taraldrud-kolbotn station city
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testing the diagram models by implementation at taraldrud-kolbotn
isaak elias skjeseth bashevkin diploma / spring 2015
project
booklet
introduction
personal background This project is in many ways the natural culmination of my studies at AHO - The Oslo School of Architecture and Design. After my first three years at AHO - where everyone follows the same curriculum - I quickly became interested in energy- and environmentally conscious architecture and urban design. During my master-level studies I have taken part in an elective course on energy-positive buildings and an associated student competition. Following this I teamed up with four other students in a self-programmed studio course designing an energy positive project for a combined service center and dealership for BMW/Bilia. It was linked to a main course on urban timber architecture. As in the previous courses, I carried out detailed life-cycle energy and emission calculations according to methods developed at the center for Zero Emission Buildings and applied in the pilot projects of the Norwegian Powerhouse alliance. But all along I have felt dissatisfied by the narrow system boundaries of the building projects and by the lack of clear perspective and strategies for handling larger neighborhoods and cities. I have also felt the necessity of connecting the global and local perspectives, a connection that far too rarely is discussed and established. bridging the perspective gap Great work is being done in creating and developing architecture that can and will
introduction become integrated in a balanced future. Changes are happening, and we are truly getting closer to where we need to be. Enormous efforts are also being made to research, calculate, predict and communicate the consequences of human impact on a planetary scale. Regretably the research results are primarilty used to explain that the environment is important, and that things have to change. To a lesser extent do they help the readers and users find out what can and should be done. In the field of urbanism, urban design and in the structuring of how we connect all the different places and aspects of our lives, there are also many initiatives and plans for “green cities”. The complexity of the problem necessitates stepwise and thematic approaches, and many examples are located in other climatic zones.
aspects of the project controversial. That is perfectly natural given the complexity of the problem. Yet, I feel that the different aspects of my project are well founded in existing research and knowledge. project structure The project consists of a series of three booklets, linked to the three main phases outlined in the diploma program. Each booklet contains the same project introduction, and its own booklet introduction. The project phases are: 1. Collecting a library of relevant themes. 2. Integration of themes in a diagrammatic model for an urban structure.
Therefore I decided to look at the possibility of developing a diagrammatic model that integrated and quantified all aspects of a selfsufficient Norwegian urban structure. To test the usability of the “diagram city” I also decided to test it on a specific and relevant local site.
3. Testing the diagrammatic model on a real world site.
This would at the same time be an attempt to bridge the scale gap between our successful small-scale efforts and our existing global knowledge.
2. The Library of Knowledge and Parameters for Design
The booklets should be read in this order: 1. The Diploma Program
3. Diagrammatic Model for a Self-sufficient Urban Structure
optimism and controversiality I have been optimistic on behalf of technological development and the societal willingness to adapt. Some might find certain
4. Testing the Diagram Models by Implementation at Taraldrud-Kolbotn
phase 3: The testing and implementation of the diagram models This is the third booklet, excluding the diploma program, and is the result of the third phase of the diploma semester. selecting a suitable site It’s tempting to select a remote non-connected real-world landscape without much resistance. Another possibility could be selecting an existing urban structure and try to transform it. After investigating different possibilities, I selected Taraldrud, a 7,5 km2 semi-tabula rasa site. Taraldrud is an interesting site, context and strategic location for the future development of the Oslo region. It is located on a segregated part of “Marka”, between Bjørndal, Kolbotn, Sofiemyr and the future Gjersrud-Stensrud development area. The new high speed rail tunnel from Oslo to Ski (Follotunnelen) is currently being drilled directly under the site. A new underground rail station with 7 minutes travel time to Oslo central station, has been proposed. Such a short travel time to the central station is comparable to neighborhoods such as Grünerløkka, Sagene, Carl Berners plass, Helsfyr, Majorstuen and Lysaker. The site introduces many interesting discussions, and is both semi-tabula rasa and connected to existing urban structures that require adaptation and adjustments.
index site analysis
the layers of the implemented diagram city
6 / Regional context
34 / Calculation models
7 / Follotunnelen - the new hsr tunnel
36 / Area distribution comparison
8 / Existing infrastructure and public transportation coverage
37 / Energy production calculation
9 / New infrastructure
38 / Natural landscape preservation
10 / Site boundary
39 / Greywater treatment
11 / Extended site boundary
40 / Transit oriented structure
12 / Existing neighborhood density
41 / Automated light rail network
13 / Terrain contours and steep (unbuildable) slopes
42 / Bicycle highway network
14 / Natural water runoff
44 / Urban hotspots
15 / Landscape / wilderness protection, agriculture, biotopes and endangered species
46 / Urban functions
16 / Solar irradiation
47 / Local road network and car-free zones
17 / Prevailing winds
48 / Efficient cargo distribution
implementation process 20 / Step one to nine - from diagram to site adapted masterplan 29 / Final masterplan 30 / Site sections
49 / Development phases 50 / Future densities and population 51 / Overview visualization
reflective conclusions and summary 56 / Architectural detailing 57 / Method comparison 58 / Importance and blue-green corridors 59 / Project detail level 60 / Final reflections
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diagram models - calculation and structure
mapping and understanding the site
site analysis
diagram models - calculation and structure
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5
regional context Taraldrud-Kolbotn is well connected to Oslo, both with the existing Ă˜stfoldbanen local train line. It is also connected via the E6-highway, that is a viable alternative, except during rush hours when there is extensive queuing that starts out by the site and continues all the way into Oslo. The tabula-rasa Taraldrud-site has a substantial size and proximity to Oslo.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
follotunnelen - the new hsr tunnel In 2014 Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian rail authority, began building and drilling a new high speed rail (HSR) tunnel from Oslo to Ski. The tunnel is being drilled by four huge TBM-machines. To get them underground and into drilling position, two access tunnels and a large underground cavern had to be blasted first. These tunnels go from Ă…sland on the other side of the E6 from Taraldrud, to the cavern directly under the middle of the Taraldrud-site.
diagram models - calculation and structure
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existing infrastructures Existing public transportation coverage The local rail line has a good service and short travel time to Oslo, but is often affected by service disruptions, mostly due to signal errors. There are also several bus lines, but they take a long time into Oslo, and are affected by the rush hour queues. When everything is running as intended, the current population have a decent public transportation coverage, but during the rush hour the capacity is not sufficient, neither on the train, buses or road network. Also, the inefficient and looped local road network, and urban sprawl, makes running an efficient bus service impossible within reasonable costs.
Sources: Google Maps. Gulesider.no/kart. Finn.no/kart
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diagram models - calculation and structure
new infrastructure High speed rail tunnel (Follotunnelen) The new high speed rail tunnel and proposed underground station will have a 7 minute travel time to both Oslo and Ski. The main function of the tunnel is not local transportation, but long distance regional and international rail transportation to Halden, Gøteborg and eventually Copenhagen. It will be important to limit the local rail service so that it can be run inbetween high speed trains using the tunnel. If the high speed trains run every 30 minutes, there is a window of 20 minutes inbetween to run 2-3 local trains from Oslo to Ski per interval, a total of 4-6 departures per hour. It will also be important that the local trains stopping at Taraldrud have their own tracks, so that the high speed trains can run at high speeds past the station.
