A Guide to the Dam_ Studio Strategic Spatial Planning, KUL 2014-2015

A GUIDE TO THE DAM THINKING OF PROCESSES AND VALUES

19 DECEMBER 2014

STUDIO STRATEGIC SPATIAL PLANNING 1

Participants

Acknowledgment

Ashim Kumar Manna (India) Sheeba Amir (India) Spandan Das (India) Sven Mertens (Belgium) Tarek Morad (Bangladesh) Thierry Iraguha (Rwanda)

First off all we would like to take the time to thank the teachers for their guidance and input during the whole semester, the jury members for their time and the inhabitants of the Dam for having us.

Studio team

Jury members (mid and final reviews)

Jan Schreurs Pieter Van den Broeck Seppe De Blust Tim Devos

All images taken by ourselves or are from Google Maps/Bing Maps

Els Gepts Oswald Devisch Lisa De Vos Liesbeth Huybrechts Jeroen Cuypers Frank Moulaert

Abstract

This booklet documents our journey through the ‘Spatial planning studio – 2014’ within the Dam neighbourhood in Antwerp. The Neighbourhood forms an important part of northern Antwerp, which is undergoing significant spatial transformation due to many projects.

This booklet positions our work, within the process of working with the inhabitants of Dam, pushing the ideas of the studio beyond the 2013 Dam – Spatial planning Studio. The studio dealt with data collection, analysis and finding the appropriate means of representing and evaluating our work. It presents the crucial, yet not all the aspect dealt during the process.

The booklet ends with a critical reflection on the studio as the group, and an argumentation to extend the role of the studio along with the project.

MANUAL

AIM

One of the key directions for the studio was to extend the ideas of the 2013 spatial planning studio in working with community, creating platforms for participation along with the city and the project developers, owners. We aimed at putting forth our research in bringing out the needs of the neighbourhood to the designers, in addition to the Dam committee advice note. Our research was to find out values, taking the designers through a journey where he could understand what lies beneath the basic needs of the neighbourhood. Challenge is to make them understand how these values are important and should be given a space within the project.

We see the role of the booklet along with the Advice and the NDVR bundle in creating further participation between the owners and the neighbourhood, the designers and the city. To keep participation as an important part of a socially innovative design process and help the neighbourhood engage in a constant dialogue with the city and project developers. It will act as a tool to engage the studio in collaborating with the designers in a workshop to help them understand the needs of the dam in relation to spatial elements, and some suggestions related to the same.

The second role of the booklet can be in the form of activism, it can be used by the neighbourhood as a reference during the larger Masterplan feedback session, where they can see if their voices have been represented or not, paving a way for further queries.

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WHY

The neighbourhood misses its identity due to the absence of the Slaughterhouse. Further it is in transition, with native population moving out, deteriorating housing, lack of public spaces on one hand and anticipation from upcoming project on the other. The new project would bring its own new social and spatial changes dimensions, which could impact in form of gentrification, exclusion or expulsion in the neighbourhood.

The various layers within the neighbourhood are crucial, they are linked to its history, culture and socio-economic past, use and co-operation between the communities. The neighbourhood is anticipating that a new project will bring in changes which will help them meet the basic needs and meet their aspirations and create new opportunities for employment and socializing.

The work of the two studios (2013 & 2014) is crucial in putting forth a dialogue representing the needs of the neighbourhood.

Incorporating these needs in upcoming project is the challenge that future designers have to face. It’s vital to confront these challenges in project brief, for a more meaningful and inclusive design, which can be achieved adopting a participatory approach.

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8

2014-2015 Studio - Start

Toekomst Tunnel Exhibit

Mid-Review 2013 Workshop with Neighbourhood NDVR + KUL

Droom den Dam

In-between Phases Mid-Review 2014 Workshop with Neighbourhood NDVR + KUL In-between Phases (Final Review) BOOKLET NDVR + KUL

City + Owners

Project Definition

Advice

Stadlab 2050

Vision note 2012

Project Timeline

2015

2014

2014

2013

TIMELINE

?

