture 17, 18, 19, 31, 32 & 33). Everything is very chaotic. There is a lack of orientation.

25.

26. Towards Egå Engsø

27. Towards Egå Engsø

28.

29. ‘Lyra‘ stedet

30. ‘Lyra‘ stedet

31. Landscape dike

32. Existing levels

33. Under the pipes - 1.3m height

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history Åkrogen is the section where the history og Egaa started evolving - inviting the water into the land. It started some years ago as a fjord and slowly transformed into what is known today. The sea was more integrated into the landscape and Åkrogen as it could be seen on the picture below from 1956. It was then when the Åkrogen’s pumping station appeared to regulate the stream flow from Egå Å to the sea and to purifies the water.

Kattegattet 1867 Fjord

Høje målebordsblade, 1842-1899

Lave målebordsblade 1901-1971

1953-1976 1955

1977-1992

1983-1997

Udsigt over Åkrogen 1962

Egåens udløb 1930-1970

Egå strand set fra Åkrogen 1973

Egå strand 1973

HĂ¸je mĂĽlebordsblade 1842-1899 overlaid with the existing conditions

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high risk of future floods The diagrams on the left are showing the two scenarios mentioned before regarding the scale of Denmark - the realistic one with 120 cm sea level rise and the utopian one with 700 cm, but this time they refer to the scale of Egå Engsø and Hede Enge. However, the area is very low-lying and therefore there is a high risk of future floods. Even though the district went through an intensive draining some years ago, the water is still present on the site and people we will never get rid of its active impact. It used to be a very wet area and the local people even have a statement that the groundwater reached a depth of more than 6 metres. The implementation of the Egå Engsø lake improved the conditions drastically, but during events of a surge storm as the ones from 2007, it became clear that capacity is not enough to absorb all the coming water and the limit of the lake will be slowly exceeded. The footprint that the water leaves is pointing out that the next section to be taken into consideration is the so called Hede Enge region. Sea level rise by 120 cm - realistic scenario

Sea level rise by 700 cm - utopian scenario

HĂ¸je mĂĽlebordsblade 1842-1899 overlaid with the sea level rises

EGAA

extreme rainfall The extreme rainfall events are leading to the same conclusions and forming some wet areas that could be converted into future wetlands.

Extreme rainfall events 15 cm

Extreme rainfall events 120 cm

Extreme rainfall events 150 cm

Extreme rainfall events over 150 cm

Structural plan of the area - the final version will be presented on the boards

EGAA diagrams

Potential areas for future development

Based on the analysis made before regarding the sea level rise, the extreme rainfall events and the diagrams on the left studying the relation between the lake and the city, the strategical architectural vision started to take form and it generated the concept for the future site plan and wetland.

Egå Engsø and city’s contour lines

Egå Engsø and the existing noise around it

Egå Engsø and the network of roads

Water presence in the area by roads that have names connected to water features

EGAA

diagrams

Terrain model of Egådalen catchment area. The collours on the diagram show terrain elevation, with blue lowest and red highest. Egå Engsø is in the low-lying area.

After analyzing the existing parameters of the site I came back to its location, the relation to the districts around like Lystrup, Egaa, Vejlby-Risskov and Skejby-Vejlby, and its original shape and functions, which made me consider the unique value of each element. However, at that time three pumping stations were existing and functioning along the route - the åkrogen’s pumping station, the small green pumping station (page 68) and the last pumping station looking exactly the same way as the small green house (page 60). The diagram on the left shows their location and marks what is still present and what was demolished. Similarly, the three pumping stations are related to three of the main landscape features - Åkrogen or Aarhus Bugt/ Bay, the open landscape (Hede Enge) and the hinterland of Egå Engsø. Therefore they became the main points of interest for this project.

The yellow area is Vejlby-Egå Enge reclaimed land and the red line shows the boundary for further development - proposed wetland.

Diagram that shows the transsition from Egå Engsø to Aarhus Bugt and marks the main elements, situated on the way.

The three main elements are the invitation to Aarhus Bay, the anchor in the middle and the invitation to the hinterland.