Sources: Jernbaneverket.
diagram models - calculation and structure
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site boundary
Tabula-rasa for the new neighborhoods This vast mainly tabula-rasa site is 7,32 km2 large and consist mainly of rolling forested hills. It is a part of “marka”, but was segregated from the surrounding nature areas when the E6 highway and a high voltage power line was built between Bjørndal and Oppegård. It will be important to protect and preserve the existing usage of the area for human recreation and wildlife habitats, but there should be substantial development possibilities even with a strict relationship to wilderness preservation.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
extended site boundary
Incorporating adjacent existing neighborhoods One of the interesting aspects of the site is its relationship to several existing neighborhoods and built areas. Kolbotn is an established semiurban center of Oppegürd kommune, surrounded by low density residential and industrial areas, that suffer from the effects of urban sprawl. Bjørndal is a strange place. It is quite densely built, but is very poorly connected to other urban structures and is suffering with its poor public transportation solutions.
Text description
Gjersrud-Stensrud is a vast new development area that has come quite far in the planning and design development. It is planned with a substantial population, but has no viable transportation solutions to Oslo, and will be a mobility disaster. There is no extra capacity on the road network, and all rail based solutions will have a 40 minute travel time to Oslo. diagram models - calculation and structure
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density
The existing neighborhoods Gjersrud-Stensrud is planned with a decent density, but is poorly connected. The same goes for Bjørndal. The rest of the neighborhoods, Hauketo/Prinsdal in Oslo municipality and the rest in Oppegård municipality, have a low density and quite homogenous structure. The existing population is 35 000 residents and approx. 13 000 workplaces. If the mobility solutions are improved, it should be possible to densify the existing areas substantially, either by “eplehagefortettning” or transformation.
Sources: Nabolag.no, in cooperation with Finn.no. http://www.nabolag.no/
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terrain contours
Steep (unbuildable) slopes and terrain types The terrain in the general area is hilly and characterized by quite deep and distinctive ravines running mainly north-south. There are not many flat areas on the new neighborhood site, but when compared to the existing built areas it is neither more or less challenging to develop. There are some steep slopes, as marked on the map, but non of them severely segregate different areas of the site. The highest point is the ridge on the northern half of the site.
Sources: Kartverket
diagram models - calculation and structure
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natural water runoff Drainage patterns, streams and ponds There is an established network of streams and lakes on the site, mostly drainging into Tussetjernet and further into Gjersjøen to the south-west. The highest point on the site, Grønliüsen is the divider between the south-running and north-running watershed.
Sources: Nabolag.no, in cooperation with Finn.no. http://www.nabolag.no/
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landscape and wilderness protection Agricultural soil, biotopes and endangered species Being an established nature area not previously developed, there is a complex and varied wildlife on the site.
An isolated habitat, even if it is 100 % preserved in its natural condition, will not be a sufficient long term solution for the species’ living there.
Protecting and preserving their habitants, the ecosystems they rely on and connecting these to eachother and surrounding areas is vital to ensure their continued survival and wellbeing.
Blue-green nature corridors are vital, and should consist of the nature type the species’ need to move in the landscape, and a forest/natural buffer on each side.
Ecological thinking and mapping should have a bottom-up approach where one looks at the species and ecosystems that are actually there, and tend to their needs and desires.
These corridors can also function as paths and areas for human recreation, and as permeable surfaces that dampen the negative effects of heavy rainfalls in an urban context.
Also, to ensure a good genetic diversity, wildlife corridors must connect each habitat to its surrounding habitants. Sources: Skog+landskap. “Kilden, arealinformasjon”. http://kartbeta.skogoglandskap.no/kilden Miljødirektoratet. “Naturbase”. http://kart.naturbase.no/
diagram models - calculation and structure
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solar irradiation Local climate data
When planning for solar photovoltaic electricity production, it is important to know how much and at what angle the sun shines and irradiates the site area. The optimal PV-panel angle is directy south with a 40 degree inclination. But since such a panel, when placed on a horizontal surface, cast a substantial shadow, is it actually more efficient to place the solar PV-panels oriented east-west with a 15 degree inclination.
Sources: EU Joint Research Center. “Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS). http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/pvest. php# Meteorologisk institutt. “eKlima”. http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/
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diagram models - calculation and structure
South-faced panels with a 40 degree inclination produce the most energy per PV-panel surface area, and is therefore the most cost-efficient. East-west-faced panels with a 15 degree inclination produce the most energy per roof surface area, and is therefore the most area-efficient.
prevailing winds Cardinal direction and strength The main wind strength and direction is north-south. This has an effect on the ideal street direction with regards to felt temperatures when using the urban spaces and streets.
Sources: Meteorologisk institutt. “eKlima�. http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/
diagram models - calculation and structure
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diagram models - calculation and structure
from a graphical diagram to a site specific urban structure
implementation process
diagram models - calculation and structure
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step one
Copy + paste graphical diagram model The urban core neighborhoods (here slightly trimmed to fit the scale) are placed with the central plaza above the underground HSR-station. The satellite neighborhoods are placed with a spacing of about 800m center-to-center, but with additional spacing where there are intended green corridors or other landscape conditions that are not suitable for urban development.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
step two
Trim urban core to fit site boundary and replace with satellite neighborhoods To achieve a better siteadjusted starting point, the neighborhoods nearest to the urban core can be replaced by satellite neighborhoods with a more preferable rotation and center placement.
a3 1:25000 diagram models - calculation and structure
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step three
Topographical adjustment of automated light rail and bicycle highway network To connect the new neighborhoods, the main structuring elements - the automated light rail line and bicycle highway network - must be adjusted to the topography. Line gradients need to be considered, and especially for the bicycle highway network it is preferable to avoid steep and/or long inclines or declines. Normally the road network would also be a part of this adjustment, but in this case there is a well established road network running almost the entire length of the new neighborhoods. The new neighborhoods can fairly easily be connected to the existing roads, making a new road corridor superfluous.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
step four
Treating existing neighborhoods as diagram model satellites The first step towards incorporating adjacent existing neighborhoods as an integrated part of the new urban structure is looking at them and treating them as equal to the new satellite neighborhoods. This is done by establishing a similar automated light rail network, bicycle highway network and hotspot space layout and distribution as for the new neighborhoods.
a3 1:25000 diagram models - calculation and structure
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step five
New automated light rail lines and bicycle highway corridors adjusted to the topography in the existing neighborhoods To connect the existing neighborhoods, the main structuring elements - the automated light rail line and bicycle highway network - must be adjusted to the topography. Line gradients need to be considered, and especially for the bicycle highway network it is preferable to avoid steep and/or long inclines or declines. Also here the road network needs to be considered, and might need to be added if not existing or non-ideally structured. But in this case the existing road network is already structured similar enough to the diagram models.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
step SIX
Extracting landscape and wilderness protection areas The first step towards making the plan site specific is preserving all the landscape areas mapped in the site analysis, including existing agriculture, non-utilized arable land (future agriculture), biotopes, ecosystems and human recreational areas (in this case primarilty sports facilities such as the golf course, tennis courts and football fields.