Studio Timeline

Neighb

Hands

Desi

Use of the b

ign Activism + Participation Feedback + Evaluattion

RUP

Concept Masterplan

Selection of the Designer

Workshop with Designers

Call for Designers

? ?

bourhood Walk

s on Workshop

Advice + NDVR Booklet + Studio Booklet

booklet

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STAGE 1

Feedback

PROCESS

Living by Water & Heritage

Advice to City

Advice as reference

Integrated & Productive

Self-sufficient

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STAGE 2

STAGE 3

Internal Design Charette

Collaboration + Studio

Overlapping Values Equity

Safety & Comfort

Internal Design Charrette Some Values can not be expressed

Activism + Studio 11

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CONCLUSION

The work of the 2014 studio borrows and continues with key ideas from the 2013 studio, yet through further analysis and research, it brings new aspects to the studio work. The studio can be divided into three phases. The initial phase of communicating with the neighbourhood, understanding the impacts of large projects and understanding the character of the neighbourhood culminated with an Open house Mid-review. The Open house was a critical stage to receive inputs from the Residents on the scenarios prepared by us.

The second phase brings the question of how the process could be extended and how socially innovative tools, such as creating ‘tool or moments’ for initiating public participation. Initially we started studying the key spatial elements of project, to understand their importance within the neighbourhood and their potential for upcoming project. At a later stage, the feedback and advice from teachers and discussions among team mates gave direction to our work in the second phase. The second phase culminates, with this booklet as an important tool, which we believe paves further the way to continue the participatory aspect of the spatial planning studio. It is very important to consider the timeline of the project, and we do believe that the finalization of the project definition from the city will initiate the events such as selection of designers.

This booklet will be a handy tool in maintaining a dialogue during the project development.

Studio spatial planning brought many challenges and new ways to deal with situations where the community is the focus. It forced us to change our perspective towards dealing with certain situations within the studio. With moments of struggle towards the participatory planning process, we pushed ourselves to work outside the ‘comfort zone’ of designers and understand the idea of social innovation.

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MATERIALS

ANALYSIS OVERLAP

1614

1754-68 Cotton industry

Construction of chapel for St.-Job

1

Meat mark the D 1838 Beerbrewery Looibroek by the family Ceulemans on the slaughterhouse site

Use of slaughter house site for storing and selling animals

1200

1800

1600

1845 N

O

I

S

Opening of the first chocolate factory in Belgium at the Damplein E

N O

I S E

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The Dam neighbourhood feels the challenges of its own needs and is overshadowed by the large projects of mobility, environment and economic development. The diagram is an abstract of the possible impacts on the neighbourhood due its proximity to large scale projects. The impacts are measured on the aspects of mobility, effect on land values, environment and variables such as water.

The analysis shows different typologies of working-living models in relation with the evolution of the urban fabric of the Dam. The process involves relating different typologies with commercial activities and growing infrastructure, as well as mapping all commercial activities within the neighbourhood.

Construction of the slaughterhouse 1871 1844 Demolishing of the railway ket at Dam through the city, construction of the ringrail 1873 around the city Construction of the Asiadock

1850 1854 Construction of the Railway-line 12. Oldest railconnection & first station at Dam

1888 Construction Construction of the Samberstraat

1892

1875

Construction of Construction of the railway yard the NoordschipPlanning and persdok buying terrains of the slaughterhouse.

PlanningBuilding-Opening of the Antwerp Ringroad R1

1938

1903 De Beuckelaar opens their Chicorei-factory

Construction of the Lobroekdok

1932 Construction of the Sportpaleis

1900

1957-69

V2 rockets damage the slaughterhouse

Construction of the Albertkanaal (Albert-Canal)

Construction of the station AntwerpenDam

1875 1872

1944

1930

1875

1930

1951 Rebuilding of a new slaughterhouse

2001 Closing of railway yard

1950

1910

1935

Construction of the Marbaixstraat, 41 houses in Art Nouveau-style which are now protected.

