44 research outputs found
Exploring the Hidden Heartchitecture: Revealing the potentials for livability in areas with starchitecture to approach a strategy for public life through spatial interventions at Aarhus Ø
No full textMany cities around the world use starchitecture to draw attention to and rebrand transformations of former industrial areas. Starchitecture has the ability to change the image of the city. Nevertheless, it receives a lot of criticism upon its high-dense buildings, for not corresponding to its surroundings, and especially for lacking livability. Starchitecture challenge some of the fundamental principles of livability, among others; the spatial settings for public life. This thesis aims to reveal the potentials for public life in areas of starchitecture by investigating Aarhus Ø, the new city district in the second largest city of Denmark.Aarhus Ø is undergoing construction that can challenge the existing public life. Therefore, this thesis aims to locate and unfold the public life at Aarhus Ø through our analytical approach of Heartchitecture. Heartchitecture is based on a literature study, exploring the relation between starchitecture and livability. Thereby, creating a focus through the remaining analysis of expert interviews, fieldwork, and case studies. The constraints and potentials revealed through the Heartchitecture approach and is thereby the conclusion on how to enhance public life at Aarhus Ø with a cityscape of starchitecture.The findings shape a ‘Strategy for public life at Aarhus Ø,’ which evolve around a temporal dimension of initiatives in which can be done to 1) strengthen the excising public life, 2) secure public life during construction phases, and 3) further develop public life at Aarhus Ø in the future.In conclusion, starchitecture challenge the conditions for livability at Aarhus Ø especially in relation to public spaces and thereby the public life. The challenges can be met through a variety of spatial interventions. Firstly, the location of the public space has to be chosen wisely based on the individual potentials. These potentials are located to be a pleasant microclimate, distance to high building facades with at least one open sides. The public spaces can be further supported by implementing features which the public seeks in the urban environment. These features are located to be attractions, green and blue assets. Finally, people should be able to move easily to and around the area, in a safe environment with a luring entrance inviting the public life in.Many cities around the world use starchitecture to draw attention to and rebrand transformations of former industrial areas. Starchitecture has the ability to change the image of the city. Nevertheless, it receives a lot of criticism upon its high-dense buildings, for not corresponding to its surroundings, and especially for lacking livability. Starchitecture challenge some of the fundamental principles of livability, among others; the spatial settings for public life. This thesis aims to reveal the potentials for public life in areas of starchitecture by investigating Aarhus Ø, the new city district in the second largest city of Denmark.Aarhus Ø is undergoing construction that can challenge the existing public life. Therefore, this thesis aims to locate and unfold the public life at Aarhus Ø through our analytical approach of Heartchitecture. Heartchitecture is based on a literature study, exploring the relation between starchitecture and livability. Thereby, creating a focus through the remaining analysis of expert interviews, fieldwork, and case studies. The constraints and potentials revealed through the Heartchitecture approach and is thereby the conclusion on how to enhance public life at Aarhus Ø with a cityscape of starchitecture.The findings shape a ‘Strategy for public life at Aarhus Ø,’ which evolve around a temporal dimension of initiatives in which can be done to 1) strengthen the excising public life, 2) secure public life during construction phases, and 3) further develop public life at Aarhus Ø in the future.In conclusion, starchitecture challenge the conditions for livability at Aarhus Ø especially in relation to public spaces and thereby the public life. The challenges can be met through a variety of spatial interventions. Firstly, the location of the public space has to be chosen wisely based on the individual potentials. These potentials are located to be a pleasant microclimate, distance to high building facades with at least one open sides. The public spaces can be further supported by implementing features which the public seeks in the urban environment. These features are located to be attractions, green and blue assets. Finally, people should be able to move easily to and around the area, in a safe environment with a luring entrance inviting the public life in
Reclaiming the Waterfront: A Participatory Vision for Hobro's Sustainable Harbour Transformation
No full textThis master’s thesis explores how urban developmentcan be informed by user involvement inthe context of Hobro’s harbourfront. The goal isto create urban spaces that are not only resilientand functional but also rooted in local identity.The thesis is divided into two reports. The firstoutlines the theoretical framework, methodology,analysis, conclusion, and reflection. The secondpresents the design outcome: a strategicdevelopment plan for the harbourfront, a detaileddesign proposal for a selected area, andrecommendations for future user involvement.Through user engagement, site analysis, anditerative design, the thesis proposes a developmentstrategy that integrates adaptive coastal infrastructurewith cultural and recreational spaces,emphasizing the value of inclusive planningand community engagement