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step SEVEN
Wildlife corridors connect the protected areas To ensure a good biodiversity and genetic diversity within the species, wildlife corridors must connect each habitat to its surrounding habitants. An isolated habitat, even if it is 100 % preserved in its natural condition, will not be a sufficient long term solution for the species’ living there. Blue-green corridors are vital, and should consist of the nature type the species’ need to move in the landscape, and a forest/ natural buffer on each side. These corridors can also function as paths and areas for human recreation, and as permeable surfaces that dampen the negative effects of heavy rainfalls in an urban context.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
The wildlife corridors should have a 30m buffer to each side of the path, stream or equalient. This is the same width used as a buffer from train lines, and provides good noise and visual protection from the urban structure. In the case of a forest path or road, this 30m buffer should render the user of the path feeling like he or she is walking in a natural landscape, and not in an urbanized area.
step Eight
Extend and adjust neighborhood sizes In accordance with the extended walking and bicycling radiusparameters from the diagram phase, the neighborhood extents can be extended if the connection to the automated light rail station is efficient and there is sufficient bicycle parking at the station. This allows a better utilization of the site areas that are not in need of protection or preservation, or serve another function for the non-urbanized landscape.
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step nine
Refining the sizes and shapes of neighborhoods into development areas, and introducing a hierarchy in the blue-green network The last and final step in the implementation process is using the mechanical and parametrical results from the first eight steps as a basis for a final choreographed urban structure. This final step equates the new and existing neighborhoods, and establishes a hierarchy between the green corridors, taking into account that they have variating importance. Importan green corridors are given greater widths and drawn as natural landscapes, while small paths and weaker connections can be seen as urbanized areas with a green passage flowing throught it.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
final masterplan
Principle plan as a basis for zoning and area plans The new neighborhoods have been blended into the existing urban structure, completing the new city of Taraldrud-Kolbotn. Taraldrud is the natural center of gravity, in the intersection between the main north-south and east-west axis’. The yellow urban hotspots at the heart of each neighborhood are spaced out evenly, with short distances from all areas in the city to the nearest hotspot. This ensure a great walkability in everyday life for young and old.
Compared to the previous phases and steps - all the way from the calculation models, density study and diagrammatic urban structure - the final masterplan has left the 100x100m standard grid unit, and been detailed with an initial customization and site adjusted grid structure of a more preferable 50x50m. The new grid structure is adjusted both to the internal structure of the neighborhoods and the topography. A grid structure has also been added to un-built areas inside new borders of the existing neighborhoods.
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site section
a3 1:7500
East-West axis
kolbotn
prinsdal
taraldrud
hsr-station existing neighborhoods
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diagram models - calculation and structure
new neighborhoods
bjørndal
e6 towards oslo
tunnel access
new neighborhoods
gjersrud/ stensrud
gjersrud
site section
a3 1:20000
height exagurated 2:1
South-North axis
oppegård
laugskollen
sofiemyr
kolbotn
grønliåsen
hauketo
taraldrud
diagram models - calculation and structure
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diagram models - calculation and structure
explaining the graphical models by example
the layers of the implemented diagram city
diagram models - calculation and structure
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calculation model
A diagrammatic self-sufficient urban structure taraldrud-kolbotn // strict 100 % local calculation model / taraldrud-kolbotn strict population + urban density inputs
self-sufficiency
institution + business inputs
20 000 population urban center
agriculture + site landscape and infrastructure inputs 975 agricultural area m2 / person vegetarian diet
9,5 sports arena (football+multihall+swimming) area m2 / inhabitant
3 985 average population per satellite neighborhood
1 500 agricultural area m2 / person average 2050 meat diet (90g / day)
275 health institution area m2 / 1000 inhabitants
47 895 total population
75 % percentage of population with mainly vegitarian diet (incl. manufactured meat)
14 % percentage of population in lower education 5 % percentage of population in higher education
3 000 average surface agricultural area m2 internally per city block 2000 % percentage yield increase / m2 with urban aquaponic agriculture compared to conventional landscape agriculture
16 gross m2 / student
URBAN EXTENT 7 number of satellite neighborhoods
6 % percentage of population in child care
90 number of urban core blocks (<400m to core & <100m to station)
28 gross m2 / child
192 number of urban center blocks (<400m to light rail station)
1,0 cargo terminal area m2 / inhabitant
82 number of urban periphery blocks
7 320 000 implementation site total area m2
3,0 cultural institution (movie+performing art+museum+library) area m2 / inhabitant
86 waterconsumption m3 / inhabitant / year
60 % percentage of population in active workforce
20 % percentage of land area for wilderness preservation m2
50 % percentage of workforce in office jobs
URBAN DENSITY 10 000 average m2 site area per city block
4 % percentage of road+rail infrastructure on land area m2
15 % percentage of workforce in agriculture/forestry etc.
26 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban core block
7 % percentage of workforce in area intensive industry/services etc.
18 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban center block
100 m2 / employee in area intensive workplaces
8 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban periphery block
1,5 greywater treatment area m2 / inhabitant 2,5 urban hotspot spaces area m2 / inhabitant 1,1 hydrogen carsharing parking area m2 / inhabitant
20 m2 / employee
2,5 energy storage area m2 / inhabitant
5,5 average employees / business
residential + office area calculation intended dwelling sizes
m2 / dwelling
people living in what dwelling sizes
distribution
actual average inhabitants per dwelling size
total area needed residential
average area per person
1 person
45
10 %
1
4 790 people
1
->
1
1
45,0 m2 / person
1
215 528 m2
1
4 790 units
70
20 %
2
9 579 people
2
->
1,7
2
35,0 m2 / person
2
394 429 m2
2
5 635 units
3 people
100
40 %
3
19 158 people
3
->
2,4
3
33,3 m2 / person
3
798 250 m2
3
7 983 units
287 370 m2 office space
4 people
120
20 %
4
9 579 people
4
->
3,1
4
30,0 m2 / person
4
370 800 m2
4
3 090 units
307 486 gross m2 office space
5 people
150
5%
5
2 395 people
5
->
3,8
5
30,0 m2 / person
5
94 530 m2
5
630 units
6 people
180
5%
6
2 395 people
6
->
4,5
6
30,0 m2 / person
6
95 790 m2
6
532 units
100 %
total
47 895 people
6 452 000 total gross floor area m2 CITY 2 629 905 total gross floor area m2 RESIDENTIAL+WORKPLACES
44,0 average gross m2 per person
32,7 % average percentage residential m2 / block 8,5 % average percentage retail m2 / block 13,0 % average percentage institutional m2 / block 3 640 000 total urban block land area m2 17 725 average m2 gross floor area / block 4 118 970 total water consumption m3 / year
total
1 969 327 m2
gross
2 107 179 m2
22 659 total residential units
837 923 total gross floor area m2 INSTITUTIONAL
8,1 % average percentage office m2 / block
41,1 m2 / person 44,0 m2 / person
2 107 179 total gross residential m2
41,1 average net m2 per person
134,7 average gross m2 / person
total gross
residential results
546 000 total gross floor area m2 RETAIL
2 438 172 total gross floor area m2 URBAN AGRICULTURE
