Brownfield revitalization

Ruta Lukosiunaite October, 2013

Brownfield Revitalization 7th sem Dissertation Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management

Author: Ruta Lukosiunaite

VIA University College, Campus Horsens, Denmark

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Brownfield Revitalization Consultant: Andri Lehn

© Ruta Lukosiunaite Student number: 142864 25th October 2013

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VIA University College – Campus Horsens, Denmark Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management Mandatory dissertation subject presented on 7th Semester

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NOTE: This dissertation was completed as part of a Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management degree course – no responsibility is taken for any advice, instruction or conclusion given within!

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Preface This report is written as a part of final examination for the Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management education. This report explains a problem solving approach process used to define Brownfield main problems, find relevant concepts and use these concepts to create solutions for revitalization of an abandoned industrial site.

Created solutions are based on Cradle to Cradle (C2C), Biomimicry concepts and urban planning theories. This thesis includes analysis and interpretation of created system interconnection.

Moreover it presents pictures, diagrams and maps of real life site based in Horsens, Denmark which is a Brownfield to be developed by Solar Decathlon 2014 Europe (SDE’14) VIA-UJI team, where I was a leader of urban concept development team.

General research is based on existing studies relevant to the topic and literature available about the chosen concepts. Maps and created diagrams with schemes where used to analyze and identify solutions which lead to effective implementation. SketchUp model of the site was used to investigate the site and create illustrations.

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Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge my family which supported my choice to come to Denmark.

My friends who always inspire and encourage me to discover the world and have new experiences.

My consultant Andri who guided me through the all process of creating this document.

Special thank you I would like to say to my school friend Anastasija Socroviscuka. Because of this person I got so interested in urban planning and concepts related to nature. Despite the fact that during final semester we were on the opposite sides of the world this never was a problem to support and help each other.

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Abstract Close your eyes and imagine waking up in your bedroom filled with morning sunshine and amazing song of a little bird swinging on a tree just next to your window. You get up and have breakfast prepared from fresh fruits which you bought yesterday in a market 5min away from your home. When you lock your apartment or house you meet a neighbour and walk with him to your office 15min away from your home. On the way you take a cup of coffee and a newsletter of your neighbourhood from one of the kiosks and before the start of work you enjoy few minutes sitting in a square and watching how leaf’s of a tree dance in the wind and how a water drop in a fountain jumps up and down. A passing by stranger smiles at you, you put the newsletter in a shelf next to the bench and enter your office fully awake and prepared to have a productive day. It might sound as a fairytale but this is the vision of a place where no one would refuse to live. In this document I am explaining the way to make this dream come true. By watching nature we can learn and understand what is needed for a human in a city to feel like a bird in a forest but first of all there has to be nature to look at. Further it is explained how humanity ended up creating environment where no one wants to live and how this can be changed by changing our approach and understanding of a good design. Presented solutions for Brownfield revitalization are inspired by three chosen concepts, which used in a combination help to develop effective and interconnected design solutions.

Key words: Cradle to Cradle, Biomimicry, Brownfield, Revitalization, Solar Decathlon 2014 Europe, Urban planning, Human scale.

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Contents 1. Introduction with the Problem formulation ................................................................................... 7 1.1. Problem background ............................................................................................................ 7 1.2. Reasons why this topic was chosen and its relevance to the profession ............................... 7 1.3. Problem statement ............................................................................................................... 7 1.5. Delimitation........................................................................................................................... 8 1.6. Used theory and reference material ...................................................................................... 8 1.7. Structure of the report, research method and empirical data ................................................ 8 2. Defining the problem ................................................................................................................... 9 2.1. Industrial Revolution footprint ............................................................................................... 9 2.2. Nature of a Brownfield .......................................................................................................... 9 2.3. Brownfield in Horsens, Denmark ........................................................................................ 11 2.3.1. Land information .......................................................................................................... 11 2.3.2. Land mapping .............................................................................................................. 12 2.3.3. Land policies ................................................................................................................ 12 2.3.4. Visual evaluation of the site ......................................................................................... 12 2.4. The problem ....................................................................................................................... 13 3. Concepts .................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1. Concept of Cradle to Cradle ............................................................................................... 14 3.2. Concept of Biomimicry ........................................................................................................ 16 3.2.1. Scoping........................................................................................................................ 17 3.3. Concept of Human scale planning ...................................................................................... 17 3.4. Merging concepts ............................................................................................................... 19 4. Industrial Symbiosis .................................................................................................................. 20 4.1. Industrial Symbiosis plan for the chosen Brownfield ........................................................... 20 5. Human scale planning .............................................................................................................. 22 5.1. Access to public transportation ........................................................................................... 22 5.2. From isolation to reconnection ............................................................................................ 22 5.3. From single to multipurpose area ....................................................................................... 25 5.4. Environment transformation................................................................................................ 25 5.5. Human scale planning and ecotones .................................................................................. 26 5.6. Residential areas ................................................................................................................ 26 6. Learning from Nature ................................................................................................................ 29 6.1. Water.................................................................................................................................. 29 6.2. Energy ................................................................................................................................ 30 7. System interconnection ............................................................................................................. 31 8. Final walkthrough ...................................................................................................................... 33 9. Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 35 List of references .......................................................................................................................... 36 Appendix....................................................................................................................................... 37

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List of illustrations Fig 1 Two major Brownfields in Horsens and center of the town _________________________________ Fig 2 Route of the site visit and pictures taken during the walk __________________________________ Fig 3 Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis illustration text box (Ref. http://www.symbiosis.dk/diagram)_____ Fig 4 Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis collaboration scheme (Ref. http://www.symbiosis.dk/diagram) ___ Fig 5 Biomimicry Design Lens _____________________________________________________________ Fig 6 Information sharing diagram _________________________________________________________ Fig 7 Access to the public transportation____________________________________________________ Fig 8 Elements to be reconnected _________________________________________________________ Fig 9 Defining connection routes __________________________________________________________ Fig 10 North and East side reconnection ____________________________________________________ Fig 11 South side reconnection ___________________________________________________________ Fig 12 Solution for the usage of the area ____________________________________________________ Fig 13 Lawn transformation solution _______________________________________________________ Fig 14 Apartment with robotic walls (Ref. Barry Schwartz presentation video snap shoots) ____________ Fig 15 Indoor recycling station ____________________________________________________________ Fig 16 Natural water infiltration systems ____________________________________________________ Fig 17 Design solution multifunctionality____________________________________________________ Fig 18 Creation of complex and effective design solutions ______________________________________ Fig 19 Street layout and walking distances __________________________________________________ Fig 20 Residential areas _________________________________________________________________ Fig 21 Parking areas and community car center ______________________________________________ Fig 22 Urban farming ___________________________________________________________________ Fig 23 Renewable energy ________________________________________________________________ Fig 24 Rainwater storage ________________________________________________________________

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1. Introduction with the Problem formulation 1.1. Problem background This report is written as a part of final examination for the Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management education. In this document I will use theory of Cradle to Cradle, Biomimicry and urban planning to develop and analyze conceptual project of urban revitalization. I will present organized information, plans and diagrams of a Brownfield master plan based in Horsens, Denmark. This thesis also will include pictures of existing condition on the site.