The neighbourhood - The future southern neighbourhood and co-housing at Godsbanearealerne
No full textThe neighbourhood is a design-oriented project that addresses a current low-lying transformation area at Godsbanearealerne in Aarhus. The chosen site at the southern part of Godsbanearealerne is located on the border between the quiet landscape Ådalen and the vibrant city and will be developed from an old industrial area into a new dense neighbourhood with diversity and social community. The project sees great potential in the site’s location, the area’s recreational qualities, experimental character, existing resident Institut for (X), and the vibrant city very close by. Together, these factors help create a unique location and an opportunity for a design proposal for a new way of living in the dense city with the concept of building communities (byggefællesskaber) and an urban co-housing (bofællesskab) as catalysts for more community, coexistence, and urban life from the beginning. Moreover, this project has the main aim to meet some of today’s and future societal and social tendencies and challenges regarding urbanization, climate changes, increased loneliness, more singles, elderly people, and changing family patterns. Loneliness is a growing problem and this is due to several reasons, and one of them might be based on the notion, the blasé attitude, which the individual takes on in large urban spaces. The problem of loneliness is relatively new and still very unknown but gets increased attention in recent years. But how to reduce the feeling of loneliness? Architecture and planning can be seen as a tool to embrace and solve these challenges. Therefore, the tendencies and challenges will in a way be translated into some design parameters that ensure togetherness and social interaction. Moreover, the focus of this project is to use the existing landscape and turn the climate challenges into local advantages and use visible stormwater in a recreational way to provide more value and promote health but also to create the framework for meeting spaces of quality for the city, local citizens, and residents. This should encourage social community and social interaction between, as well as beyond, the residents’ next-door neighbours
(Not) waiting for Living (Anymore), A Framework to Enhance the Urban Quality of Life during Urban Transformation
No full textWhile urban transformation aimes to alter cities with multi-dimensional changes toward a better and more sustainable future, the current urban quality of life is often neglected. The thesis aims to develop a framework for enhancing urban quality of life during urban transformation. Following a comprehensive literature review, the thesis establishes a theoretical core that incorporates time and transformation, directing the selection of the primary case of the thesis, Sydhavnen, located in Aarhus, Denmark.The case of the thesis plays a leading role in developing three theoretical lenses of Post-industrial site transformation, Urban quality of life, and Landscape-based transformation, which are implemented to unfold the case.The thesis provides a framework for analyzing the urban quality of life during urban transformation, investigates the role of the landscape in urban transformation, and, by synthesizing the determinations based on the theoretical foundation, the site analysis, and reference case studies, develops a framework of design recommendations and design toolbox for the urban designer, landscape architects, and urban planners, implementing four landscape-based transformation strategies of Reuse, Porosity, Re-naturing, and open-endedness in order to enhance the urban quality of life for post-industrial sites during their transformation with general applicability in relative sites during urban transformation and site-specific applicability for Syhavnen
Out of (urban) order
No full textThis thesis explores responsible urban design with a focus on Refshaleøen, an industrial port in Copenhagen. Motivated by curiosity about the societal and environmental impacts that local design choices have on a global scale, it addresses the uncertain future of Refshaleøen.The study examines the dynamics of urban development, balancing human and non-human agents, including industrial nature, local communities and cultural environment. The project places itself in a rather general discussion of urban development of industrial areas, but aims to answer the overall question through site-specific key findings. Advocating for a paradigm shift in urban planning, this thesis emphasizes ecological considerations and local community empowerment with a respect for the existing. It discusses how contemporary challenges in urban development can be addressed through physical and organizational strategies. Proposing nature plots, preservation of environments instead of buildings and activating local agents in shaping the city. The thesis aims to set a precedent for future projects by operationalizing strategies into an opening move to exemplify one future.Central to this thesis is answering what ’responsible’ urban planning in the Anthropocene era entails. Hereby highlighting the need for dynamic urban planning, and moving away from rigid, prescriptive planning, it supports adaptive and flexible models.By flipping the power hierarchy in modern planning, this thesis argues that Refshaleøen can be a flagship of responsible urbanism and standout as an example for other development projects
Solar Power: Creating Value for Rural Villages through Renewable Energy Projects in the Realm of Contemporary Danish Strategic Spatial Planning.