Closing of the Kempische Canal and construction of the Ijzerlaan on top of it

2007 Closing of slaughter house

2000

1957 Closing and filling of the Noordschippersdock

1981

Closing of the storage space at the Asiadock

Timline brings together all the important historical events which relate to spatial and socio- economic growth of dam. Timeline is helpful in understanding the workingliving relationship in neighbourhood from history to present times.

After the mid-review, a part of the studio thought it was a good idea to produce some kind of design suggestion that would introduce potential designers to the site. The suggestion would serve as a document to highlight the (sometimes hidden) values that the Dam has. This opinion was shared by two groups, one working on the issue of scale and the other working on mixed use, which then formed one. As a starting point for our document, we focused on the analyses that our separate groups came up with for the mid-review.

Na de mid-review heerste er de gedachte om een soort van ontwerpsuggestie te maken die potentiële ontwerpers kon helpen om de site te verstaan. Deze suggestie zou de (soms verborgen) kwaliteiten van de Dam belichten. Deze gedachte werd gedeeld door twee groepen, een werkend rond het thema schaal en de ander werkend rond het thema van mixed-use, die dan één groep werden. Om aan dit ontwerp te startten, concentreerden we ons eerst op de analyses die de twee groepen voor de mid-review hadden gemaakt.

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MACRO

The Lobroekdok as a part of the harbor of the city The Slachthuislaan as the last part of the vision note ‘Green Singel’

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The Slachthuis-site as a part of the necklace of public buildings along the ringroad

^ Lobroekdok

^ Slachthuislaan

Starting from our analyses we could differentiate four spatial elements which are an integral part of the composition that is called the Dam. These are the Lobroekdock, the Slachthuislaan, the slachthuis-site and the Lange Lobroekstraat. These four elements structured movement and developments throughout history, but in the present these places are undervalued and unsafe. Therefor we tried to highlight the qualities that these places still have or can have on a macro, meso and micro scale. The result is shown in the next pages.

Startend van onze analyses, konden we vier ruimtelijke elementen onderscheiden die samen de Dam vormen. Deze zijn het Lobroekdok, de Slachthuislaan, de Slachthuis-site en de Lange Lobroekstraat. Deze vier elementen hebben de bewegingen en ontwikkelingen geleid doorheen de geschiedenis maar zijn momenteel ondergewaardeerd en onveilig. Daarom hebben we getracht te kwaliteiten bloot te leggen die deze plekken stil in hun hebben op een macro, meso en micro-schaal. De resultaten hiervan zijn op de volgende bladzijden te vinden.

^ Slachthuissite

^ Lange Lobroekstraat

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MESO

Lange Lobroekstraat is the most active street of the neighbourhood, with commercial activities, cafes and restaurants, displaying a working-living model. This street can be seen in two parts, part one with dense built fabric on both sides and part two, with cafes-restaurants on one side and a slaughterhouse building on the other.

Lobroekdok though disconnected from the neighbourhood, can be seen as a large chunk of water, which acts as buffer between the highway and Dam. Thus, protecting it from noise and air pollution to a certain extent.

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Slaughterhouse site, though not in use now, hosts some temporary activities. The boxing club, flea market and parking are activities which are keeping the site in use. These activities in one way or another relate with the neighbourhood. Temporary use of space keeps the area safe and active till certain extent.

Lobroekdok presently has no connection with the neighbourhood because of the industrial activities it caters to. With dense residential area on one side and industrial area on the other, the nature of activities on two sides of the slachthuislaan is completely different, making it act as a buffer.

Dam is a dense neighbourhood, with hardly any public space for community. There are pockets of disconnected green spaces around the slachthuislaan, of which some are used by the community like noordschippersdok. But the green spaces on side of lobroekdok are just being used by industries for storage.

Lobroekdok is part of the history of dam as well as Antwerp. With discontinuation of dock activities, it is just a large body of water.