1.2. Reasons why this topic was chosen and its relevance to the profession There are different ways to compare and find out how systems work together to achieve the best results. I chose quite big scale to begin (Urban scale) but I also think that no matter the size all systems should work with the same principles. In order to design a well performing and comfortable house there is a need to understand how it is connected to all other systems surrounding it so I find urban scale the most comfortable for this analysis.

I got very interested in urban planning when I was doing my practical placement in one of Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 teams. There I was working on creating an urban concept which is a part of the competition. After my practical placement finished I felt that just vision and description of goals is not good enough because I always like to solve the problem as detailed as possible. This is why I chose to work on a Brownfield master plan for my dissertation and at the same time be a volunteer and help to develop project for the competition further.

Nowadays there are many movements, visions and concepts about how we should live today in order to create a better tomorrow. I have been interested in these theories for all my life in some way but I started to understand their importance few years ago when I started this education. As a Constructing Architect I already am merging design with constructions, aesthetic with performance and etc. In this document I want to analyze one more connection between built environment and surrounding natural cycles.

1.3. Problem statement What are natures inspired methods and solutions to revitalize Brownfield?

Research questions    

Why Brownfield requires revitalization?

How are Biomimicry and C2C principles relevant in Brownfield revitalization?

Why one concept is not enough to revitalize a Brownfield?

How chosen concepts shaped master plan of a Brownfield?

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1.5. Delimitation C2C concept at this day is mostly used in production processes and design of materials but in this report I will not investigate that part of the concept. I will not try to find ways to improve production or a specific material, product. Considering Brownfields I will not analyze how to clean up contaminated soil or investigate the pollution on the site. Some solutions might be proposed but this is not the aim of this thesis.

1.6. Used theory and reference material The main goal of this dissertation is to understand how learning from nature can help to solve problems created throughout the history in the area of urban development. I will be using Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle (C2C) and Human scale urban planning principles. All these concepts challenges today’s designers to rethink the way of solving problems and search for inspiration in nature and human biology.

1.7. Structure of the report, research method and empirical data For this thesis I chose to use problem based approach which I divided into these parts: 

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Defining the problem. Here I have researched history of industrial revolution and movements of industries which causes abandoned sites. I will present analysis of industrial site located in Horsens, Denmark which will include pictures and maps as tools to identify major challenges I need to overcome.

Concepts. Here I present a short description, based on books and internet, of environmental concepts. In this section I will explain reasons why I chose these concepts and how they will be used in my thesis.

Defining solutions (Industrial symbiosis, Human scale planning, Learning from Nature).

Here I will use ideas and principles of chosen concepts and define the solutions relevant to revitalize Brownfield site. I will also find ways of implementing solutions and principles I have defined and present maps, diagrams and illustrations of how it should perform and improve the site.

Defining results (System interconnection and Final walkthrough). The final step is to present an overview and understand if my chosen concepts can be implemented in urban development and would they be an effective solution. This section is a summary of what I have been developing from the beginning of this document.

Conclusions. Final conclusions of the thesis.

In this thesis I will mainly use qualitative data in order to understand which options are more relevant to which solution. I will be getting a lot of opinions of professional from their public talks.

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2. Defining the problem Almost every bigger city today has to deal with abandoned industrial sites.

What is the history behind these placed and why they appeared in the first place?

The history of cities, towns, villages and first human settlements is very long and interesting but I want to analyze the biggest shift in past, which had influence on everything what was developed till that day. This event brought a lot of solutions which made our lives easier but at the same time made places uninhabitable.

2.1. Industrial Revolution footprint Industrial revolution began in late 1700’s in England and was a consequence of invention and development of a steam engine. This replacement of animal and human power with mechanical quickly spread to the rest of the world resulting developments of big industrial areas. These sites usually settled next to rivers and seaside. Cities were developed around them and were designed for the needs of production. Industrial revolution not only shaped cities but even created them.

After Second World War people started admitting, that mistake was made by not controlling how cities and industries grow. Government and city planners started to search how to “fix” it. This leaded to regulations of zoning “that clearly separated the city into areas reserved for work, living, traffic and leisure, with each element isolated to allow for expansion”1. People were trying to fix something what has failed or even worse they started to move away from it leaving industrial centres. There was a wish to isolate separate parts of system from each other instead of finding a way how to make them work “hand in hand”. Road infrastructure served to disperse population.

“Government policies encouraged the building of suburbs, further emptying the cities. Industry acted as the population did – if still viable, it left urban centres and resettled away from its traditional base”2 leaving behind what was named Brownfields. Growing import and export required for bigger ships, deeper ports and more space to store materials and goods. This resulted that ports moved to different places, sometimes just across the river abandoning old buildings and leaving them with no purpose. Transportation by trucks became more efficient and required wider roads.

Today most of cities are facing very similar industrial “leftovers” all over the world. There is no common recipe how to bring life back to these sites and this is a perfect challenge for imagination and innovation. There are many projects in the world proving that old factories, warehouses, harbour buildings, old railways and railway bridges and etc. can become something unique and enrich the city. I have been reading about these projects in Carol Berens book “Redeveloping industrial sites” which has helped to see in how many different ways creative ideas can revitalize these areas and bring benefits to the city.

2.2. Nature of a Brownfield There are many ways to define what a Brownfield is and it differs in every country and even inside the country various meanings can be found. CABERNET (Concerted Action on Brownfield and Economic Regeneration Network) “is the European Expert Network addressing the complex multi1 2

Berens 2011 p.14 Berens 2011 p.18

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stakeholder issues raised by Brownfield regeneration”3. These professionals have defined Brownfield as sites which:     

have been affected by former uses of the site or surrounding land; are derelict or underused; are mainly in fully or partly developed urban areas; require intervention to bring them back to beneficial use; may have real or perceived contamination problems4;

According to the research of CABERNET, main definition of a Brownfield in Denmark is described as a land affected by contamination. Contamination remediation is a long and complex process and I will not investigate this in my research but it is necessary to know it and actions have to be taken to clean it before the realization of my further proposed Brownfield revitalization plan.

According to the Danish Ministry of Environment research it was estimated that in Denmark there could be up to 55 0004 possibly polluted sites and 31 0005 actually polluted sites. As Denmark have more than 7 000km5 of coastline most of major cities are located next to the sea and has a harbour, warehouses and a lot of industrial sites which are partly or 100% unused today. These sites and areas usually have same elements:      

Old spacious buildings (factories, warehouses, garages and etc.)

Unused railways and railway bridges.

Wide streets or even highways next to it.

A lot of pavement blocking earth from breathing.

Waste hidden underground.

Areas are usually isolated from the rest of town, or the town has grown so big that it surrounded these abandoned sites.

These 6 features I have listed are main physical elements to be brought back to beneficial use.

Some of buildings, railways and bridges are not used anymore and might be in a poor condition making them unsuitable for the same function. These elements also can be an important part of history. Reasons for Brownfield revitalization are:     

Revitalizing Brownfields decreases use of Greenfields (sites that have not been built on before) and creates more opportunities for life of fauna and flora.

Re-using existing sites and buildings decreases demand for extraction of materials.

