THE HAGUE RIVIERENBUURT Kinga Murawska
k.murawska@student.tudelft.nl student number 5160103 quarter 2 2019/20 tutors Leo van den Burg Ceren Sezer
Table of contents challenge 04 Rivierenbuurt now 06 green future 10 densification + greenification 14 public space 26
challenge How to increase the number of housing and preserve the landscape between the cities? How to make a densified city more attractive?
The Netherlands, after the decline in housing market between the years 2009 and 2015, at the present time is experiencing upswing in the economy and therefore much higher housing demand. Dutch Policymakers predicted that one million homes extra need to be built by 2035. In the 1990s the Dutch government introduced the VINEX programme which aimed at extending cities. That led to a shrinkage of open landscape between the urban areas. The way to approach this problem is densification of the cities. It represents a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and treat nature. Thus we can preserve the current status. But could we also increase the amount of green that surrounds us? Could we make our cities green and influence their sustainability?
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photograph of Rivierenbuurt by courtesy of Alex Gaio
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Rivierenbuurt now What does the area represent now? What is its character? How to add value to it?
The areas chosen for this assignment were identified as strategic places for urban densification because of their location along the railway corridor Leiden-Dordrecht. The site, me and my group was working on, neighbours the main railway station in the Hague. Although its prominent location, the neighbourhood is not visible, seems to be hidden behind the walls of infrastructure. It is enclosed by roads, rails and overpasses, which do not allow visual connection with the surroundings. Entering Rivierenbuurt feels like getting into a different world, much more tranquil than an usual central district of a city. It is mostly a residential area with one main public space, which is a green heart of this grey and paved neighbourhood. It feels like the cars overtook the green in the area.
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photographs of the site
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strengths and weaknesses
close proximity of train stations
presence of canals (+ former)
car dominance
enclosed area
paved area | limited greenery
monofunctional in large part
The major asset of Rivierenbuurt is undoubtedly its location. Both The Hague Central railway station and The Hague HS can be reached in five minutes by bicycle from the green heart of the neighbourhood. What also increases the attractiveness of the area is the network of canals. Although currently the canals’ edges are occupied by cars, similarly the streetsides and the courtyards. As mentioned before infrastructure surrounds Rivierenbuurt. It also divides the neighbourhood into northern and southern part. That boundary consists of four lane viaduct and two one-way streets called Weteringkade, which indicate that they used to be quays of a former canal, that was replaced by the viaduct in 1939. It increased soil sealing, which has a negative impact on the ecosystem. 8
current situation | 1:6500
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green future What opportunities does Rivierenbuurt have? How could it look like in the future? How the transformation would affect sustainability?
The climate change is caused mainly by greenhouse gases, whose great amount is produced by the cities. Urban areas, at the same time, face more consequences of climate change than rural areas. In Rivierenbuurt the biggest problem related to it is heat stress. The neighbourhood lacks greenery and the soil is covered by buildings and completely or partly impermeable paving, which increases the air temperature. The soil sealing is also bad for the water table, speeding up the water discharge and straining the sewer system. Currently most of the infrastructure in the area would be affected in a case of an extreme rainfall. In order to transform Rivierenbuurt into more adaptable to climate change, it is necessary to introduce more nature in the neighbourhood.
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opportunities
Victory Boogie Woogie tunnel extended into Rivierenbuurt
reintroduction of the former canal in the place of Schenkviaduct
creation of parking houses removal of surface parking
car-free neighbourhood
creation of a park
green streets
The greatest strength of Rivierenbuurt, as mentioned before, is its location that gives it plenty of opportunities and makes it easier to decide on the more radical solutions for the sustainable development. One of them is car-free neighbourhood with parking houses located on the edges of the area, that would provide space for green streets. Presently, Schenkviaduct is an important part of the infrastructure link from the motorway to the city centre. However it will lose its significance due to the construction of a tunnel (part of Rotterdamsebaan), which will take over the traffic towards the centre of The Hague. The tunnel could be extended in the neighbourhood to allow creation of the park and reintroduction of the former canal that would link two parts of the area. 12
master plan | 1:6500
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densification + greenification How to densify a densely built neighbourhood? How to change the perception of densification? What could the process become more desirable?