Since the water is not clean and it is not connected to the neighbourhood, its presence is not of any contribution. It can be looked at as an asset if treated consciously in future design proposals.

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lange lobroekstraat

slachthuis

slatchuislaan

lobroekdok

MICRO

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CONCLUSION

In the preceding process we tried to analyse the four spatial elements on different scales. This was done on the city-scale, the scale of the neighbourhood and the scale of the element on itself.

But while doing this research, we learned that this method was not leading anywhere. Whilst this is useful material, it was quite superficial and lacked certain qualities. We were too much using the top-down approach of the planner instead of focusing on how the inhabitants saw their neighbourhood.

Na dit voorgaande proces, waar we deze vier ruimtelijke elementen probeerden te analyseren op de schaal van de stad, vergeleken met grote projecten op de schaal van de Dam en uiteindelijk op de schaal van het element zelf, kwamen we tot het besluit dat ons proces niet vooruitging. We bekeken de Dam teveel vanuit het perspectief van de planner in plaats van rekening te houden met wat de inwoners zeiden en hoe zij hun buurt zien.

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TOOLS

ADVICE OF DAM

After our first step, we decided to work with the material we got during and after the mid-review instead of the material we produced for the mid-review. This meant material from the neighbourhood itself. The studio, together with NDVR, processed the remarks and thoughts that the people of the Dam provided during the workshop. This was bundled in the’ advice of the Dam’ which was then submitted to the city together with a seperate bundle of NDVR. Then we took this advice and tried to extract values out of it.

Na onze eerste stap besloten we te werken met het materiaal dat we kregen tijdens en na de mid-review in plaats van het materiaal dat we zelf voor de mid-review hadden geproduceerd.

Dit betekende materiaal van de buurt zelf. De studio, tesamen met NDVR, verwerkte de opmerkingen en gedachten die de buurt had tijdens de workshop. Deze werden dan gebundeld in het ‘advies van de Dam’ wat daarna verzonden werd naar de stad tesamen met nog een aparte bundel van NDVR. Hierna gebruikte we dit ‘advies’ en haalden er waarden uit.

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WORKSHOP ADVIES VAN HET DAMCOMITÉ

4 NOVEMBER 2014

DAMCOMITÉ

KU LEUVEN

NDVR

“De geschiedenis van den Dam mag niet verloren gaan!”

“Het Lobroekdok moet een actieve kaai worden voor iedereen.”

“Wij willen winkels, cafékes en restaurants waarboven mensen kunnen wonen!”

“Het masterplan moet rekening houden met het huidig gebrek aan verbindingen met publiek transport, mobiliteitsproblemen en parkeerproblemen.”

“Verkeersveiligheid is een belangrijke kwestie in deze buurt, nu is het behoorlijk onveilig.”

“Er moeten genoeg plekken zijn voor recreatie, sportactiviteiten naast plekken waar de buurt, de gemeenschap kan samenkomen.”

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FIVE VALUES

Integrated Neighbourhood

Heritage + Living by the water

Self-sufficient Neighbourhood

<> 1/3 green

<> Water front

<> Small scale economy

<> Urban Garden

<> Living/working combined

<> Affordable workshops

<> Safety for the children

<> History

<> Weekly meat market

<> Own spaces for Dam

<> Qualitative space @ the water <> Dock as a part of the neighbourhood

<> Small local shops

<> Affordable housing

Safety + Comfort

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<> Public amenities

Equity

<> Less through-traffic

<> To be a part of the city

<> Universal access

<> Basic facilities

<> Parking pressure

<> Public transport

<> Focus on bicycle and pedestrian traffic

<> Affordable housing

After reading the advice of the Dam, which will accompany the project definition, we tried to associate the aspirations and statements of the advice to certain values that are intrinsic to the neighbourhood. These aspirations correspond to the following values; integrated neighbourhood, heritage + living near the water, self-sufficient neighbourhood, saftey + comfort and equity. In the following pages we tried to express these values in a spatial way.