Leaving these sites with no purpose is not the solution.

Brownfields are good location for integrated social activities (live, work, relax and etc.) to be developed in the same area.

Right way of developing these areas can help to improve air, water and soil quality.

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http://www.cabernet.org.uk/index.asp?c=1124 Shillinger 2012 p.13 5 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/da.html 4

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2.3. Brownfield in Horsens, Denmark My chosen site to be renewed is located in Horsens, Denmark. It is a town on the seaside and has two major industrial sites which are partly not used anymore and there are goals created by commune of Horsens to bring life back to these areas. Harbour area, as it is located on the seaside and town has grown in a way that it has surrounded the site, is taken first to be developed and already has a detailed plan for this process. I want to work on a site which is on the opposite side of town.

In the map under it is clearly visible that site is isolated from the rest of the town, which is a possible consequence of zoning. I chose this site because it is challenging and interesting to find ways to reconnect it to the systems surrounding it and also because commune of Horsens does not have specific plans for it yet. In the period of practical placement and working on urban planning I and my team had two meetings with representatives from Horsens commune. As there is no specific plan for the chosen site they could not give any demands but they stated that area should be a mixed use site of residential and commercial purposes and that they are open for new ideas and very interested in the project. Showed interest motivated me to continue realizing vision and goals for urban development created in Solar Decathlon on this site for my thesis.

Fig 1 Two major Brownfields in Horsens and center of the town

2.3.1. Land information At the present day this site is still being used by small businesses and land is owned partly by commune and partly by private companies. Site use is – Commercial. When talking about the value of the site, there are no buildings listed as to be conserved in any level but there are some site elements which are protected like: forests. There are 4 spots on the area which are stated as actually been contaminated and around 20 sites which might be contaminated. This information was taken from the maps available on Horsens commune website6.

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http://webkort.horsens.dk/cbkort?

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2.3.2. Land mapping Highest points on the site are in the West and North-West of the area and it is up to 23m above sea level. Site levels go down in the direction from North-West to South-East and gets down to 6-7 meters above sea level. Talking about natural resources I have to mention that there are two areas dedicated for forest and on the South side of the area there is a rives and river valley which belongs to commune together with recreational gardening areas. According to the information from Horsens commune maps the river is in a very poor condition. Site is in Natural gas Energy district.

2.3.3. Land policies At the moment land is mainly owned by private businesses and is dedicated for commercial use.

2.3.4. Visual evaluation of the site I have visited this site 4 times in total and during these 4 times I did not see even one person walking in this area. Once when I was already in the car there was a woman running. During these visits I was planning to ask questions from random people walking in this area. My planned questions were simple and just trying to understand how people feel walking here but as there were no people answers came without even asking them. People simply do not enjoy walking, sitting or meeting with other people in this area because of its emptiness and no intimacy feeling.

As there are no people walking, there is no opportunity to meet anyone except people in the cars rushing to get out from there after working hours finish.

Fig 2 Route of the site visit and pictures taken during the walk

I started my walk (when I took pictures) by checking river and valley. I was surprised to find handmade bridges and tree house on the river side because from the road it looks just an area with bunch of bushes and trees. This shows that even river is in a poor condition people still enjoy running water in many ways. This river someday could work as a connection between newly revitalized and gardening area. When I was walking in a parallel street to the river inside the area I tried to go behind buildings and see what kind of view people see to the valley and I got so surprised that no one is even looking to that direction. Between valley and a Brownfield exists around 3-5 metres wide tall grass and bush “fence� which blocks all the nice view. There are 12

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almost no windows oriented to this side and nature is just ignored in this place. All around the valley there is electric fence to control animals living inside.

This area’s main design elements are: oversized streets and huge buildings mainly without any detailing. All buildings are pushed away from the street creating even bigger space and emptier feeling. Most of sidewalks are in a poor condition and there are no bike roads. From all 8 existing bus stops 2 have new shelters, 1 shelter is old and no one would ever sit there, and all other have just a sign of a stop. Despite all the bad elements some buildings were quite nice and it was easy to imagine them being transformed to living units. Some of old factories with their ventilation and supply pipes being visible on the facade reminded me of futuristic galleries or even restaurants. I see a lot of possibilities on this site for imagination and creative revitalization solutions.

2.4. The problem After understanding where are the roots of Brownfields and how were they created I want to list the problems to which I want to find solutions. These problems mainly will focus on the revitalization of the area and recreation of natural cycles. So after analyses of maps and site visits I came across these challenges which I will divide into three categories: 

Economic which includes the fact that businesses are leaving the area, there is no collaboration between neighbouring companies, factories are not sharing resources.

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Social which includes isolation of the site from neighbouring areas and town itself, ignorance of human scale planning, no suitable buildings for living, area is single-purpose.

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Water and Energy. This section has not been developed at all. There are no visible examples of renewable energy collection or rain water treatment systems. Most of buildings in the area have a flat roof but none of them were constructed as green roofs.

This area is absolutely not self sufficient and not even close to being one. Area has to be replanned from vegetation till traffic management and social gathering places. In order to create effective redevelopment plan for this site there is a need to find a holistic concept to approach these complex problems. In the fallowing sections I will explain my choices for concepts and how they will be implemented in order to revitalize chosen area.

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3. Concepts Environmental movements started around the same time as the industrial revolution.

This point in history could be considered as a period where the „battle“ between technology and nature started. I am happy that I live in a period where smart personalities started to consider that this battle is not something that has to be continued, instead they offer to embrace the advanced technology to create design solutions, which are a part of the huge and amazingly effective system we live in – planet Earth The big boom of eco-movements began with Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring”, in year of 1962, which made America’s people and government to finally see the consequences of human activities on the environment.

Sustainable movements and concepts of ecological and environmentally friendly solutions focuses mainly on being less bad and “The 4 R’s” – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Regulate. These focus areas are main principles of eco-efficiency which only slows down the destruction of planet.

One of my chosen concepts is Cradle to Cradle design which focuses on creating a Positive Footprint from the earliest stages of design – Doing right from the scratch. This is one of my main goals while designing solutions for this revitalization project.

The fallowing section includes description of my chosen concepts: Cradle to Cradle design, Biomimicry and Human scale planning. In order to create a positive footprint of any project understanding of problem solving has to be changed. This idea places everything created till now (in economy, society and ecology sectors) to be “rediscussed” and reinvented to achieve purely positive impact on humankind’s existence on the planet.

3.1. Concept of Cradle to Cradle “Cradle to Cradle design is a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems. It models human industry on nature's processes viewing materials as nutrients circulating in healthy and safe metabolisms”7.

The notion C2C was invented by Walter R. Stahel in the 1970s and popularized in 2002 by and architect William McDonough and a chemist Michael Braungart in their book: “Cradle to Cradle.

