d e pa rt m e n t o f g e o s c i e n c e s a n d n at u r a l r e s o u r c e m a n a g e m e n t university of copenhagen
L a n dscap e Pl anni ng 2013
STEELSC APE PR OCESS DIARY
// GROUP 1 //
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One WEEK ONE
Weaving Frederiksvaerk
Visualisation illustrating a new look ‘Strandgade’. A densified street with celebrating the historic and new built form. The key viewline of the Frederiksvaek Church is retained and strengthened with the Frederiksvaerk is a town that looks good on paper. It ticks many boxes when considering what makes a town intersting. What attracts people to visit, work and live. It has a rich, diverse and multicultural heritage which is still evident in its built form and people. The town is set in a diverse natural setting with both water and forest at its doorstep. It has the charm of a small village yet is home to 8000 people and serves a wider regional catchement of 30,000 people. However when visiting and analyising the town, something is not working. The ‘Workitout’ studio will develop, test and seek a design solution throughout the duration of this course. Our preliminary analysis indicates the key issues of the town include: • Lack of ‘Town Centre’ or heart for Frederiksvaerk; • Poor connectivity with key destination nodes and promi-
nent buildings in the town. Strong viewlines exist which are not reflected in the built environment; and • The surrounding natural attributes of the town are poor intergrated.
What’s in a heart?
Through the initial analysis of the site, the historical heart of the Frederiksvaerk is still strong, however has been disconnected through the modern expansions of the town. The ‘mainstreet’ shopping precinct
retail axis, engaging with the canal and reinvigorate the historic heart of Frederiksvaerk. The new built form will be woven around some of the exitsing historic structures. This concept seeks to create a true city centre, serving both the local residents, regional residential catchment and industrial areas.
Strengthen Viewlines
The towns urban structure has indirectly created a number of strong viewlines that should be retained and enhanced through an expansion of the town centre. Key streets such as Strandgade and Vognmandsgade have buildings of historic significance acting as key anchors.
‘The town heart is disconnected’ is anchored with a big box retail which causes further disconnect to both land uses and pedestrian permeability. Our first concept is to expand the heart of the centre further north, engaging both sides of the canal.This concept will see the ‘big box’ retail Current perspective of Strandgade from the Caravan Park, with the Fredoffer dispersed in a new east-west eriksvaerk Church in the background. By Rami, Sophie, Anders and Jennifer
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One
Our concept seeks to strengthen the existing viewlines and develop new view corrdiors. The new view corrdiors will provide a framwork the new urban structure of the town.
Nature_urban_nature
Nature surrounds Frederiksvaerk. Anywhere you stand and look around, you will get a glimpse of the lake, the wetlands, the fjord or the forest. All is admired from a far.They are intimidating natural elements to its citizens, which they rarely visit.
When walking through these elevated forest areas, there are significant views of the town, the water and the industry. Another attribute of the town. Denmark is a relatively flat country, however Frederiksvaerk has some signficant hills providing amazing views which shoul d be further explored. Our final concept for this project seeks to bring nature down to the people’s level and better integrate it with the town. It also seeks to intergrate the wetlands and natural sections of the canal with the town.
Figures above illustrate the ‘Town Heart Overall Strategy’ - the role of the Frederiksvaerk town centre, within a regional context, connecting with surrounding land uses.
Concept Model 1 - ‘ Weaving Frederiksvaerk’ By Rami, Sophie, Anders and Jennifer
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One WEEK TWO
Loosen’ the Noose
Visualisation illustrating a new look ‘Strandgade’. A densified street with celebrating the historic and new built form. The key viewline of the Frederiksvaek Church is retained and strengthened with the Does a city have only one heart? One central place of focus? One muscle that controls a whole body? Our initial analysis of Frederiksvaerk suggested that it ‘lacked’ a focus - a city ‘heart’. What had historically been the heart, the driver of the town had been disconnected from the modern expansions of the city. Our preliminary concept for Frederiksvaerk sought to strengthen the numerous precincts into one city ‘heart’, weaving a new nature and urban fabric. However through spending a week in bustling Barcelona and the quaint old city of Girona, our team experienced numerous ‘hearts’ within these cities, all with varying functions, equally as important as one another, all working in harmony. We elected to go ‘back to the drawing board’ by reviewing the other issues raised during our preliminary site visit, and inspiration gained through our study tour.