EGAA

diagrams After my fieldwork and research around the area I was more than convienced that the right approach is to focus on the accessibility, the climate adaptation aspect and awakening people by implementing new pathways and a new wetland in relation to Egå Engsø, defined by a planting strategy (please refer to the site

plan where the dark blue colour shows the new elements and the lighter blue-greish colour shows the existing feautures).

Diagram that shows all the places where an interruption in the walking flow occurs

The dynamic room - A new wetland is implemented. Stage 1 is shown above.

Diagram that shows the existing walkways around the area

The dynamic room - A new wetland is implemented. Stage 2 is shown above.

The intention is to create new stays, new conversations and new stories. Something special that underlines the sense of Egaa dalen. The ambition is to recreate available narrative connections between the landscape and the buildings. Therefore, with this project, the Egaa valley is clearly linked, distinctly and democratically with Aarhus Bay. The Egaa valley has undergone radical changes from backside to frontside of the city. On older drawings and maps, this landscape and city have looked different. Once gathered around a wetlands landscape, later a production landscape and today an industrial landscape, mobility landscape and heavily expanded urban structure - it will be Our Urban Living Room in the future. Egaa Engsø has the potential to solve the recreational challenges of the future by creating landscapes and urbanization as citizens’ extended democratic homes. With Egaa Engsø there can be talks about the special nature, geology and settlements. The intention is to connect the valley and bay into a democratic waterline with promenade course and to have less partially broken areas by private plots of land. That valley and bay are based on social viability, urban and rural democracy. The intention is that climate protection of Egaa must be maintained in a cotation and not built barrier as Lemvig has created a climate wall. That settlement and landscape go hand in hand.

Diagram that shows a proposal for the future walkways in connection to the new wetland, which was changed later in the process.

The dynamic room - A new wetland is implemented. Stage 3 is shown above.

The latest proposal for the walking flow around the lake - KulturNatur stien (the CultureNature walkway).

ZOOM IN

Site plan - the final version will be presented on the boards

SECTIONS

sequence of sections

Sections, studying the private-public relation

The in-between scale is unfolding the exact locations of the interventions and the relation between them by visual connections and an architectural appearance. However, the project is going to be a great climate challenge but also once again it will become a huge potential for Egaa and its surroundings. It is all about how to keep the whole thing with a very few simple elements. Thus will ensure greatness and survival.

Mellemskala - the final version will be presented on the boards

Pointing out the places followed by Interventions

ZOOM IN

åkrogen’s pumping station - invitation to Aarhus Bugt/ Bay A new bridge will be introduced to the area together with a window framing as a part of it looking towards Aarhus Bay to highlight the presence of water, supplemented by vegetation that underlines the flow and the opening towards the Bay. The water will be invited back to Åkrogen’s land as it used to be in the past.

Åkrogen’s pumping station - existing conditions

Zoom in Åkrogen - the final version will be presented on the boards

ZOOM IN

the green pumping station - the anchor, invitation to the open landscape A new bridge will be introduced to the area to invite people to Hede Engeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wetland. A new walkway surrounding the wetland will be present and another bridge providing a direct access to Vejlby-Risskov by inviting the local people straight to the open landscape (please refer to the drawing on the left to orientate and the site plan on pages 89-90). However, all the different elements-interventions along the way will be contected by KulturNatur stien, which will frame a new understanding of the whole area.

Pumping station - existing conditions

Zoom in Pumping station - the final version will be presented on the boards

REFLECTION

LIST OF REFERENCES

In conclusion, I will reflect on my intentions with the project and how it turned in comparison to my initial intentions. The project is not yet fully finished, therefore minor changes might appear to the final materials presented on the boards.

1. EU Oversvømmelsesdirektiv. Risikostyringsplan for Vanddistrikt Jylland og Fyn. Miljø- og Fødevareministeriet Kystdirektoratet

When I started the project, my primary focus was Egå Engsø and after thе first phase and analysis, I expanded my vision of the area and was convienced that the overall strategy is very important for the development of the project and the larger scale should extend much more in time than initially assumed. This helped me to translate the strategy into site specific architectural solutions and to relate to the general discussion about how we deal with the climate change issues nowadays.