Remaking the way we make things”. In the book they say that “human beings don’t have a pollution problem; they have a design problem. If humans were to design products… more intelligently from the start, they wouldn’t even need to think in terms of waste, or contamination, or scarcity”8. There are “three main principles”9 of C2C concept:  Waste equals Food  Use of current solar income  Celebrate diversity

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-cradle_design McDonough and Braungart 2013 p.7 9 http://c2cislands.org/sjablonen/1/infotype/webpage/view.asp?objectID=1233 8

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C2C is inspired by the perfect systems of nature and suggests re-establishing connection with it, which was lost during the industrial revolution. In the book they say that “the tree is not an isolated entity cut off from the systems around it: it is inextricably and productively engaged with them. This is a key difference between the growth of industrial systems as they now stand and the growth of nature”10. “One of the most important concepts in C2C is that materials can be designed to … become nutrients forever”11. C2C concept I would like to use for the economic and material cycle part of my project. There is industrial development Kalundborg Symbiosis which is the first working industrial symbiosis in the world. It “wasn’t invented, but has developed organically over the course of five decades”12. It is a successfully working example of collaboration between different companies to use resources effectively. Here companies are sharing their residual products (waste) which becomes other company’s resource in production process. Diagram13 bellow, taken from their website, visualizes how it all works together.

Fig 3 Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis illustration text box (Ref. http://www.symbiosis.dk/diagram)

Fig 4 Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis collaboration scheme (Ref. http://www.symbiosis.dk/diagram) 10

McDonough and Braungart 2002 p.79 McDonough and Braungart 2013 p.14 12 http://www.symbiosis.dk/en/evolution 13 http://www.symbiosis.dk/en/diagram 11

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Later I will analyze how idea of industrial symbiosis could be integrated to create collaboration between different businesses in the chosen area. Integration of this system takes a lot of time but even one connection between two existing companies would be already a starting point in creating unlimited possibilities. I will use C2C concept and example of industrial symbiosis to solve economic and some of material related problems which I have identified earlier.

Industrial symbiosis is not only closely related to Cradle to Cradle concept but to Biomimicry as well. Oak tree is one of many examples in Nature of individual water, oxygen and food close loop systems which harmoniously work together and allows the oak tree to grow and thrive. For example “oxygen cycle provides energy needed for the tree to complete the food and water cycles.

Without the other cycles, the closed-loop becomes open, and the system does not function efficiently”.14 [Appendix A] This example shows how it is important to encourage synergies between different systems which can perform individually but in order to create truly effective system - collaboration is necessary.

3.2. Concept of Biomimicry “Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) is a design discipline that seeks sustainable solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies”15. This concept suggests looking at Nature as model, mentor and measure. Janine M. Benyus (an American natural sciences writer and innovation consultant, author of “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature” 1997) and her colleagues at the Biomimicry Guild are working together with some of the World’s largest architectural developers to create city master plans inspired by nature.

“We need cities to perform like ecosystems, not just look like them.”16 All parts of ecosystem are interconnected and the effectiveness of the whole ecosystem depends on the performance of each separate part of it. As I mentioned in the introduction, in this research I want to understand the connection between different systems, so this holistic concept is the most suitable for my analysis. Revitalization in nature is happening constantly so using nature as a model, mentor and measure will help me to find design solutions that will bring life back to the area. I chose to use methodology of Biomimicry which is illustrated by Design Lens (Biomimicry Thinking) which is “a framework that is intended to help people practice Biomimicry while designing anything. There are four areas in which a Biomimicry lens provides the greatest value to the design process (independent of the Fig 5 Biomimicry Design Lens 14

Drake 2011, p.16 http://www.asknature.org/article/view/what_is_biomimicry 16 http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/can-we-use-biomimicry-to-design-cities-janine-benyussays-yes.html 15

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discipline in which it is integrated): scoping, discovering, creating, and evaluating”. I chose a path through this lens called “Challenge to Biology” which means that I have defined a problem which I need to solve and I am seeking biological insight for the solution17. Most of the knowledge and natural models will be taken from a collaborative work of Biomimicry 3.8 biologists and HOK designer’s book “Genius of Biome. Temperate Broadleaf Forest”18.

3.2.1. Scoping In the „Genius of Biome“ the first step is described very detailed and gave me a very important foundation of understanding the context of the problem and process of identifying the functions which I want my design to fulfil in order to solve problems related to water and energy contexts. I have identified these functions (taken from „Genius of Biome“):  Minimize erosion  Minimize negative impacts of rain water  Optimize water resources  Dehumidify in summer  Adjust to temperature change  Respond to seasonal change  Optimize light Biomimicry design lens will be used not only for biomimetics solutions but also in Human scale planning. Each solution for problem has to go through all steps of design lens in order to make the most effective one.

3.3. Concept of Human scale planning „Jan Gehl is a Danish architect and urban design consultant based in Copenhagen and whose career has focused on improving the quality of urban life by re-orienting city design towards the pedestrian and cyclist.“19 I find it necessary to include ideas of this concept first of all because of clear evidence that it works (Copenhagen a pedestrian-oriented city) and second because this is a very big issue when working with revitalization of industrial sites. These sites were designed for production and cars so in order to make them livable, Human scale planning should be first priority.

Human scale planning guidelines taken from Jan Gehl book “Life between buildings”:  Create attractive outdoor areas to increase the rate of occurrence of outdoor activities 20  Create areas for sitting down that provide a good view of surrounding activities21  Avoid creating long distances between buildings and functions22  Reduce traffic of cars to increase pedestrian traffic23  Consider streets and squares as focal points and gathering places24  Do not make architecture that stands in a way of social interaction25 17

http://biomimicry.net/about/biomimicry/biomimicry-designlens/biomimicry-thinking/ http://issuu.com/biomimicry38/docs/gobiome_051713/7?e=6758301/2533977 19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Gehl 20 Gehl 2010 p.11 21 Gehl 2010 p.27 22 Gehl 2010 p.31 23 Gehl 2010 p.33 24 Gehl 2010 p.45 25 Gehl 2010 p.54 18

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           

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Create gentle transition between various categories of public spaces26 Promote contact by: No walls, Short distances, Low speed, One level, Face-to-face orientation27 Take into consideration human motion speed of 5km/h28 Social distances: intimate (0-45cm), personal (0.45-1.3m), social (1.3-3.75m), public (greater than 3.75m)29. Greater distance the more cold and impersonal feeling is created Take into consideration how much can be reached on foot from given point, and how much it is possible to see and experience30 Usual radius of action for most people on foot is limited to 400 to 500m per excursion29 Avoid over sizing the space and streets (3m street is narrow but enough for pedestrians)31 For long facades not to disperse events, they should have narrow units and many doors32 When cars are parked at the entrance only cars will be found on the street33 When pedestrian traffic must be led up or down, relatively flat ramps are generally preferred to stairs34 Create various places for people to sit and stand on the edges of public space Plan the protection against negative climate conditions in order to assure acceptable conditions for the outdoor activities. Site plan can greatly improve or worsen the local climate. Wind tends to bypass low, densely built areas, but it is caught, directed downward, and intensified by tall freestanding buildings.35 Front yards are used twice as much as backyards36

Integration of all these points would result a perfect social interaction area and in the design I will try to use as much of them as I can. This way of planning area is very different from what designers were used to and still are doing today so I find it very important get to know these principles and learn how to shape not only buildings but the space between them as well. In nature there is no space which is wasted and is used just for one purpose. Human scale planning is closely connected to Biomimicry because it is used to create optimum space which supports human life in many ways. Multi functionality and different activity availability in a short distance are biomimetics approaches to transform urban spaces created for cars to be again suitable for people.

