Case studies

Through the project we have reviewed two cases to understand existing practices related to post-industrial urban development in flood-prone areas.

The first case is HafenCity in Hamburg, and the second case is Nordhavn in Copenhagen. Both areas were originally designed for heavy industry related to the harbor. As industry has closed and moved out of the city center, the areas have been redeveloped for mixed-use neighborhoods - similar to the case of Nyhavna. Both cases have been attractive for property developers due to their location by the sea and relatively close to the city center.

HafenCity

The HafenCity was originally outside of the city’s dike line, which meant that most parts would get flooded regularly. To protect the new development from flooding, the area is built as dwelling mounds with a minimum height of 7,5 meters above sea level. Streets and bridges are elevated, whereas buildings incorporate the mounds in their basements. The basements are designed as shops or parking areas, where all openings are protected by temporary flood gates in case of flood. The area has established a new institution, a flood protection community (Flutschutzgemeinschaften), which operates the flood gates. All property owners are automatically a part of this institution. Additionally, the costs of construction, maintenance and operation of the flood gates are covered by private stakeholders. Usually, this is covered by public authorities. In the case of HafenCity, the incentive for the private stakeholders to cover these expenses is the attractiveness of the location (Restemeyer et al. 2015). From this case, we will be inspired by the flexibility of the waterfront design. Furthermore, we will look at how to create incentives for citizens and developers to take responsibility for flood protection in Nyhavna.

Nordhavn

Nordhavn is an example of how flood protection can be designed to become attractive urban spaces. The housing adjacent to the waterfront is kept at least 10 meters from the edge. This has two functions, 1) mitigating the risk of flooding of ground floors in the case of storm surge and 2) allowing for open space to be used for activities by the waterfront. All the edges along the waterfront have been designed as public spaces where flood-sensitive urban design becomes attractive spaces for recreation. A few examples are stairs stepping towards a sea-bath, which is now a popular spot for warm summer days. Revetments are popular for fishers. A wide pathway allows for joggers, cyclists, skaters and pedestrians to circulate the area, connecting to the rest of the city. From this case, we will be inspired by how urban design can be simultaneously flood sensitive and give space for public recreation (Nordhavnen Urban Strategy, 2009).