2,1 average number of people per unit 93,0 average gross m2 unit size 222 average residents/ha urban core block 154 average residents/ha urban center block 68 average residents/ha urban periphery block 55 175 potential population with current density
population 47 895 diagram models - calculation and structure
total
workplace + institutions results 522 726 total gross workplace space m2 28 737 total number of people in workforce
22 659 units
71 843 total greywater treatment area m2
47 895 total cargo terminal m2 145 601 total educational institution area m2 80 464 total child care area m2 13 171 total health institution area m2 455 003 total sports area m2 52 685 total hydrogen carsharing parking area m2 143 685 total cultural institution area m2
215 240 gross m2 industry/services
292 800 total infrastructures area m2
119 738 total urban hotspot spaces area m2
31,9 average gross m2 per person
2 012 area intensive workers 201 159 m2 industry/services
1 464 000 total wilderness preservation area m2
29,8 average net m2 per person
175,5 average gross m2 business unit size
2 612 businesses 14 369 office workers
urban space + agriculture results
2 612 total number of businesses
11 284 849 total water consumption liters / day
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total area needed workplace-space
2 people
averages + totals + results
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total number of different dwelling sizes
2 184 000 total building footprints m2 4 226 936 available agricultural land area m2 48 763 431 yield-adjusted architecturally integrated urban agriculture m2 37,8 % percentage of floor area used for urban agriculture 52 990 367 total agricultural area m2 land+building 46 697 625 total agricultural area m2 needed 100% vegitarian diet 71 842 500 total agricultural area m2 needed 100% average 2015 meat diet 52 983 844 total agricultural area m2 needed in future vision 6 523 agricultural area balance m2 100 % agricultural on-site self-sufficiency
urban aquaponic agriculture 38 %
agricultural self-sufficiency 100 %
calculation model
A diagrammatic self-sufficient urban structure taraldrud-kolbotn // local compromise, calculation model / taraldrud-kolbotn compromise population + urban density inputs
relying on national self-sufficiency
institution + business inputs
20 000 population urban center
agriculture + site landscape and infrastructure inputs 975 agricultural area m2 / person vegetarian diet
9,5 sports arena (football+multihall+swimming) area m2 / inhabitant
8 000 average population per satellite neighborhood
1 500 agricultural area m2 / person average 2050 meat diet (90g / day)
275 health institution area m2 / 1000 inhabitants
76 000 total population
75 % percentage of population with mainly vegitarian diet (incl. manufactured meat)
14 % percentage of population in lower education 5 % percentage of population in higher education
3 000 average surface agricultural area m2 internally per city block 2000 % percentage yield increase / m2 with urban aquaponic agriculture compared to conventional landscape agriculture
16 gross m2 / student
URBAN EXTENT 7 number of satellite neighborhoods
6 % percentage of population in child care
90 number of urban core blocks (<400m to core & <100m to station)
28 gross m2 / child
192 number of urban center blocks (<400m to light rail station)
1,0 cargo terminal area m2 / inhabitant
82 number of urban periphery blocks
7 320 000 implementation site total area m2
3,0 cultural institution (movie+performing art+museum+library) area m2 / inhabitant
86 waterconsumption m3 / inhabitant / year
60 % percentage of population in active workforce
20 % percentage of land area for wilderness preservation m2
50 % percentage of workforce in office jobs
URBAN DENSITY 10 000 average m2 site area per city block
4 % percentage of road+rail infrastructure on land area m2
15 % percentage of workforce in agriculture/forestry etc.
26 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban core block
7 % percentage of workforce in area intensive industry/services etc.
18 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban center block
100 m2 / employee in area intensive workplaces
8 000 average m2 gross floor area / urban periphery block
1,5 greywater treatment area m2 / inhabitant 2,5 urban hotspot spaces area m2 / inhabitant 1,1 hydrogen carsharing parking area m2 / inhabitant
20 m2 / employee
2,5 energy storage area m2 / inhabitant
5,5 average employees / business
residential + office area calculation intended dwelling sizes
m2 / dwelling
people living in what dwelling sizes
distribution
actual average inhabitants per dwelling size
total area needed residential
average area per person
total number of different dwelling sizes
total area needed workplace-space
1 person
45
10 %
1
7 600 people
1
->
1
1
45,0 m2 / person
1
342 000 m2
1
7 600 units
2 people
70
20 %
2
15 200 people
2
->
1,7
2
35,0 m2 / person
2
625 882 m2
2
8 941 units
22 800 office workers 456 000 m2 office space
3 people
100
40 %
3
30 400 people
3
->
2,4
3
33,3 m2 / person
3
1 266 667 m2
3
12 667 units
4 people
120
20 %
4
15 200 people
4
->
3,1
4
30,0 m2 / person
4
588 387 m2
4
4 903 units
5 people
150
5%
5
3 800 people
5
->
3,8
5
30,0 m2 / person
5
150 000 m2
5
1 000 units
6 people
180
5%
6
3 800 people
6
->
4,5
6
30,0 m2 / person
6
152 000 m2
6
844 units
100 %
total
76 000 people
averages + totals + results 6 452 000 total gross floor area m2 CITY 4 173 146 total gross floor area m2 RESIDENTIAL+WORKPLACES 546 000 total gross floor area m2 RETAIL 1 329 620 total gross floor area m2 INSTITUTIONAL 403 234 total gross floor area m2 URBAN AGRICULTURE 84,9 average gross m2 / person
total
41,1 m2 / person
total
3 124 936 m2
gross
44,0 m2 / person
gross
3 343 682 m2
residential results 3 343 682 total gross residential m2 35 956 total residential units 41,1 average net m2 per person 44,0 average gross m2 per person 2,1 average number of people per unit 93,0 average gross m2 unit size
workplace + institutions results 829 464 total gross workplace space m2 45 600 total number of people in workforce
353 average residents/ha urban core block 244 average residents/ha urban center block
231 040 total educational institution area m2
109 average residents/ha urban periphery block
127 680 total child care area m2
20,6 % average percentage institutional m2 / block
17 725 average m2 gross floor area / block 6 536 000 total water consumption m3 / year
87 552 potential population with current density
76 000 total cargo terminal m2
20 900 total health institution area m2 722 000 total sports area m2 83 600 total hydrogen carsharing parking area m2 228 000 total cultural institution area m2
17 906 849 total water consumption liters / day
population 76 000
341 544 gross m2 industry/services
292 800 total infrastructures area m2 114 000 total greywater treatment area m2
31,9 average gross m2 per person
3 192 area intensive workers 319 200 m2 industry/services
1 464 000 total wilderness preservation area m2
190 000 total urban hotspot spaces area m2
175,5 average gross m2 business unit size
487 920 gross m2 office space
urban space + agriculture results
29,8 average net m2 per person
51,8 % average percentage residential m2 / block
3 640 000 total urban block land area m2
35 956 units
4 145 total number of businesses
12,9 % average percentage office m2 / block
8,5 % average percentage retail m2 / block
total
4 145 businesses
2 184 000 total building footprints m2 4 083 600 available agricultural land area m2 8 064 687 yield-adjusted architecturally integrated urban agriculture m2 6,2 % percentage of floor area used for urban agriculture 12 148 287 total agricultural area m2 land+building 74 100 000 total agricultural area m2 needed 100% vegitarian diet 114 000 000 total agricultural area m2 needed 100% average 2015 meat diet 84 075 000 total agricultural area m2 needed in future vision -71 926 713 agricultural area balance m2 14 % agricultural on-site self-sufficiency
urban aquaponic agriculture 6 %
agricultural self-sufficiency 14 % diagram models - calculation and structure
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area distribution comparison
strict vs. compromise self-sufficiency calculation landscape distribution in %
18 %
Floor area distribution in %
5,6 %
landscape agriculture
26 %
7,3 %
residential
11,2 % 3,5 %
urban landscape agriculture