26

Gehl 2010 p.61 Gehl 2010 p.62 28 Gehl 2010 p.63 29 Gehl 2010 p.69 30 Gehl 2010 p.83 31 Gehl 2010 p.91 32 Gehl 2010 p.93 33 Gehl 2010 p.126 34 Gehl 2010 p.145 35 Gehl 2010 p.175 36 Gehl 2010 p.193 27

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3.4. Merging concepts In order to create a truly effective system in urban scale I chose to merge Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle and Human scale planning first of all because all of these concepts are inspired by nature and human biology. Second, because all of them are holistic and this kind of concepts are very suitable for urban scale. Neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities are huge collection of interconnected systems and to find a way that they would perform effectively and sustainably there is a need to implement as much good ideas as possible from design stage today, in order to be able to improve them after design is made and project becomes a real living organism and a part of the planet.

Despite the fact that my chosen three concepts are closely connected they also offer something what can not be found in the other. For example it was a lot easier to find solution for design of pedestrian areas using Human scale planning principles that trying to extraxt them a natures model. The output is the same – comfortable and multifunctional area which celebrates diversity and supports natural water and energy cycles, but the process of creating solution became a lot shorter because of combining two concepts.

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4. Industrial Symbiosis Industrial Symbiosis is not only about resource sharing. This system focuses on creating collaborations between even very different fields of industry but in order to establish resource sharing plan there is much more to do than just install a pipe connecting two factories. Partnership between businesses can be established just by communication between people. How to encourage company leaders to create contact with other companies? This is the main issue when trying to implement Industrial Symbiosis in a specific area.

4.1. Industrial Symbiosis plan for the chosen Brownfield Visit on the site and internet research about existing businesses in the area gave me an overview what is happening there at the moment. There are many empty buildings which are marked by “For rent” signs. Most of the companies are providing some kind of service (building, machinery, design, electronics and etc.) and need to have office space for costumers and some storage for the equipment or materials that they are using, some companies need assemble/production area but most of them do not require huge spaces. By walking in the area and seeing how buildings are placed it is visible that there is no communication between businesses and in their WebPages I did not find any evidence of collaboration between companies just next to each other. This could be solved by concentrating offices close to each other instead of spreading them all over the place.

Similar sectors could be placed close to each other and have common entrances to the offices to make companies meet with each other and share knowledge and experiences. Common canteens also would be very helpful to create some informal contact between people which could lead to collaboration of companies.

So first of all there is a need to reorganize layout of buildings and create opportunities for meeting (this will be solved in section “Human scale planning”). When the knowledge sharing path is open its up to businesses to share information and discover possibilities. I think that for Industrial symbiosis to work there is a need first of all for an initiator company and knowledge sharing opportunity. How companies can know that their waste could actually be a resource for other company if they do not have such information. The most effective way in my opinion could be data base for an area to share these facts. Each company existing in the area and companies that want to move there would fill in business profile with information about which resources they need for their business to work and what kind of materials they do not need after product or service is realised. Companies should be more open at least to other companies in the beginning to create these collaborations. At the moment most of businesses do not want to give information about their waste and what they do with it to customers or people like me who are researching and trying to find more effective ways to use resources. In my opinion companies are afraid to share this information but it should not be like that because just by sharing this data solutions can be found. I have sent emails with questions about production, waste and collaboration idea to 20 companies but 19 companies did not reply and one sent me their WebPages where of course such information does not exist.

As I could not get information from companies I still wanted to create some connection and it will be connection not between two companies but connection between nature and any company on site because every business needs water or in production process, or inside the office. First solution would be to use the roof surface to collect rain water to flush toilets. Then this water should go through cleaning system and in the end help urban farming points to water plants. Then 20

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this water safely enters soil and goes to the natural water cycle. This is not exactly Industrial Symbiosis but because of lack of information from companies I did not want to assume what waste they produce. This could be considered as Industrial Symbiosis when urban farming is implemented in the area.

One more suggestion would be Database which I mentioned before. It would be something similar to already created libraries in United Kingdome for BIM (Building Information Modelling) implementation. If company has residual products they would upload information and all businesses in the area would see it. This information would not be spread to the whole World it would stay within the area and within companies existing in the area. After information is shared solutions can be found. Same system should be applied to newly built buildings or additions to existing buildings. All information with suppliers and materials used in the construction should be available for neighbourhood government and specific information just about the house where person lives should be delivered to him on the moving day. This would provide more effective way of tracking where materials came from and where they should be brought back if owner decides to change it with something else or it breaks.

This data base controlled by government of neighbourhood would ensure closing some loops and create easier integration of one of C2C ideas – Take back system. Preferably most of products chosen for construction and interior application would be from the companies existing in the area or around it. This would make take back system work more effectively because of reduced distances and demand for transportation. Each future neighbourhood should have “Take back pavilion” which would be something like material second hand where companies come and take their products back and create a new ones together closing the loop of this material.

Fig 6 Information sharing diagram

Leaders of neighbourhood should manage information and assure that all necessary data reaches people and companies who have to have it. Maybe in the future there will be a special position in local municipalities for material flow manager which would control information flow. If people living in the area have enough information and comfortable opportunities to bring materials back to the loops this system should be very effective way to improve recycling and upcycling processes.

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5. Human scale planning Human scale planning and consideration of life between buildings as an important part of urban area is essential in revitalization project. Clearly visible problem in the chosen site is that there is no life, no people and no activities. In this section of my thesis I will focus on the good and comfortable access to public transport, creation of multifunctional and attractive public space, and reconnecting the site to the rest of the town which will bring people and life back to the site. The main measure to create positive future inhabitant experience on the area will be relation between 500m distance and number of different available activities within this distance.

5.1. Access to public transportation Currently there are 8 bus stops on this site but from the diagram it is visible that it is not enough to fulfil one of the goals that bus stop should be accessible within 500m from every point on every street. Public transport links are concentrated on the edges of the area in North and South-East sides. This creates an isolated corner on the South-West of the site which is further than 500m from the two closest bus stops. This can be solved by changing the rout of one bus. When this is done there is no point in the area which is further than 300m from a public transport link. Good access to public transport is achieved not only by short distance but also by comfortable and attractive bus stop design. In this area bus stops will be energy producing to fulfil electricity needs for it and excess power will be sent to city grid. This shelter will protect waiting people from strong winds, rain and heat. Finally it will provide a place to stand or sit and enjoy surrounding social life.

Fig 7 Access to the public transportation

5.2. From isolation to reconnection Brownfield itself is not created to connect with nature but is surrounded by it from all sides. In order to reconnect the area with surrounding natural world I had to identify what are the existing elements around it which would help to do it. River with its valley and recreational gardening areas are the closest points to be considered. I want to create:

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

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Visual connection between the site and the valley.

Social and sharing connection between the site and recreational gardening areas.

Comfortable and attractive mobility connection between the site and Bygholm Lake and park.