Since Rivierenbuurt is already a densely built area with 2500 housing units present at the moment. It was a challenge to densify it even more without changing its character. Densification might seem not to be the most desirable process for the residents of the neighbourhood, especially in the Rivierenbuurt where most of the buildings are between threeand four-storey. Densification must not only upgrade an economic development of the area, but also its social and environmental sustainability. By adding values to the neighbourhood, we can change the way people perceive densification. One of the measures to do so is to greenify the area, to transform grey Rivierenbuurt into green Rivierenbuurt. In our proposal we add extra 4500 housing units. At the same time the presence of water and nature is being increased, what radically changes the neighbourhood into more attractive and healthy.
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4500 new units in total | top-up - 2700 new units | new development - 1800 new units
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top-up design principles
division of plots and units; maximum two levels difference (currently max. one level)
volume added on the site with a wider profile
rhythm of a wall and “air�
horizontal divisions in form of greenery
the same or brighter colour
white framing of windows and doors
In our concept we propose to preserve most of the buildings and top them up with additional storeys. However, in order to keep the visual coherence, there is a need to define design principles. The process of topping-up would be first presented to the residents and if the negotiations go well and both sides (city and residents) agree on the solution and possible financial support from the city, the residents could lead the project. The owners of the buildings could build a vertical extension of their properties following the rules presented above. This option could only happen if all the residents from a city block agreed to execute the densification plan in a certain time. If not, then the responsibility would be taken over by the city. 16
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new buildings design principles
close to the infrastructure reduction of noise
facades of the tall buildings exposed to the sun rays
stepping volume achieving “human scale� area
green walls facing roads air pollution reduction
terraces on different levels improving social cohesion
urban farming on the rooftops increasing biodiversity
Another way to densify the area is building new housing in the place of the old buildings that are not energy efficient, are without a possibility of topping up or their location has a great potential for high-density development. Our strategy was to use this measure in the northern part of the neighbourhood adjacent to the rails and roads. Higher volumes could function as a noise barrier for the rest of the area. Thanks to their height and exposure to the sun, there is a great opportunity to use solar panels. Many different sustainable solutions could be easily implemented in the new development, such as rain water collection (its reuse for watering plants and flushing toilets) and urban farming on the roofs (improving biodiversity, social cohesion and self-sustainability of the residents). 18
reference housing project used in the collage - Block A Noordstrook / Dick van Gameren architecten | source: archdaily
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park with a green viaduct
now the site occupied by car workshops and infrastructure
possible extension of the tunnel to provide space for a park
green-blue link connecting the surrounding areas
shorter and narrower viaduct adaptation to “human scale�
services under the viaduct
housing towers on the edge of the park
Scientists from the University of Illinois have discovered that spending time in nature mitigates mental fatigue and feeling of aggression caused by it. To restore mental well-being people often take a walk in the park and observe tranquil natural processes that happen there. Park is also a great place for physical activities that benefit residents’ health. The planned park would become green lungs of Rivierenbuurt, improving not only health of the community, but also their quality of life, especially in hot days by decreasing the air temperature through evaporation and shade. The youngest inhabitants of the area would gain another, much bigger and more attractive, place for play in the natural environment. 20
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along the stream
social cohesion
urban farming
use of solar energy
green roofs increasing biodiveristy
water reservoir / playground
rain water reuse
Researchers from the University of Illinois also discovered that green neighbourhoods with variety of species are safer thanks to the social cohesion formed by the presence of nature. Introducing urban farming would create sense of belonging, people could have another informal meeting place, where they also learn to produce food and respect it. Urban farming increases food security of the community and therefore makes people healthier. At the same time it allows the community to be more self-sustaining, similarly use of solar panels to produce energy lowers residents’ monthly expenses. Another sustainable solution used more and more often nowadays are green roofs with beehives and plants creating habitat allowing ground-nesting birds to breed. 22
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green streets
rain water retention
lower heat stress thanks to water evaporation from trees
change of pavement material to more permeable
removal of surface parking more room for people
wider green pockets
creation of woonerf
The soil in Rivierenbuurt is highly sealed. That makes the neighbourhood vulnerable to heat stress, which is one of the highest in the Hague. Changing the pavement to more permeable, widening green pockets and planting trees would help lower the air temperature and increase people’s well-being. Another factor influencing human health is amount of physical activity. Greenery in the streets makes them more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists and thus encourages people to use more sustainable mean of transport, such as a bicycle, at the same time cuts down on the need for driving and thus reduces CO2 emissions. Wide and long streets, such as Pletterijstraat, can be made more liveable by introduction of turns and wider edge zones. 24
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public space Where is a new meeting point in the neighbourhood? Can it be used regardless of the different weather conditions?