Na het advies van de Dam te hebben gelezen, hebben we geprobeerd om de wensen en uitspraken van dat advies te verbinden met zekere waarden die intrinsiek verbonden zijn met de buurt. Deze wensen corresponderen met de waarden; een buurt voor iedereen, geschiedenis + wonen aan het water, een zelf-voorzienende buurt, veiligheid + comfort en gelijkheid. Op de volgende bladzijden hebben we getracht deze waarden te vertalen op een ruimtelijke manier.

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INTEGRATED NEIGHBOURHOOD

Dam as a dense neighbourhood without many public facilities is in real need for a space which it can call its own. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Integrated neighbourhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; envisions public space for appropriation by the Dam. Creating public spaces with a variety of activities could prove to be a catalyst for bringing together different communities, which could further improve the environment for local residents. Activities like community gardens, which involve participation from all age groups, can also be an important tool for community development.

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SAFETY + COMFORT

As a main inner city infrastructure, Slachthuislaan holds an important position on the level of the city. But for the people of Dam, it is a source of noise pollution and traffic congestion, right in front of the neighbourhood. High speed motorized traffic further questions pedestrian safety and accessibility. Along with through traffic, parking pressure is another important factor which needs attention. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Safety and comfortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; envisions an environment which promotes pedestrian safety, more space for public facilities and less traffic within the neighbourhood.

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HERITAGE + LIVING NEAR THE WATER

Lobroekdok is part of the history and heritage of Antwerp as a port city. Closing down dock activities, left Lobroekdok without a function. Being more close to the industrial area, it was - Unlike Noordschippersdok - never really related to the neighbourhood. Presently the dock is polluted and does not hold any neighbourhood activity. ‘Heritage and living near the water’ tries to capture Dam’s aspiration to turn the dock into a qualitative front for the neighbourhood and use it for activities of the inhabitants and their guests.

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SELF-SUFFICIENT NEIGHBOURHOOD

From history, Dam has been a mixed neighbourhood, with commercial activities like beer brewery, chocolate factory, cotton factory, slaughterhouse, meat processing industries and cafes existing with residential spaces. After closing of the slaughterhouse, meat processing industries were also slowly closing down. Presently, Lange Lobroekstraat is the only street were jobs and housing are still mixed. ‘Self-sufficient neighbourhood’ forwards Dam’s aspiration for a neighbourhood, which produces space for small commercial activities, meat related activities, employment and workshop space for inhabitants to make Dam more self-sufficient.

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EQUITY

Continuously decreasing public facilities, high rate of unemployment and native inhabitants moving out, are signaling Dam as a neglected neighbourhood of the city. ‘Equity’ represents Dam’s need to be a part of an integrated development plan for the city. More connections to the city, also with public transport facilities, and services such as bank, ATM, health centres, etcetera are part of the modest aspirations of the neighbourhood.

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DAM is at the heart of all these values!

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VALUES COEXIST

1

2

3

5 4

6

8

7

9

The concept â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;overlap of valuesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tries to reassemble all community needs and aspirations. In order to conceptualize and to realize a long term vision for Dam it is important that the designer considers all values together. Overlapping these values will highlight a potential system of values, within which different elements can (co-)exist

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1- Deals with existing public spaces of the neighbourhood, Noordschippersdok and Bouwspeelplein. The upcoming projects at Ijzerlaan and the new bike bridge will lead to transformations of the area at different scales.

2- Takes into consideration Noordschippersdok as existing public space, Lobroekdok as potential public space and Slachthuislaan as a separator between these two spaces. Therefore Slachthuislaan should be envisioned as a safe place for pedestrians and as connector for public activities.

4- Holds the pedestrian connection from Dam to the park Spoor Noord through Demerstraat. The point acts as puncture through the barrier between a dense residential area and a much needed open space.