0,3 %
12,9 %
workplaces retail
6,2 %
building footprint
sports education
13 %
infrastructure
health
30 %
13 %
culture
natural landscapes
urban agriculture
51,8 %
compromise Floor area distribution in % 14 % self-sufficiency
2,2 %
residential
37,8 %
3,5 %
workplaces
0,2
retail sports
7,1 %
education 7,7 %
health 8,1 %
32,7 %
culture urban agriculture
strict 100 % self-sufficiency
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a diagrammatic self-sufficient urban structure energy production calculation energy production calculation / taraldrud-kolbotn taraldrud-kolbotn Energy consumption in operation phase
energy accounting energy consumption
Room heating Air heating Water heating
TEK15 8,8 13,4 15,8
Fans and pumps Lighting Technical equipment Room and ventilation cooling
total energy consumption regulation / TEK15
stipulated 8 kWh/m2/year 10 kWh/m2/year 5 kWh/m2/year
16,7 44,9 13,9 11,5
125 125
12 15 15 5
kWh/m2/year kWh/m2/year kWh/m2/year kWh/m2/year
70 kWh/m2/year 125 kWh/m2/year
the energy production calculations are based on the following energy measures and future assumptions
U-value outer walls U-value roof U-value ground floor U-value doors and windows Thermal Solar Panels for heating
0,11 0,08 0,08 0,05 130 000
W/m2K W/m2K W/m2K W/m2K m2
Total energy consumption/m2 Total heated area of building Total energy consumption/year
70 kWh/m2/year 5 805 000 m2 406 350 000 kWh/year
first generation pv-production Average solar radiation on PV-panel angle(s) PV-panel efficiency rating Electricity production/m2
848 kWh/m2/year 35 % 296,8 kWh/m2
PV-panel area Electricity production
1 370 000 m2 406 616 000 kWh/year 70 kWh/m2/year
second generation pv-production
30 years until invest
PV-panel efficiency rating Electricity production/m2 PV-panel area Electricity production
45 381,6 1 070 000 408 312 000 70
energy balance
1 114 000 kWh/year 0 kWh/m2/year
Average price of electricity in life span of first generation PVpanels
1,5 NOK/kWh
Average price of electricity in life span of second generation PV-panels
2,0 NOK/kWh
Income from selling electricity to the grid in life span of both generations of PV-panels
the projected production is dependent on the following pv-investment
1,2 NOK/kWh
PV-panel price / year 2050
Average area used for energy production per urban block
4 000 m2
PV-investment cost / year 2050 PV-panel price / year 2080
sources ZEB / The Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings EPD-Norge.no / Environmental Product Declarations ICE / Inventory of Carbon & Energy, University of Bath Powerhouse projects / Skanska, Entra, Snøhetta, Zero, ZEB & Hydro Photovoltaic Geographical Information System Sintef Byggforsk & KanEnergi for Enova
PV-investment cost / year 2080 Savings from reduced amount of electricity bought Savings from reduced amount of electricity bought Income from electricity sold to the grid
Economic result of pv-investment over life span
% kWh/m2 m2 kWh/year kWh/m2/year
1 600 NOK/m2 2 192 000 000 NOK 1 000 NOK/m2 1 070 000 000 NOK 609 525 000 NOK/year 0-30 812 700 000 NOK/year 30+ 2 673 600 NOK/year
39 484 958 000 NOK/60 years
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natural landscape preservation Blue-green network
As shown, all the protected areas as left intact and connected to their surrounding landscape with blue-green corridors. From the diagram phase I initially set the wilderness preservation percentage to 15 % of the total site area in the calculation model. This percentage is based on the average amount of protected landscapes on mainland Norway, and will not be very accurate, since all sites and landscapes are very different. After completing the implementation site analysis and drawing the final plan proposal, there is 3 200 000m2 of various landscape protection
same theme from graphical diagram
areas, including existing agriculture, non-utilized arable soil, biotopes, wildlife corridors, and green parks and forests for human recreation. Of this 950 000m2 is either existing agriculture or non-utilized arable land. Since these are calculated separately, they should be subtracted from the total wilderness preservation area. The wilderness preservation area left is then 2 250 000m2, 31 % of the total site area of 7 320 000m2. Today Taraldrud is a vast green area with a rich wildlife and landscape. It can therefore be assumed that Taraldrud has a larger proportion of landscapes worthy of preservation than most other sites. Considering all these points, I have increased the percentage of wilderness preservation in the calculation model from 15 % to 20 %. legend
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greywater treatment
For irrigation of local landscape and urban agriculture The ideal terrain from the diagram phase was more or less completely flat, with only slight height differences to allow for a connected and partially interconnected water management network. The terrain on the implementation site at Taraldrud-Kolbotn is quite undulating and hilly, making it difficult and illogical to design a connected water management network. Having a connected water management network within a city-landscape-agriculturerelationship does have some advantages, such as a natural and energy neutral way of irrigation
same theme from graphical diagram
the agricultural lands surrounding the city. At the same time, I have proposed a significant amount of architecturally integrated urban agriculture both on the ground and in buildings within the urban block structure, and many of the irrigational benefits of cleaning greywater superlocally can be sustained even with a nonconnected water management system. The terrain on the implementation site is also quite typical for Norway, and many other places in the world. Therefore I have realized that the most logical, flexible and credible water management system solution to propose is a segregated and more locally organized one. The greywate treatment landscapes are located at the lowest point in the neighborhoods, and the catchment canals mostly follow the street grid.
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transit oriented structure
Main structuring element of the neighborhoods and center hotspots The main structuring element of the urban core and satellite neighborhoods is the automated light rail network and the stations at the center of each neighborhood. As shown the automated light rail network has been organized into four lines, two main ones running north-south along the new and existing neighborhood spines, and two lines running east-west across the site from Bjørndal and Gjersrud-Stensrud via the new center at Taraldrud and further on to the existing center of Kolbotn.
same theme from graphical diagram
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The lines are suggested and drawn as an automated light rail service with a higher capacity, investment and operation cost than a superbus or bus service. This is a conscious choice, based on the findings in a report from Ruter calculating the traffic base for a rail service from either Ljabru or Mortensrud via Hauketo, Bjørndal to Gjersrud-Stensrud. “Ruterrapport 2010:1 Banebetjening av Bjørndal og Gjersrud/Stensrud” The traffic base for both the new and densified existing neighborhoods will be equalient or higher than the areas investigated in Ruter’s report. Yet, the same network structure can also be serviced by bus or superbus vehicles on the same routes. It might be a good solution to build the routes as superbus roads first, until the densification and development has reached its final stages and justify the higher capacity of the automated light rail service.
automated light rail network
Relationship between Oslo and Taraldrud-Kolbotn The automated light rail network on the previous page can also be drawn as a line map, showing the structure and local train/ regional rail connectivity, and the relationship to Osloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light rail/ tram network. Line 1 and 2 run from Hauketo rail station in the north end of the new city, only a short distance from the southernmost station on the Oslonetwork at Ljabru. It is possible to connect the two, and look at line 1 and 2 as extentions of line 18 and 19 from Oslo. This would create more mobility resilience in a case where both the train lines are out of service.