Blockage and Barriers
There are two significant and visible barriers in Frederiksvaerk, which have affected the urban framework of the city. The big box shopping centre and Peder Falsens Vej. At the junction of where these two entities meet creates a disconnect of urban and nature in the city. Our concept seeks to allow nature
Diagram One illustrates the key blockage of the city.
to follow its natural path and overtake this man-made imposition. The foundations of the shopping centre will provide a basis for a new green
‘Its about nature overtaking man-made inverventions ’ social meeting space, adding to the cultural fabric and history of the town. It will continue to be an important social meeting space for all people through simple, sympathetic urban interventions. The removal of the shopping centre will give the forest an opportunity to come in to the town, further strengthening the existing east-west natural axis. Our analysis also illustrates that Peder Falsens Vej bisects the city. Our concept seeks to reduce the amount of dedicated road space, and revert it back to public space. Asphalt will be replaced by a permeable textures such as cobble stone and paving treatments, with
its primary purpose of slowing the traffic down. Existing green spaces and new urban spaces will be created off this shared space spine, strengthening its connection through space.
Multifunctional Spaces
A significant lesson learnt from the Barcelona study trip is that it is possible to create both beautiful and usable multifunctional spaces by combining urban elements with nature in a experimental fashion. Multifunctional spaces must take both people and the city into consideration. Our concepts have been influenced by our experiences in Parche Mil Lenari and Parc Miro. These parks illustrated how commercial, passive and recreational uses can work in harmony. Our concept seeks to introduce small urban interventions into the landscape and terrain of Frederiksvaerk.
Nature, urban, nature
Nature surrounds Frederiksvaerk. Anywhere you stand and look By Rami, Sophie, Anders and Jennifer
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One around, you will get a glimpse of the lake, the wetlands, the fjord or the forest. All is admired from a far. They are intimidating natural elements to its citizens, which they
‘Inviting people into nature through simple urban inverventions ’ rarely visit. When walking through these elevated forest areas, there are significant views of the town, the water and the industry. Denmark is a relatively flat country, however Frederiksvaerk has some signifi-
cant hills providing amazing views which should be further explored. It is proposed that the steel and production history will be woven through these natural areas as the key material used in urban interventions. Our final concept for this project seeks to bring nature down to the people’s level and better integrate it with the town. Through small urban interventions in the landscape such as terracing, furniture, It also seeks to integrate the wetlands and natural sections of the canal with the town, with more vegetation and crossing points.
Concept Model Two strongly illustrating the east-west nature axis and traffic calming of Peder Fasens Vej.
Diagram Two illustrating the ‘XXX’ Concept, and its impact on a regional scale.
Street Section of the new look Peder Falsens Vej - reduced road space to make way for greater pedestrian space. By Rami, Sophie, Anders and Jennifer
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One WEEK THREE
Transitional Environments
Concept diagrams. Wetland and forest (1), Urban strips (2) Buildings within the urban strips (3), The urban spaces in between the buildings (4). ‘Transitional Environments’ seeks to weave the natural areas defining the edge of Frederiksvaerk into the centre, strengthening the town’s core and identity, whilst celebrating its natural and cultural heritage. Historically the structure of Frederiksvaerk ran in an east-west orientation following the river connecting the Roskilde Fjord and Arreso Lake, with much of its historic built form following this flow. The modern expansions of the town have had a more north-south focus along key movement infrastructure such as the railway and road networks.
Three pillars of Frederiksvaerk
Following on from our recent site visit and analysis of Frederiksvaerk, three following elements define the town: • Nature physically shapes the town to the east and west, with the ‘Beech’ forests and ramsar wetlands. • Water is strongly defines the town by picturesque canals and Lake Arreso and the Roskilde Fjord on the towns
periphery. Steel is the essence of Frederiksvaerk. The town was founded in 1756 on the basis of steel production (gunpowder, bullets and cannons), which continues to play a significant role in the town’s historic identity and economy. These important elements have been defined as the ‘pillars’ of Frederiksvaerk, which will be carried through the design concept and its implementation. •
The Concept
This concept seeks to reinforce this existing urban and nature structure by adding new layers to Frederiksvaerk’s framework. The three main nature characteristics of Frederiksvaerk - the ‘forest’, the ‘cultivated’ and the ‘wetlands’ will be interlaced in varying densities, in an east-west direction, through the centre of town. The two key nature anchors, the ‘forest’ and ‘wetlands’ will be further enhanced and pedestrian accessibility improved. Along this east-west nature corridor small interactions like boardwalks strengthens the experience
of the nature anchors, closer to town-core new public spaces creates recreational meetingpoints where nature and industrial history melts together, combined waterretention and multifunclocal drainage solutions and viewlines to the sea works as interpretations of wetland in a more cultivated context. Four ‘urban’ north/south corridors will be imposed within the na-
“Frederiksvaerk is unique in containing multiple environments within a 20 minute walk. ture corridor. These urban corridors have been developed, based on the existing urban structure. These areas will be the focus for new urban development and change in Frederiksvaerk. The towns rich industrial heritage will be lightly woven through these transitional environments through public infrastructure ie. furniture and guiding rails by using steel as a material.