5- Dam looks at Slachthuislaan as a barrier and a divider, a condition which has to be changed. Point 5 looks at possible new developments at slaughterhouse site, Slachthuislaan and Lobroekdok as an opportunity to bring new identity for the neighbourhood.

6- Foregrounds a small island of green space, with dense fabric of the neighbourhood on one side and an empty slaughterhouse on the other. On slaughterhouse site it is flanked by Kalverstraat, a wide road plagued by through traffic, creating a divide between the residential area and empty industrial site.

7- Slaughterhouse has always been an important part of the heritage and history of Dam, but today it stands as a space without identity. Point 7 brings light to small activities which are utilizing the slaughterhouse site and have links with the neighbourhood.

8- Looks at Lange Lobroekstraat as the most important street on the neighbourhood level, which displays the combined working-living nature of the built-up space. It is the most vibrant street of the neighbourhood, vital for keeping the neighbourhood alive.

9- Entry to the neighbourhood from Schijnpoort, can be seen as new gateway to the Dam. It can be seen as a green corridor linking different scales of green spaces, placing Dam also on the scale of the city.

3- Is critical as it is the point where Dam connects to park Spoor Noord and to public space at the city level. It also provides a shortcut to the traffic from Slachthuislaan via Kalverstraat.

This can be seen as a strategic point towards developing public transport to link the neighbourhood to the city.

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CONCLUSION

As a proposal group our very first approach was top down processoriented. After a thorough critical analysis we decided to start investigating the social values which could be derived from the needs of the neighbourhood itself. The sources of these needs were found in several meetings with neighbourhood organizations and in feedback from the mid-review workshop. We analyzed those needs and categorized them into five values. The most fascinating part of this process was our growing awareness that these values coexist and at the same time relate to several critical spatial elements of our site. In order to examine the interrelation between these values and those spatial elements we investigated overlaps of these five values and found nine strategic spot within the neighbourhood.

As a next step we discussed within our group different possible approaches about how to proceed in advising the designers. We think the idea of value overlap is useful to point out strategic points for an intervention and could be handed over to the designers as a concept. This is also where this booklet could end. We bundled our advices by means of these values, connected them to spatial elements and then made them overlap to find out which places are the more strategic. Thus these values work as guidelines for the designers to follow. Those values can guide the designers into the Dam or help them find their own way.

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DESIGN SUGGESTIONS

DESIGN STUDIO

After bundling our advices and analyzing the conditions of their success, we have been testing our ‘guidelines’. This was done by organizing an internal workshop. Our booklet was a starting point and we asked everyone to choose a strategic point, based on the overlapping values. In this case, testing meant to design a project in respect to the values found. This was done in order to simulate if our work could be of any use to the designers.

Na het bundelen van de adviezen van de Dam en het analyseren van de condities, wilden we onze ‘guidelines’ testen. Dit gebeurde door een interne workshop te organizeren. Vertrekkend van dit boekje vroegen we iedereen een strategische plek kiezen, gebaseerd op de overlap van waarden, De test bestond uit het ontwerpen van een project met respect tot die waarden. Dit werd gedaan om na te gaan of ons werk effectief de ontwerpers zou kunnen helpen.

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SLACHTHUISLAAN - a divider or a connector ?

SPOT 5 The selected strategic point is very crucial in the area, because the different spatial elements coincide and give some interesting point of action for resolving.

PRESENT CONDITIONS - Slachthuislaan is unsafe for pedestrian crossing and hinders the Lobroekdok to be connected to the neighbourhood. Several opportunities exist to connect various open pockets along the edge of the SLACHTHUISLAAN, on both the DOK side and SLAUGHTERHOUSE site.

- Presently there are hardly any well facilitated public spots and not much green surfaces. This condition is spoiling the edge of the SLACHTHUISLAAN, as it is only filled with car parking and there is no public realm.

AERIAL VIEW OF THE SELECTED STRATEGIC POINT

DESIGN CONCEPT - As an extension of our study and our understanding, there was a spontaneous personal choice to act upon the chosen spot on the SLACHTHUISLAAN and the small pockets of open spaces around it that could be connected.