Fig 8 Elements to be reconnected

Creation of these 3 connections would develop a stronger relationship to the town itself and in a way to the town center. In order to create a really working link between the site and town center there is a need to redevelop at least one of two streets which act as a connection path between these places.

Fig 9 Defining connection routes

After analysing movement from site center to the chosen locations I have identified 3 main road intersections which should be redesigned to create a nice entrance for pedestrians and cyclists and together from the first steps in the site create feeling of life and action.

First and Second intersections are the most active ones. All North and East sides of the area are the most visible sides for the inhabitants of Horsens and people who are passing by. At the moment it does not leave a good impression. My solution for this would be to consider both sides as a representative “face” of the area for the outside World. I suggest redesigning not only intersections but all the area along the two active roads. This area will be revitalized by developing existing sidewalks and bike roads together with existing green areas which now are just grass lawns with few trees. I suggest adding recreational activities like: basketball, football, skate and roller skate areas which could be used by all Horsens inhabitants. This will create a lot of action and area will feel alive even without entering deeper into it. On the same areas I decided to place small buildings which would be used for commercial purposes (Drinks and snacks) combined with information points about the area to be developed. These buildings will have stands with 23

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newspapers and newsletters giving information about what is happening in the area (openings of new businesses, job advertisements, event information and information how this area was transformed from a Brownfield to the one which is alive and interesting to live and visit. One more suggestion is to create around 2-3m high wall in front of two factories. This wall will act as a fence to prevent people entering factory area and as a street at “canvas�. This would create opportunity for inhabitants to leave something interesting to look at.

Fig 10 North and East side reconnection

The third active movement point is in the South of the area and it connects recreational gardening areas with the Brownfield. I suggest reconnecting these areas by again develipong existing green areas and creating more pedestrian paths to lead to the Brownfield. Second suggestion would be to extent farming concept and include it in the Brownfield redevelopment by creating Urban farms.

To begin, two big, currently without purpose, buildings should be used for urban indoor farming.

Market could be developed around these buildings creating a big goods and knowledge exchange area where anyone can get a place and sell what they have grown or produced. In this way recreational gardening areas would be more involved in the life of Industrial site. One more positive step would be to clean at least the part of the river which is closest to the Brownfield and create a bridge and a nice relaxing place to sit or play next to water.

Fig 11 South side reconnection

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These design solutions around the site will make this area more attractive and open for interaction between people living in the area and around it. Demolition in these areas is minimized by changing purpose of the building and most of existing businesses still can stay in the area without moving and for some offices new places will be designed in the middle of the site.

5.3. From single to multipurpose area Today area is used mainly for commercial and production purposes. In order to revitalize this area people have to live there. Most of the buildings are not suitable for residential transformation so buildings marked in red most likely will be demolished unless architects will find the way to use existing buildings. All other buildings can be renovated or edited by adding details to them to give second life and be used for many different purposes: Institutional, Recreational, Commercial, Industrial and even Agricultural. In order to place different uses in specific areas I have divided it into 6 squares (400x400m) (most of South-East belongs to commune and is used for gardening), which helped me to assign different used in a way that there would be at least 5 different uses reachable within 500m distance from residential buildings. One of the main concepts in VIA-UJI team’s project was urban farming idea and integrated kitchen garden in every apartment. This should be taken into consideration when making a detailed design of each residential building.

Fig 12 Solution for the usage of the area

5.4. Environment transformation This section of my thesis presents a conceptual idea of environment transformation. At the moment atmosphere in the area is very calm and boring. By mixing different uses and creating smaller buildings in front of the huge production construction the view in the site will change dramatically.

By creating smaller scale buildings it will be easier to break the endless lawns and bring more different activities to the area. Also the space between small buildings will create a lot of shortcuts and wider possibility to choose your path through the area. All new structures have to be designed according human scale and to inhabit leisure activities or people. Illustration bellow is just one example of how the space between main streets and factories could be revitalized. In the shown example visible area is 50m wide and it locates 6 new activities creating a lot different feeling of space and life. Long and monotonic facade of factory was used as a support for market which lasts 25

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along it. Existing slope next to the same factory facade was reshaped into 3 layers: first the market which is mentioned above, second green lawn with new plants to create more natural diversity and third a sitting area which is far enough to enjoy civic life just by watching and without actually participating.

Fig 13 Lawn transformation solution

The rest of the lawn was used to create a new pedestrian street and small structures. These small scale buildings are separating pedestrian area from car traffic but as well created a lot of paths between connecting these two different activity areas together. This kind of design should be applied to the whole area with unique modifications necessary for specific parts of the site.

5.5. Human scale planning and ecotones The Human scale planning principle I have used above I find very similar to one of examples in “Genius of Biome” where it is suggested to learn from ecotones (transitional space between two different ecosystems). “Such... edges are rich, diverse habitats where species interact.”37 In this transition area there are two main elements which contribute to a robust and resilient edge system are its physical structure and high interconnection level between its users. So I think that I have managed to merge human scale planning principles and ecotones performance when I was solving site isolation problem and revitalizing open space between factories and streets. These areas will be spaces where most of life is happening. They also will invite different people, animals and plants to stay together and celebrate diversity (one of main C2C principles).

5.6. Residential areas Creation of residential buildings is a very important part of the project. In order to revitilize Brownfield and bring more activities to the site people have to live there. As there are no suitable buildings for living at the moment I would suggest creating new ones. Idea is to create living space for people who work in this area or will work in the future. Today there are many factories and businesses with a lot of workers and to inhabit them all within the area single family house is not a solution.

37

http://issuu.com/biomimicry38/docs/gobiome_051713/7?e=6758301/2533977

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Residential areas should be formed by 2-4 storey buildings according to the area they are located.

Lower density homes would surround the area from the West and South. Higher density building will be located in the center of the area between industrial buildings which are chosen to be kept.

Design of housing has to encourage social activities and collaboration between neighbours.

Each apartment should have urban farming opportunity. In the low density area there should be and kitchen garden, where people can grow small plants for food all year long, and summer garden; in higher density area each apartment has to have kitchen garden area.

Buildings should be designed to optimize room sizes to avoid creating unnecessary space which later can cause waste of energy and materials. I would suggest optimizing space in higher density areas by incorporating robotic walls, which I got to know from Kent Larsen speech in TEDtalks38.

This solution might not be an option for a big family with children but for a single person or a couple it can save money for rent and in general reduce the size of buildings at the same time fulfilling all possible needs of inhabitant in the most effective way. Small space can include everything: bedroom, small gym, guest bed, work space, conference space, dinning and cooking, hobby space and even and open space for parties just by having walls which can be moved and transform the space to anything you like.

Next to space optimization, opportunity for sustainable behaviour should be developed. This does not mean that there will be rules how to live in your home, but these will be integrated design solutions that can help to save your money and natural resources without even thinking. The most effective way to introduce people to sustainable living I think is to create design which encourages Fig 14 Apartment with robotic walls (Ref. Barry living like that. Barry Schwartz in his talk about the Schwartz presentation video snap shoots) paradox of choice39 explains that the huge variety of possible choices makes people unhappy than limited choice opportunity. People have to make 38

http://blog.ted.com/2012/09/13/from-folding-cars-to-robotic-walls-5-innovations-to-make-future-cities-far-morelivable/ 39 http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html

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huge decisions everyday about their job, travelling method, eating habits and so on. It is very important in revitalization of the area and in any other type of project to create sustainable choice that is easy to make and creates satisfaction.