Defining Environments
Walking 1 km in an east-west
direction takes the user through multiple environments in Frederiksvaerk; forest, urban, cultivated and wetlands. This is a significant attribute of Frederiksvaerk, which this concept seeks to reinforce. Frederiksvaerk characteristics can be defined as: • The ‘forest’ containing predominately ‘Beech’ trees of varying ages to the east; • The ‘cultivated’ which predominately include fruit trees, an orchard, cherry blossoms and cut hedges and controlled nature located through the urban strips. • The ‘urban’ areas will have steel introduced as design elements. • The ‘wetlands’ located on the west edge of town, consisting of plants, trees, grasses, shrubs etc. adapted to wet habitats. This concept seeks to interlace these special nature characteristics in an east-west structure through the town. Elements of ‘forest’, ‘wetland’ and ‘cultivated’ environments will be present along the south-north-axis, strengthening its core and identity.
A photographic analysis depicting the ‘nature’ characteristics of Frederiksvaerk; the Forest (1), the Cultivated (2), the Urban (3) and the Wetlands (4), which will be inter-woven through Frederiksvaerk, creating a strong central core. By Sophie, Rami, Anders and Jennifer
university of copenhagen
landscape planning
2013
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Group One Reference photos:
Wetland (open)
Urban (open, cultivated)
Forest (less dense)
Urban (dense, cultivated)
Forest (Medium dense) Forest (Dense)
Concept Plan.
Reference photos:
By Sophie, Rami, Anders and Jennifer
Ll a n d s c a p e
university of copenhagen
pl Lanning
2013
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Group 1 WEEK FOUR
Transitional Environments
a
d
b
c
e
Further refinement of concept has meant reviewing our initial concept analysis by (a) reviewing the existing contours lines, (b) understanding the forest and wetlands areas, (c) looking at the existing urban grain, (d) layering the two environments and (e) designating the transitional environments - urban and nature wedges. ‘Transitional Environments’ seeks to weave natural areas defining the edge of Frederiksvaerk into the centre, strengthening the town’s core and identity, whilst celebrating its natural and cultural history. This concept will reinforce the existing nature and urban structure by adding a modern layer to Frederiksvaerk framework. The transitional environments have already been defined as Forest, Urban, Cultivated and Wetlands, with the nature characteristics outlined in Issue 3. Through slowly designing the details and in-between spaces of the transitional environments, the concept has been further refined, strengthening our vision for Frederiksvaerk.
Four Urban Wedges
Four urban corridors have been defined based on the existing urban framework of Frederiksvaerk. These areas will be the focus for change and new urban development. The urban edges have been further analysed, refined and can be described as the following:
“Four urban wedges will be the focus for change in Frederiksvaerk” Retail Wedge builds on the existing main street shopping spine of the town. Opportunities may exist for a supermarket redesign and/or reduction to improve the visual and physical permeability of this recog-
nised barrier and ‘plug’. Historic Wedge - has been defined by the current location of the ‘Gjethuset’ in the south and the gun powder mill museum on the north. Generally it is considered that this precinct contains a higher portion of historic buildings in the town. Any new development should be sympathetic to these important elements. Orchard Wedge - is defined by the unique cultivated plants concentrated within this precinct. These consist of Apple and Cherry Blossoms trees. Campus Wedge - the location of the school and its associated sporting fields have strongly defined this wedge. There may be opportunities to consolidate some of the recreational facilities within the wedge.
The Details:Tree Types
Further analysis and research regarding the appropriate vegetation types for these ‘Nature’ environments have been undertaken, to ensure that the proposed planting program is sympathetic to the vegetation types of Denmark, more importantly North Zealand and Frederiksvaerk. For the ‘Forest’ areas trees species such as Beech, Ash, Sycamore, Lime, Oak, Scots Pine and Douglas Fir will form part of the vegetation programming for the designated forest areas. Whilst the ‘wetlands’ will consist of Red Alder, Birch, Oak, Salix, Willow, Scots Pine and Silka Spruce. Guidance has been sought from the Minister of Environment’s (Skov-og Naturstyrelsen) ‘Forest Types in Denmark’ publication dated 2005.
A photographic analysis depicting the ‘urban’ wedges cf the Transformning Frederiksvaerk concept; the Retail Wedge(1), the Historic Wedge (2), the Orchard (3) and the Campus(4), which will be the focus for change and development. By Jennifer, Sophie, Rami and Anders
u n i v e r s i t y o f c ope n h age n
Ll a n d s c a p e
pl La n n i n g
2013
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Group 1
The draft Concept Plan - version 2. By Jennifer, Sophie, Rami and Anders