But I recommend not connecting the two networks, since the travel time from Taraldrud-Kolbotn to Oslo via line 18 and 19 is unacceptably long. It is a much better solution to create a new segregated light rail network with Taraldrud and Kolbotn as the new center of operation, using the two train lines as the main mode of transportation from TaraldrudKolbotn to Oslo. This gives a maximum travel time of 7+transfer time+7 minutes from the least central neighborhoods in the new city to Oslo central station, as opposed to 30 minutes from Ljabru to Oslo central station. The passenger flow from Taraldrud-Kolbotn to the stations on line 18 and 19 south of Oslo is low, and does not qualify for a light rail capacity and service.
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bicycle highway network A prioritized and viable mobility option With electric bicycle technologies becoming increasingly available and efficient, bicycle mobility is becoming ever more attractive and viable for moving substantial amounts of people over greater distances then before. With a well protected and dedicated high quality bicycle infrastructure along all axisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with sufficient width, long distance personal mobility is quick and efficient.
same theme from graphical diagram
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With a dense network of high quality bicycle parking locations everywhere on the shared street grid in all neighborhoods, using your bicycle is an easy and attractive way of moving around the city.
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urban hotspots
Focused, concentrated and limited hotspots sustain social vibrance and activity Early in the implementation phase it became clear that it was not ideal or even viable to place a new urban core in the middle of the forest without any connection to the existing urban center of Kolbotn. Kolbotn is by no means a complete and perfect urban center, but it is established both in the public awareness, intermunicipal plans and self-driven development patterns, and is therefore a natural starting point for developing the new urban structure. Establishing connections to nearby existing urban centers of gravity is vital for success, especially
same theme from graphical diagram
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when they share functions and hierarchical positions in the local and regional context. The connection between the central urban plaza at Taraldrud and Kolbotn will be vital to achieve the notion and perception of Taraldrud-Kolbotn as one city, and should be incentivized and possibly subsidized. The new neighborhoods have also been given their own internal main hotspot connections, indication the direction of possible extentions if activity around the central square is high. They also function as main pathways from the neighborhood peripheries to the neighborhood center. This is of course only the main underlying structure, and there will and should be dynamically occuring exceptions.
taraldrud-kolbotn 2050
connected and perceived as one urban area diagram models - calculation and structure
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urban functions
Neighborhood specialities are distributed in a choreographed way, stimulating awareness in the population by intersecting life-supporting functions with everyday mobility patterns As with the urban hotspots, the different functions of the city should be allowed to manifest and distribute themselves in a primarily dynamic and unchoreographed way. This diagram is therefore only a possible example distribution of the most important urban functions. Most important, and perhaps the most fixed, are the commercial and cultural activities around the urban core hotspot axisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, especially along the axis between Kolbotn, Taraldrud and Gjersrud-Stensrud. The ring of higher educational
facilities and office clusters around the urban core are also important, since office workers are the most frequent commuters both within the city and intercity. It is also important to ensure a visual proximity between the lifesupporting functions (agriculture, energy production, energy storage, greywater treatment etc.) and the automated light rail network, intersecting everyday mobility patterns with all the different engine parts of the city. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A ten year old kid should be exposed to all the jobs he og she might want to do as an adultâ&#x20AC;?, Maria Hatling, Norconsult.
same theme from graphical diagram
legend office clusters
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local road network
Car free zones facilitated by semi-decentralized parking The dedicated road network for road traffic only is limited to very few corridors and streets on the perimeter of the neighborhoods. There are streets that go almost all the way into the urban core, but with no parking possibilities except the semi-decentralized parking lots along the road network, most of the urban areas and neighborhoods should be considered as car free zones. It is possible to drive both cars and trucks into the shared street grid, but with no where to park except loading/unloading bays, the usage of this possibility is limited to emergencies, deliveries and freight.
same theme from graphical diagram
This will hopefully greatly reduce the impact of the car in the city, providing cleaner air and more space for human interaction. The maximum walking distance of 800m to the shared hydrogen parking lots, takes 8 minutes. This is the same â&#x20AC;&#x153;waiting timeâ&#x20AC;? at walking 5 minutes to the automated light rail station and waiting an average of 3 minutes before the train arrives. This creates equal terms for both modes of transportation. As shown there are very few new roads needed for the 76 000 new inhabitants in the new neighborhoods - only 6,5km. This accounts to less than 10cm of new roads per new inhabitant. Of course the shared street grid is not included in this calculation, and the proximity between the new neighborhood parking lots and the existing road network greatly affect this number, but still it illustrates a trend.
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cargo distribution
Efficient transfer from rail to road to destination Cargo shipments come in all shapes and sizes, and transporting them from sending location A via transfer terminal B to port C, further on to port D via transfer terminal E to delivery location F is a very complex logistical process, when there are millions of sending and delivery locations. If a primarily train based cargo logistics system for long distance shipments is to work, there must be a sufficient market to fill the capacity both ways. This balanced import/export situation is unfortunately almost never the case. But it should still be possible to compete with a trucks based logistics system if the
same theme from graphical diagram
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transfer terminals are efficient and strategically located. The final leg of the shipment distribution needs to be done with smaller vehicles that can fit and navigate narrow streets without impeding the human scale interactions unnecessarily. Therefore is is preferable to get the cargo as close to the city as possible before transfering it to trucks, so the size of the truck can be as small and nimble as possible. Therefore it is preferable to have a most decentralized transfer terminal network than what we currently have in the Oslo region. As shown the existing road network between the existing and new neighborhoods can be used as the main local cargo distribution axis, limiting the need to drive more then 5-600m on the shared street grids.
development phases How could the new city be built? When working with the implementation site it became clear that all neighborhoods and development directions and lines cannot be built at once. The world of urban development simply does not work that way.
new development and transformation
densification of existing neighborhoods
Introducing a proposed phasing for the development pattern is natural. The development phasing can be divided into two main categories - one for new development and transformation neighborhoods, and one for densification of existing neighborhoods. These to categories represent two very different approaches to urban development, and could be done parallel by two seperate development offices or groups.
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future densities and population Densification of the existing neighborhoods alongside eight new dense neighborhoods gives a total population of 155 000 The density is gradually lowered the further from the urban gravitational core at TaraldrudKolbotn. Some of the existing neighborhoods have been densified quite substantially, but not all the way up to the new neighborhoods. This way much of the existing urban
For comparative purposes
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structure and archetypes can be preserved, while still becoming dense enough to create a substantial traffic base to sustain a viable automated light rail service, and create a vibrantly interacting social and economic activity around the new urban hotspot spaces.
taraldrud-kolbotn 2050
155 000 residents // 38 000 workplaces diagram models - calculation and structure
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oslo
skøyen
groruddalen ekeberg
hauketo bjørndal
gjersrudstensrud
kolbotn taraldrud sofiemyr
oppegĂĽrd
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explaining the graphical models by example
reflective conclusions and summary
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chapter
architectural detailing
This is a concluding reflection on the work and project produced during the diploma semester. I have tried to summarize the lessons learned – what has been easy, what has been challenging, and identifying the potentials for further development of the project, that I haven’t had the time to endeavor into.