The simplest example is waste recycling. For example I live in a small flat and I would like to separate waste but I do not want to have 4 different trash bins which would never fit under my sink.

People usually choose solutions which are making their lives more comfortable and simple. If on the moving day person is introduced to recycling system in the area, shown how to do it and finds it easy he will. All implemented solutions in the residential house should be sustainable and made in a way that inhabitant even does not have to think should I recycle or no, should I go to work on foot or by car, should I buy ecological food which is good for my body or no. All these everyday decisions make life more complicated and create dissatisfaction and it just becomes too Fig 15 Indoor recycling station hard to choose and people start avoiding making them.

Good design has to have sustainable solutions implemented in it in order for inhabitant to live with respect to nature. Architect, urban planner and designer should make these decisions for the people to create a place where “green choice� is the only choice. In this way people will not need to think of it in everyday life and feel bad if they make wrong decision because it just will not be possible to do so.

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6. Learning from Nature In this section I want to understand and implement principles of how water and energy are flowing in the environment surrounding us. Nature has made various different ways to manage water resource which work together creating this slow flow causing infiltration and storage of water to be available for use. In the long history of life: capture, storage and efficient use of energy have been tested and overcame challenge of how to fulfil energy needs in a seasonality changing availability and usage of energy. This section will include design principles extracted from nature and implementation of them in a Brownfield revitalization plan.

6.1. Water The goal of this analysis is to identify principles of how nature manages water flows and at the same time protects soil from erosion. I will use to models of nature vegetation and beavers to recreate natural cycle of water and effective use of this natural resource.

Vegetation slows down water flow in thousands of small ways. Forest leaves and branches are first to intercept and absorb the energy of raindrops, causing water that collects to slow and pool below and partially infiltrate the soil. Plant litter, trunks, stems and stalks add to the dissipation of raindrop energy due to friction, giving water time to soak in.36 Design principles defined in “Genius of Biome�: varied, multiple surface barriers increase infiltration. In an urban development next to natures elements: trees, bushes and weeds which already exist on the site; there are manmade design solutions to slow down water flow. I chose to redesign sidewalks because they are in a poor condition at the moment and they should be replaced so why not to start redeveloping them to something very useful and beautiful. Second solution will be to use permeable pavements for new pedestrian areas and new low intensively streets which will be used just by few private cars. The third solution is rain gardens. These gardens allow storm water infiltration and together create variety in a landscape and create important habitat for bees, butterflies and birds increasing diversity.

Rain gardens and sidewalk planters also allows nature to remove some of the pollutants that otherwise would affect Fig 16 Natural water infiltration systems downstream water quality.

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Beavers are ecosystems engineers that alter stream and upland habitats by cutting down trees and building dams across rushing streams, modifying streams into series of stair-stepped ponds. These dams create a variety of habitats that many others species rely on in these ponds. 36 Design principles defined in “Genius of Biome�: series of upstream barriers slow water. This idea I would suggest to implement by creating building which roof is divided into different heights creating stairstepped areas. Some of the rainwater could be stored in cisterns for later use and the extra water will run down slowly infiltrating in every level and end up going down in green areas next to the building.

6.2. Energy Nature rarely spends energy on resistance and makes use of locally available resources and combines many small, seemingly weak elements to create a powerful, problem-solving process.40 In seasonal climate nature does not rely on a single solution, it has a complex collection of small solutions to solve big problem.

In winter all animals and plants find different ways of saving energy and optimizing energy which is available. Humans sometimes do not understand how to use energy wisely because they do not see where it comes from and in many cases do not have an opportunity to check how much they are using. As all residential buildings will include new construction it is easy to implement smart systems in the beginning to create opportunity for inhabitants to check their energy usage and follow how it decreases when they develop new energy saving habits. This system and clearly visible results would motivate them to continue reducing energy use in their house and workplaces.

This smart home system could be connected to the Data base mentioned in industrial symbiosis and be compared to your neighbours and give a bigger picture of how is each house using energy and where are they using most of it.

In order to have something to measure and compare between neighbours there is need for energy sources and production of it. For this development I suggest to use the most common ones in Denmark: solar and wind. The area is not very big to develop huge production of energy but some steps still can be taken towards the independence of oil. Small scale roof top wind turbines should be installed on most of higher building roof edges. Solar panels should be integrated in all new constructions and used in combination with green roofs on all existing buildings on site. Energy produces first should fulfil needs of the building and if there is extra energy it should be taken to the common energy grid where other people can use it. In addition to these two active systems passive solar energy also should be considered while designing new structures. In winter it should maximize solar heat penetration to the building and in summer use systems to prevent overheating. As natural ventilation is not permitted by Danish Building Regulations mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system should be used to keep buildings fresh and healthy.

All of these systems are well known and tested to be working so there is no surprise for me to choose them. These solar and wind energy production systems allow to use huge areas of roofs for a better purpose and combination of these two gives more security against energy scarcity.

40

http://issuu.com/biomimicry38/docs/gobiome_051713/7?e=6758301/2533977

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7. System interconnection While creating solutions which I presented earlier in this document I managed to understand how one small choice can affect and create big changes looking at the hole project. For example just by modifying bus route it is possible to save energy, reduce transportation costs. As it is a comfortable and cheep solution more people will use public transport causing fewer cars on the street creating safer place to walk and cycle. Public transport is also a social space where people meet, chat and plan their day. So just by changing the route of the buss I managed to solve a more complex problem then I intended in the first place (short distance to public transport). This is one of the main goals of this thesis, to actually see and understand how systems are interconnected and how one solution can actually help to solve more than one problem. This is also a way in which nature has solved most of its problems. If nature creates something it is usually not just for one specific purpose. Illustration bellow shows how all my 7 design solutions contributed to solve all problems which I have stated in the beginning of this document.

Fig 17 Design solution multifunctionality

Each solution was created using one concept to solve one problem but it ended up solving multiple numbers of problems and even connectivity between concepts can be found in every solution. For example when I was redesigning North, East and South edges of the site I was focusing on human scale planning and in the end I found out that I created design which performs like ecotones and ended up with a solution which is a combination of two concepts and contributes to solve all 4 problems. Unfortunately there is no one simple solution to design a perfect neighbourhood for people to live in. Just by combining and finding ways how every solution is connected to other solution, the big problem can be solved. So in the revitalization project of the chosen site I have managed to combine three concepts which are closely connected to create design solutions which 31

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also are connected to each other. If I have missed one of these solutions system could not work the same way. I think this proves that one concept for a big scale project is not enough. In order to create a system which fulfils all human needs and is sustainable there is need to combine and take different principles from each of these concepts and find creative ways to realize them. Illustration bellow is a visualization of my work that show how problems solutions and Fig 18 Creation of complex and effective design solutions concepts are interconnected in order to find the most effective way of revitalizing a Brownfield. By using principles from three concepts I have created ideas to solve social, economical, water and energy problems existing on the site. In a way all design solutions and ideas presented in the document reflect all three concepts and contribute in solving all four problems. System working in this way is the most effective. This idea and principle of work can be used in other scales as well.