KEY DIAGRAM OF THE DESIGN THOUGHT 44

Considering SAFETY & COMFORT and LIVING NEAR THE WATER, as one of the major needs of the DAM, the idea to provide a better connection for public was conceived as an important juxtaposition to the connect the neighbourhood to the DOK and make it more safer and accessible by anyone.

urban garden / vegetation

green boulevard

cycle friendly environment

public space

safe crossing

public green

CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAM of the STRATEGIC POINT SHOWING VARIOUS POSSIBLITIES

a public realm

DESIGN SUGGESTION (experience) - As I progressed investigating more elaborate design ideas, I was constantly trying to relate to the identified needs of the Dam neighbourhood and to related values, but simultaneously certain decisions were based upon considerations of the physical conditions. During the investigation there was a constant concern to not get too much involved into more refined detailing of spatial elements, but rather towards seeking more appropriate allocations of possible activities and functions as located on the conceptual diagram above. It was like an apt exercise for me on a personal level, as a more clear picture emerged of how the design idea could be started and elaborated. In comparison to the one at the mid-review this exercise resulted in a better insight into the humanistic values of the new approach.

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PUBLIC REALM IN SLAUGHTERHOUSE PRESENT SITUATION In spot 7 from the overlap diagram one can see some activities already happening. It is used as a parking space from which the landowners of the slaughter house get economic benefits.

There also is a monthly market taking place on the first Sunday of every month. Figure 2 shows some plants at the edge of the slaughter house which is near Ceulemansstraat.

In this neighbourhood the inhabitants would like to have allotment gardens but sufficient space is lacking.

Therefor we tried testing some situations on this strategic spot 7 while considering some neighbourhood needs and some present activities (boxing club, monthly market). These were then elaborated into hypothetical suggestions for designers: what if a certain intervention would be chosen, then what could happen?

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Fig. 1: Spot 7 in overlap diagram

Fig. 2: Present situation of slaughter house

Fig. 3: If this kind of development happens then neighborhood would lose their public activities

Fig. 4: We can think about development in terms of spreading vertically rather than horizontally

Fig. 5: Vertical development will result in smaller foot print and keep surface free for possible public amenities

Fig. 6: Strategic spot 7 (green)

Fig. 7: Present situation of spot 7

Fig. 8: Possible potential public activities and amenities (red) in spot 7

Fig. 9: Zoom of the possible usable area

SUGGESTIONS - If future development would create allotment gardens for Ceulemansstraat, these could integrate with public activities on the slaughterhouse site like e.g. the monthly market.

- If future development creates open spaces for public, it could be common platform for both people in dam and people from the city like e.g. Christmas market, playground for children, meeting place for both youth and aged people.

- This spot could be a common platform for both people in dam and people from the city.

- It could house a range of recreational activities and be a large central square which allows the local residents to meet each other through physical activities and sports.

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DESIGN C PRESENT CONDITIONS • The street and the adjacent spaces have been taken over by cars.

• There are no pedestrians and bicycle lanes. The speed of cars is high which makes the street less pedestrian friendly.

• This part of Lange Lobroekstraat is characterized by cafes and meat processing companies which are located on the opposite side of slaughterhouse site.

• Since there are no longer activities at the slaughterhouse, the street is losing its mixed working-housing character and is used mainly for parking.

• Now that there are no more activities at the slaughterhouse, the street is losing its character and is used only for parking.

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OPPORTUNITIES New development generate opportunities to redesign the street in order to accommodate pedestrians better, to create gathering spaces by reducing the parking pressure along the street as well as providing pedestrian friendly access. New buildings along the street can be a good location to incorporate some services for the neighbourhood such as a bank, an ATM machine as well as small economic activities, which can all help to bring back the aspect of a vibrant street as it used to be.