I would have loved to have time to endeavor into the design of actual urban blocks and building, but that is a whole other semesters worth of work, and had to be deprioritized. But I have made a summary of the most important architectural parameters and programmatic requirements that should be fulfilled and followed if the architecture is to hold the same environmental ambition level as the urban structure:
introduction
Urban design strategies – layers and scales of social and functional spaces. • Every household (population 1-7) should have their own private or semi-private outdoor space, not necessarily a fenced garden, but a space where they feel connected to nature and can eat, enjoy the sun or grow vegetables. This could be a garden, a patio, a terrace, a balcony etc. • Every urban block (population 200500) should have a space where its inhabitants can meet eachother and have the possibility of arranging planned or spontaneous group activites. • Every urban block should also have a substantial area (3000m2+) for urban landscape agriculture internally in each urban blocks, irrigated by rainwater collected locally and treated greywater from nearby greywater landscape treatment parks. This can either be managed by the inhabitants themselves, by urban farmers employed by the city, or a combination of the two. • Every urban blocks should also have a substantial area (4000m2+, preferably on roof tops) for solar electricity or heat production, a battery for storing excess electricity, a geothermal well for hot water harvesting and storage, and a rooftop water reservoir for cooling excess heat.
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• Every neighborhood (population 5-11k) should have a local primary and middle school, kindergarden, shops, locally grown food market, cafés and restaurants, preferably concentrated around one single urban space placed • Every neighborhood should have a biomass recycling facility, producing energy (heat or electricity) from the decomposition process. • Every enclave of 2-3 neighborhoods (population 10-40k) should have a local sports club, sports facility, high school, activity center and culture center (library, literature house, performance stage, group rooms etc.). • Every developed city (population 50k +) should have a central district with a higher concentration of office workplaces, a university/college, culture institutions, performance stages and galleries/museums.
transparency to the north. • Use building materials with low embodied energy and carbon footprint. • Use solar photovoltaic panels and small windmills - when feasible - for electricity production. • Use batteries or preferably phase changing materials to store excess electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources. • Use solar thermal panels and geothermal wells to harvest energy for heating. • Use geothermal wells to store excess heat. • Use water mirrors, ponds or reservoirs for cooling. • Recover rainwater for irrigation of urban agriculture.
Both the diagram models and the Taraldrud-Kolbotn-masterplan are prepared in size, structure and services to include this program
A zero-energy building is a building that through its operational phase generates equal amounts or more energy than was used for the production of building materials, construction, operational consumption, demolition, and recycling of the building.
Technical requirements for architectural design Limit and lower the energy consumption, and maximize the energy production by incorporation the following design principles and solutions: • Working with, not against the principles of natural ventilation and the airs thermal properties. • Well insulated and air-tight building envelopes. • Area efficient room distribution and organization. • Solar shading and screening tailored to the specific cardinal direction, with horizontal slats to the south, vertical slaps to the east and west and high
A zero-energy life cycle ambition should be achievable
A standard building period for achieving zero-energy balance is estimated to be approx. 60 years. Programmatic flexibility adds a basis for different uses and various owners, all in one building. An extended life span can be achieved with higher architectural and material quality, and become a possible benefit to the life cycle calculation. Through the building’s life cycle, it becomes an integrated part of the energy solution, rather than being a part of the energy problem.
comparing method developed with current urban planning trends the private car First and foremost the biggest elephant in the urban planning room is the relationship to the private car. The private car has had a profound impact on how we have designed and structured our cities over the past century. impacts The negative impacts include urban structures (sprawl), segregated mobility patterns (wide highways, roads and road traffic machines), urban life quality (air and noise pollution), increased energy consumption (inefficient engines and the transportation of substantial dead weight), untreatable traffic congestion (impossible to build sufficient infrastructure to manage the spacial inefficiency) and urban disconnection (due to all five previous factors). The city and its spaces have been rendered dangerous and hostile for its inhabitants. Vast energy and economic resources are also wasted. The positive impacts include mobility freedom (both in time and space). small changes can have profound effects In the urban planning method I have laid out in this project, the negative impacts of the private car have been dealt with mainly in four ways. 1. The car is no longer private, but shared. 2. It is impossible to park a car in the urban structure. 3. Using the shared cars is equated with using public transportation, by
de-centralizing the parking lots slightly more than the public transportation stations/nodes. 4. Using the other mobility solutions (rail/ bus and bicycling) are made easier and superior to using the car. This will drastically increase the efficiency of mobility in the city, and encourage and stimulate far more human interactions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the one factor that actually defines what a city is. Bottom-up ecology Secondly, the bottom-up approach to ecology and the landscape had been fairly uncommon so far. Looking at the species and resources that are actually there, and catering to their needs and preferences, instead of creating standardized solutions that presumably is ok for everything and everyone, is an important change. calculation foundations Perhaps the most important is the sequencing of the physical and mathematical calculations. While it is common to design first and calculate later, I have chosen to calculate first and design later. This gives a more streamlined process and ensures that all the desired initial factors and parameters are in sight throughout the project process. It is a way of making sure we are actually working within the boundaries and ambitions we set out with, without having to redo and revise the design time and time again.
limited density Also, the density of the urban blocks have landed on a not very dense 80-250 % FAR. Purely mobility-wise it would be better if the density was higher, perhaps 125-500% FAR instead. But I have also considered the need and advantages of urban agriculture, and the fact that a low-rise high-density (actually medium-density) creates a more livable city with happier inhabitants that have less urges to build and travel to second homes in the mountains, by the sea etc. Therefore, planning and building with a lower density than what is common for new urban developments, can actually be a superior environmental solution, integrating the inhabitants better with the urban functions that sustain their existence and well-being. difference between envisioned and expected densities Due to variable and partly challenging terrains on real world sites (including Taraldrud-Kolbotn), the urban densities laid out and calculated in the density study will probably be higher than what can be expected to be achieved on a real world site. Ideally the urban density study would have had separate chapters for different terrain types, calculating and showing what an urban block could realistically expect to achieve both on level ground and on slopes.
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personal project and method importance
increasing the value of blue-green corridors
I am strongly critical to the disconnection and lacking awareness of the relationship between our intentions and ambitions for future conditions, and the physical and mathematical properties and results.
Traditionally blue-green corridors in urban areas have primarily been designed, preserved and/or developed for human recreation, and allowing humans to move from the city center to the surrounding landscape in a green corridor. Harald Hals’ plan for Oslo is such an urban plan.