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8. Final walkthrough Combination of different uses and space breaking with pedestrian streets creates alive and changing environment where work, family, commercial, recreational activities and nature are next to each other supporting the whole system. In the final walkthrough I want to emphasize major changes which have to be implemented to revitalize chosen Brownfield.

First of all in order to create residential areas space has to be divided into smaller sections to make it comfortable for people. Existing street was modified by adding pedestrian paths and creating two main continues squares on the existing street. This existing street should be considered as the main public life street in the area where most of activities are happening all day long. This main street connects two main social areas (public squares), urban farms and inhabits most of commercial, and recreational activities of the site. All other streets are more calm leading to residential areas and pedestrian paths.

Fig 19 Street layout and walking distances

Residential buildings will be divided into two types: lower (2 storey) and higher (3-4 storey) density. First area will mainly accommodate bigger families with children who want to have more private area and space to have outdoor garden. Second area will be home for students, single people, couple or a small family which does not want a big home and prefer active life style. These buildings usually will have part of the ground floor dedicated for commercial or recreational purposes and create opportunity to live and work in the same building.

Fig 20 Residential areas

When people start to live in the area most of them will have a car. Design and purpose of the area is to reduce car use but to fully eliminate cars from the area takes time. First solution to lower car number on the area is to give priority to live in the area for people who will be working in this area. This reduces amount of cars dramatically because workplace is in the same building or 15min away from the home. For people who live in the area and do not have car it is still possible to travel somewhere further than this site by Fig 21 Parking areas and community car using community car or public transport. center

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I have planned 3 urban farms in the area with market space next to them. This number can be increased later if it is necessary or if there are less businesses staying in the area than I expected. Farming school and urban farm itself should be open for all people to visit and volunteer to help or work fulltime. Volunteers can learn and implement knowledge at their kitchen gardens and get discount for groceries. Market space also will be open to everyone to sell what they grow or create. It is not only food market but also art, jewellery, pottery and etc. It will be a space for everyone to meat learn and buy fresh food and other Fig 22 Urban farming things. One more thing connected to urban farming is integrated kitchen garden in each apartment where people can grow herbs and other small plants inside their home all year long. Seeds or plants itself can be bought from the urban farms.

At this stage of the project I have planed 8 industrial building roofs to be used for solar and wind energy production. Solar plants should be located in the center of the rood leaving edges for small scale wind turbines. This combination of energy is more secure than just one type because usually when it is sunny speed of wind is quite small and in the rainy and cloudy day there is limited amount of sun but the wind might be a lot stronger than on a sunny day. This secures the area from being unable to produce energy id weather conditions change. All apartment should be designed in a way that south facade could accommodate some solar panels and if small scale Fig 23 Renewable energy wind turbines are quiet enough they could be installed on the top floor roof on each house.

Biggest rainwater catchment I have planned for urban farms because they will need a lot of water to support them. Water tanks could be placed under transformed parking spaces making it easier to access them if it is necessary. Small rainwater catchment tanks should be incorporated in private buildings at least for gardening activities.

Design of the whole area including streets, buildings and spaces between them will support biodiversity by many different types of trees, bushes, flowers and weeds. Created rain gardens and smooth transition Fig 24 Rainwater storage from natural environment to the Brownfield will invite animals, birds and insects to the site creating alive and dynamic area where natural and modern world becomes one.

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9. Conclusions In conclusion I would like to quote Jeffrey Tumlin : “Cities have policies that sound good on paper, calling for mixed-use development and walkable neighbourhoods, but they also have detailed technical design requirements that don't let that happen. Instead, we end up with typical sprawl: it's actually illegal to build anything else."41 There are many good ideas out there how to effectively revitalize Brownfield sites and my chosen ones are among them. The main challenge to make these transformations real is the existing system, which usually kills all hopes for environmental projects to come true by existing regulations, economy leaders and lack of awareness.

Battle between technology and nature is in the last stage. Now these two, not so long time ago considered as enemies, are working hand in hand to create a better future for our children. We came in the period of history when there are no more reasons to blame technology or lack of information about how to again live sustainably by maintaining same high quality of life. It is proven that it is possible and it is in action in many places on Earth. Now the time has come to rethink the system that we have created for an everyday life of each person. Involvement of people from all sectors is necessary to redesign modern life system to the one which creates positive footprint and pours foundation for future generations to live “delightfully diverse, safe, healthy (life) and just world with clean air, water soil and power – economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed.”42 Specific design solutions created in this document are easy to implement and is not something very unique or futuristic. In my opinion I have analyzed basic steps of how Brownfield sites should be revitalized and at the same time reconnected to the modern world and nature. The most important goal of any building or urban project has to aim for positive footprint, which I have managed to create on paper. Just by focusing on good and ambitious ideas it is possible to move forwards and transform urban areas to places where people and nature can re-establish long lost relation.

„The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation.“ Albert Einstein

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http://www.planetizen.com/node/64302 McDonough and Braungart 2013 p.12

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List of references Videos: http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action.html [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/william_mcdonough_on_cradle_to_cradle_design.html [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_sears_planning_for_the_end_of_oil.html [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pawlyn_using_nature_s_genius_in_architecture.html [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/george_monbiot_for_more_wonder_rewild_the_world.html?utm_source= newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button__2013-09-09 [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/alex_steffen.html?quote=1034 [Accessed October 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city.html [Accessed October 2013]. http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html [Accessed October 2013].

Literature: “Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things” William McDonough & Michael Braungart 2008 The Registry of C2C® Inspired Elements for Building Developments 2012-2013 Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart “C2C Theoretical Framework“ Peter Stouthuysen and Dirk le Roy “The Upcycle. Beyond Sustainability – Designing for Abundance” William McDonough & Michael Braungart 2013 “The Scale and Nature of European Brownfields” Lee Oliver, Uwe Ferber, Detlef Grimski, Kate Millar, Paul Nathanail “Genius of Biome. Temperate Broadleaf Forest” Biomimicry 3.8 biologists and HOK designer’s 2011-2013 “Life between buildings. Using public space” Jan Gehl 2010 “Biomimicry: Emulating the closed-loops systems of the oak tree for sustainable architecture” Courtney Drake 2011 Internet: http://biomimicry.net/ [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.asknature.org/ [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/biomimicry/ [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/industrial-revolution.html [Accessed September 2013]. http://www.cabernet.org.uk/index.asp?c=1124 [Accessed September 2013]. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/da.html [Accessed October 2013]. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/conference_may2012.htm [Accessed October 2013]. http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/can-we-use-biomimicry-to-design-citiesjanine-benyus-says-yes.html [Accessed October 2013]. http://denmark.dk/en/green-living/sustainable-projects/a-land-enriched-by-water/ [Accessed October 2013]. http://www.symbiosis.dk/en [Accessed October 2013].

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Appendix Appendix A This is illustration from Courtney Drake thesis for a degree of Marter in Architecture, where she is analyzing closed loop systems and their synergies in an oak tree. (Drake 2011, p.16)

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