3. Ministry of the Environment and Food of Denmark / Environmental. Climate Change Adaptation. http://www.klimatilpasning.dk/7889.aspx

‘Perhaps the problem lies within our notion of natural disaster itself. Instead of viewing flood as a disaster that needs to be overcome, we should look at it as a constant natural occurence that we need to account for and live in harmony with and further celebrate.‘ Ray Allen Cho

However, after some time the project turned to be not only a climate change adaptation project, but as well a landscape restoration project.

2. Kristensen Martin, Koed Anders og Mikkelsen Jørgen Skole. Egå Engsø - tab af havørredsmolt i en Vandmiljøplan II-sø. DTU Aqua-rapport nr. 276-2014. Institut for Akvatiske Ressourcer

4. Petersen Bodil. Nyt naturområde i Egådalen. Århus Amt 2006 5. https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/history/students/modules/hi127/programme/western/late_ medieval_trade_routes.jpg 6. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Ceremony-of-Quit-Rents/ 7. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-dutch-make-room-for-the-river/ 8. http://worldlandscapearchitect.com/room-for-the-river-nijmegen-the-netherlands-hns-landscape-architects/#.WwZ7aUiFNPY 9. https://www.aarhus.dk/~/media/Subsites/gogreenwithaarhus/Dokumenter/PDF/Climate-adaptation-plan-2014-pdf-str-small.pdf 10. http://www.klimatilpasning.dk/vandplus.aspx 11. http://www.geus.dk/vandressourcer/vandets-kredsloeb/ 12. http://en.klimatilpasning.dk/knowledge/climate/futuresealevels.aspx 13. https://www.climatechangepost.com/denmark/coastal-floods/ 14. France Robert L. Wetland Design. Principles and Practices for Landscape Architects and Land-Use Planners 15. Koolhaas Rem and Mau Bruce O.M.A., Small, Medium, Large, EXtra-Large. 22 Oct 2002 16. Korsgaard Morten Winther, Storm surge protection with recreational value - An investigation in possibilities in Dragør, Denmark, Master Thesis in Landscape Architecture 17. Page 59-62, pictures taken from Lennie Boeson

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CV 7. semester / F16 Kiwi plot of land in Hadsten Internship/ Brink Brandenburg Area of interest: Urban development of abandoned spaces by the mean of water as an activator Activating the area by developing a new urban district in town, which provides apartments and place for new commercial activities on the ground level. The area is designed in connection to the Lilleåparken and Lilleåen, which makes the space well-related to the existing blue landscape features around the place. This is an example of architecture that follows nature. Water becomes the mediator between the urban fabric and the landscape.

8. semester / S17 Funder Ådal - Social Housing Studio Urban Design & Landscape Supervisors: Tom Nielsen, Rune Chr Bach, Charlotte Baad, Birthe Urup Nygaard Area of interest: Inhabitation in relation to water Investigating in new ways of designing social housing connected to the water and being part of a wonderful landscape. Using the landscape as connecting feature between the settlements and as a mediator between the man-made and the nature, which can be translated to Egå Engsø. Engsøen is an example of water landscape in the city, as Funder Ådal is the blue link between housing units.

9. semester / F17 Greater Aarhus Studio Urban Design & Landscape Supervisors: Jens Christian Pasgaard, Martin Odgaard, Charlotte Baad, Birthe Urup Nygaard Area of interest: A landscape link between existing water landscapes The site was in Brabrand, more precisely the road called Truevej between Langdalen and Brabrand Lake, where my approach was to establish a new landscape link between the urban fabric and the water. The project investigations were done in several scales as 1:50000, 1:5000, 1:1500 and 1:500, which came very naturally. I find it very helpful for defining the spatial qualities. Therefore I would like to use that as a main tool during my master thesis project and jump between scales as much as possible to discover new possibilities. I was always fascinated by water during my studies and practice. It is mostly its essential qualities - fluid, dynamic, transparent - nothing to do with buildings, but both are essential for human life.

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