The design suggests the creation of some small open spaces next to the public services and cafĂŠ-restaurants to give the street a sense of public realm. Programs like a playground for children, street furniture and gardens can help to connect the street to the new development, while taking into consideration the inhabitants needs and aspirations.

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CONCLUSION

As explained in the preceding chapters, the analysis and elaborated investigation of the Dam-neighbourhood and its ambitions and values showed, at a certain moment there was a point for taking a different course. By testing the results of our investigation in a concrete way, whether the (overlapping) values are sufficiently meaningful as conceptual building-blocks for future designs. Thus, as an extension of the analytical process a design charrette was organized internally. 3 Students, with different approaches, tested the things learned from the research process and tried to elaborate some basic designconcepts. The design ideas were elaborated in a short time, within a trial and error process. Many times this lead to critical reflections upon the ideas concerning the inhabitantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and the factual conditions of Dam since these might be too easily discarded by the future designers. We are convinced that the analysis and investigation represented in this booklet helped the participating volunteers in the charrette to evaluate their ideas in the light of the needs and wants of the Dam and its present conditions.

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GROUP REFLECTION

After the mid-review, there was a short moment of reflection in which we discussed on how to proceed with the studio.

This eventually led to two different proposals; to work on an intervention in the neighbourhood and to try to formulate a proposal which could inspire the future designers and the city administration. This booklet elaborates the second proposal.

To achieve our aim, we first worked on a strictly spatial analysis of the site. But as we tried and tested several ways and methods in order to get meaningful study and analysis as an output, we received several criticisms. It was said that our analysis only showed quite obvious things, aspects that designers easily could come up with themselves. We also had prolonged (really too long) discussions within the team on understanding how to break free from the spatial framework and look for the values lying underneath. Thus we changed completely our perspective.

From a top-down, traditional planner-kind of approach, we changed our role into a careful listener, trying to grasp what the inhabitants were meaning and hoping behind their saying.

Actually we had done not much more than a kind of re-reading, since the Dam had already come up, in collaboration with our studio and NDVR, with an advice booklet for the city. Now our objective became to create suggestions for designers, helping them to understand which basic concepts should be incorporated within their design. In a way we wanted to try imagining a Dam which is, or should be, or could be for to its inhabitants.

Extracting values (or qualities) from the Dam’s advice was not that difficult. The next step was however rather more of a blur.

What to do with those values?

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After - again - many discussions we agreed on trying to express those values in a spatial way, defining zones where these values can be discovered or identified. We know of course the remark that not all values can be expressed in a spatial manner.

However, by using qualified zones and – since these values coexist – overlaps of these zones, we hoped to do this in the best possible way. After finishing the identification and overlap of the values, we still had the feeling we needed to do something to inspire the designers in a more concrete way. These values are still quite abstract and don’t give way to proposals easily.

At that point we organized an internal workshop within our team. This was done in order to test and self-evaluate our research: could this approach possibly work or not, and why (not)? Three designers work separately on a strategic point which resulted in three different conceptual diagrams. These three elaborations should work as appetizers for the designers.

They should exemplify possible opportunities resulting from overlapping values and should make visible what qualities are already present at the Dam. A point of criticism can be that we now again only look at the Dam from the people’s perspective. And that’s partially true.

The traditional planners’ way is still present, but it is not clear how these values could also be used by the city government or by the owners of the project area. While originally these were included in our approach, they got lost during the elaboration process. Partly this is due to a lack of ‘advice from the owner’ or ‘advice from the city’. On the one hand, some of those can still be found in the ‘Materials’ part of the booklet. On the other hand, this is also something that designers should constantly keep in mind and still have to find out by themselves.

This also could be a starting point for the next studio: “How can the city government can take advantage from the Dam-studio, without losing touch with the people’s needs?”

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More info?

MAHS / MAUSP / EMU Master programs Department ASRO, K.U.Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium Tel: +32 (0) 16 321391 Fax: +32 (0) 16 321984 E-mail : maura.slootmaekers@asro.kuleuven.be

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