New Rivierenbuurt is an area with much increased number of places to meet with others, to interact with them and develop social cohesion within the community. The new park additionally brings them closer to the nature. To make the neighbourhood more attractive the former canal was reintroduced and connected to the current network, that gives an opportunity to new ways of transportation in car-free Rivierenbuurt. The road that now divides the neighbourhood has been designed for an opposite purpose. In the project it is transformed into linear public space by the water that leads to the new green heart of the area. In the middle of this stretch, it intersects with Pletterijstraat and meets a monumental building of an old postal check office. That allows to create a public square visible from many axes.
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concept
reintroduction of the former canal
adding water square at the crossing of Pletterijstraat axis and the canal
linear public space and a square
emphasis on the monumental building
“urban� and natural edge
new volumes and functions added by the water
The prominent placement of the new public space gives a possibility to introduce there a water square that gives the space a special character and accents the monumental building at the same time. In a natural way it divides the linear public space into two parts. The western part connects the public space with the city (The Hague HS station and surrounding neighbourhoods) and therefore has an urban character with active ground floors and additional services located in the floating buildings that make the canal profile more vibrant. The eastern part, on the other hand, has more natural, green edge that leads to the park. The chosen square combines the water with an urban and natural landscape creating an attractive public space. 28
public space by the canal | 1:2000
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design solutions
greenery, water and built environment meet each other
design improves all three aspects of sustainability in the area
new services neighbour with the public space
seating at the water’s edge
sun shade and protection against the rain
modular outdoor furniture
As mentioned before, the square is located where water, nature and built environment meet. Each of these components is traditionally related to one of the three aspects of sustainabiity. Water as a mean of transport and trade was always connected with economy. Greenery facilitates higher biodiversity and pertains to environmental sustainability. Streets, public squares and buildings are meeting places and link to social aspect of sustainability. However, nowadays we use the spaces in different ways allowing them to be multifunctional. Water can be used as a recreational place and at the same time lowers the heat stress, what increases people’s well-being even more. In the same way green areas can be used as working spaces or market places. 30
housing with services on the ground floor
restaurants
water taxi stop
kayak rental
cafĂŠ
grocery store start-up offices
housing with services on the ground floor
public space | 1:500
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scenarios
every day situation
presentation, lecture, performance
community dinner / picnic
square used as a water reservoir during extreme rainfall
open city bath in the summer
ice rink in the winter
The designed public space is versatile and can be used in different ocassions, in changing weather conditions and in all seasons of the year. It is located by the monumental building of a former postal check, which currently accommodates start-up offices. The square with working spaces under a sun shade allows them to work outside and use the space not only during lunch breaks. The amphitheater stairs make it possible to organise presentations, performances and community meetings. The modular furniture can be used in many diffferent arrangements and be stored and maintain in the start-up office building. Water add not only a visual quality to the square but also becomes an open city bath in the summer and an ice rink in the winter. 32
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Delft November 2019 - January 2020