Physics Physics as in the fact that every single human being – and humanity combined – live on this one finite planet, roaming through the freezing life-less vaccum of the universe at hundreds of thousands of kilometers per hour, orbiting a burning inferno of primarily hydrogen and helium. In the big picture that is all we really have, that is the real basis of all life that is and ever was – as far as our knowledge has reached so far. There is no plan B. Plan A has to work. Plan A has to work within the finite system in which we exist. Mathematics Mathematically I am especially concerned about the lack of public awareness and knowledge about the inherent exponentiality of our current economic system. The system is explicitly dependent on exponential growth to sustain prosperity, welfare and stability in our modern society. physics and Mathematics It is in the intersection between the
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mathematical and physical truths that the grand challenges arise. Since it is an absolute physical certainty that endless exponential growth is impossible within the boundaries of a finite system, we cannot continue making decisions and laying out the path to our future as if it is. Changes need to be made to reconnect and reintegrate humanity, our society, our consumption and our built environment, with the Earth’s resources and existing environmental conditions. We need to find a way to reduce the footprint of our consumption back to a level that the planet is able to reproduce year after year after year. Only then can we be satisfied with where we are and who we are and where we are going.
In this project the blue-green corridors and the blue-green network are all this, but also take into account biological diversity, agricultural production, species habitats, ecosystems and stormwater retention. The corridors are integrated not only to the surrounding landscape, but also into the urban structure itself, making the city a part of the living ecosystems. This gives more generous, varied and interesting landscapes closely linked to the city and its inhabitants, by not only making corridors, but fully preserving habitats and ecosystems inside the urban structures. It is important to create strong buffer zones, to protect the habitats from the noise and aerosol pollution from the city activities. This is a quality not only for the animals, plants and other species existing and living in the landscapes, but also creates a better living environment for the people dwelling in the city, raising quality of life and the awareness in the population about their coexistence with the billions of other species we share our landscapes and planet with.
the detail level of the final project The grid structure The grid in the diagram models and implementation process plans should not be considered the final urban structure, but primarily as an urban unit that makes calculating the totality of the urban structure viable. The grid unit of 100x100m urban blocks can be traced all the way from the density study, calculation models via the graphical diagram models to the implementation process plans. First in the final masterplan of the implementation phase have I completed an initial customization and site adjusted grid structure of a more preferable 50x50m grid structure that is adjusted both to the internal structure of the neighborhoods and the topography. project potentials I would have liked to have time to design some more detailed architectural objects, if not individual dwellings, at least a typical urban block, showing with more detail what it actually can be like to live in one of these cities. But as stated in the diploma program, that is the part of the project that will have to be sacrificed if I didn’t find time to solve everything. Time-wise the diploma semester has not been long enough to endeavor into that level of detail. Regardless of time and semester duration, this is definitely the natural next phase of the project development, if there ever arrives a possibility to continue working on the project. It would definitely be a strength to the project and diagram models if it was detailed with well-developed architectural
archetypes, designed according to the parameters outlined in this first version. Me and my diploma advisors decided quite early that what I have now delivered and presented is the most important and interesting part of the problematics in the program. There are loads of people and offices working on “sustainable”- or “lowenergy”-projects that discuss and answer many relevant questions and issues concerning energy, climate change and the environmental footprint on a materialand in-house-consumption-scale. But the same way electric cars don’t fix the issue of hauling along several tons of metal, glass, lithium and rare materials just to move couple of, an energy positive zero-carbon building located in a sprawling urban structure doesn’t really solve any real issues when looking at the big picture. project focus Therefore I have focused on creating the least discussed scale in the most prevailing sustainability- and environmental discussions regarding the built environment, creating a contemporary framework and set of guidelines for organizing all the new architectural objects in an efficient and resilient urban structure.
impact of new development on existing structure At Taraldrud-Kolbotn the diagram models were put to the test. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the implementation process was the integration with the existing neighborhoods. This is partially because the diagram models themselves don’t discuss a possible relationship to existing urban structures. Treating the existing as an integrated part of the new totality Meanwhile, after completing the implementation phase, where I decided to treat and view the existing neighborhoods as more or less equal to the new neighborhoods directly derived from the diagram model, there are lessons to be learned. On one hand it can be said to be successful, since I have found a way of incorporating the existing neighborhoods into the main functional structure of the new city. Living in one of the densified existing neighborhoods should be more or less equal mobility-wise to living in the new neighborhoods. viability of densification of the existing neighborhoods
Experienced life changes When comparing the life in the existing neighborhoods before and after the development of the new neighborhoods, one can expect the following changes. The usage of the Taraldrud-site as a forest area will be limited somewhat, even though most forest roads, ski tracks, and paths are either preserved – and visually and audiovisually protected – or replaced with new green corridors. Having a larger population nearby provides a substantial increase in the traffic base, leading to both the viability of better mobility solutions for everyone, and a larger tax income to pay for infrastructure developments and improvements. Meanwhile there is also a potential of overshooting the capacity of the infrastructure networks, especially in the development phase. This can lead to inefficient and unpleasant commuting experiences during the building phase. Because of this it is an important principle that the infrastructure should always be completed before the new inhabitants move into their new homes.
On the other hand it might be considered a superficial solution to claim that the density can be almost doubled within the existing urban structure without doing any thorough calculations. The new neighborhoods are quite easy to calculate due to the standard 100x100m grid blocks used throughout the diagram models and implementation process plans.
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final reflections on the project as a whole When looking back at the 18 week semester I’m happy that the project has come as far as it has, and that there are actual results that are useful in another context, project and situation. First and foremost the knowledge base developed during the semester has been substantial, and I’ve learned a lot about numerous different aspects, themes and disciplines. The interaction and discussions with my diverse diploma advisors have been interesting, beneficial and thoughtprovoking. challenges The development of the area calculation model wasn’t that difficult itself, but finding reliable sources for the wide variety of different parameters, functions and distributions has been a mixed experience. Some stats and facts are quite available, for example throught SSB (Statistics Norway), while other have been challenging to find reliable figures for. Especially energy storage solutions and cargo terminals were difficult to find. Furthermore it has been a difficult process to develop an explanation of the spreadsheet containing the calculation model. For me it doesn’t seem very complicated, since its basicly a collection of numbers that are multiplied, divided, added and subtracted from eachother. Yet, other seem to have difficult time figuring out how it works and what the benefits of it are.
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diagram models - calculation and structure
Successes With that said I am very pleased that I made the calculation model in the first place, since it - in my eyes - truly gives the rest of the project a must stronger foundation and credibility. Even though many of the input numbers and stats in the calculation model can be discussed, I feel confident that the end result is a good estimation of real world conditions and requirements. Having this solid foundation provides relevance and validity for the rest of the project. The graphical models appear rather mechanical and life-less, more so than I had expected and intented. But when filtered through the implementation process, it developed into a quite illustrative plan in the end - showing its viability as a tool for designing a large urban structure on a real world site. And the semester has been both fun, challenging, interesting and a very nice conclusion to my studies at AHO, wrapping up many loose ends and answering many previously unanswered questions. I remember doubting how successful the semester was going to be when I set of in January, but that doubt has steadily disappeared and been replaced with satisfaction that the most important parts of the problematics outlines in the diploma program have been answered. And there are of course elements and subjects I would have liked to work more detailed and thoroughly with, but in the end I feel I prioritized the time at hand in a reasonable way.