No full textThe aim of this thesis has been to investigate how renewable energy projects, particularly ground-mounted solar parks, canbe meaningfully integrated into contemporary Danish strategic spatial planningfor rural villages, whilst preserving andenhancing their social, cultural, and landscape qualities.The thesis combines insights from adaptive and transformative strategic planningtheory with lessons drawn from two keycases: the Viuf-Håstrup solar park andthe village of Harndrup. These two locations served as focal points for exploringhow solar parks can be designed and implemented to generate local value beyondmere energy production.The theoretical framework builds uponcollaborative and place-sensitive planningtraditions, highlighting how spatial planners, municipalities, and energy developers can mediate between national sustainability ambitions and local landscapevalues. A context-sensitive planning anddesign model for integrating solar energyprojects into rural settings is proposed.This model was applied to Harndrup andtranslated into a series of spatial designinterventions, grounded in a nuancedunderstanding of the site’s social fabric,cultural identity, and physical landscape.These interventions seek to reinforce thevillage’s existing qualities, align with strategic development objectives, and createadded value for both the community andits surroundings.Through thoughtful spatial integration,the use of visual design principles, andclose attention to community needs, theproject demonstrates how solar parks canact as catalysts for rural development. Theadded value lies in improved public accessto the landscape, a strengthened sense oflocal identity, enhanced recreational opportunities, and new connections betweentechnological infrastructure and everydaylife.Ultimately, this thesis argues that, with theappropriate strategic tools, participatoryprocesses, and design awareness, solarparks can contribute to an approach toDenmark’s green transition that add valueto rural village
Beyond the Bell. Reclaiming Closed Public Schools for Local Communities - Reactivating Byplanvejens Skole through Transformative Design Strategies and Identity Theory
No full textThis thesis is a collaboration between architecture and urban designand focuses on reclaiming closed schools for local communities, usingByplanvejens Skole as the pilot site for working with transformationalprinciples and methods.By applying transformative design strategies and drawing on identitytheory, this thesis explores how vacant schools can be reactivated tosupport social sustainability, foster local identity, and contribute to amore responsible and community-driven approach to urban development.A general guide to the transformation of closed schools in Denmarkhas been developed based on the work with the transformation ofByplanvejens Skole. This suggests the steps to follow are Reveal, Respect,Reframe and Reinforce. Furthermore, the transformation fromByplanvejens Skole to the new area called Gygia is presented, andit shows which concepts have been in focus throughout this specifictransformation
Excavated Futures: A Symbiotic Praxis for Design Beyond Extraction
No full textWith humanity gaining a level of dominion over Earth, resulting in modifying its entire atmosphere through terraforming (earth-shaping), this leaves serious questions to reassess our way of habitation. Despite minerals on our planet being finite and a circular economy only at 7% globally, the project speculates on the role of architecture in both supporting the environment during ecological crises and by extending the notion of circularity itself. Instead architecture is seen as a regenerative force embedded within ecological and material systems.Hereby, the research investigates non-extractive architecture as a means to reimagine construction in ways that do not impose environmental harm. Instead of minimizing offsets and damage, it is envisioned how to foster material economies and social infrastructures rooted in regeneration, stewardship and symbiotic interdependence. Finally, architecture isn’t situated as the end point, but as part of metabolistic processes, enabling it to nourish soil, ecosystems and communities across multiple lifecycles. Through speculative methods like science fictioning and narrative building, the traditional tool LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is shifted from optimizing for efficiency to entanglements (Life Cycle Assemblages). By emphasizing health of entire sites rather than materials, the role of design adopts non-human perspectives to promote futures of co-existence between species in an attempt to foreground a critical lens upon Western society. In the speculative nature, the project combine questionss about the Anthropocenic human state in a utopia where thermal comfort, co-existence and alternatives to the neo-liberal economy emerges. With other factors such as climate, migration and political ecology, the culmination of the research lies in the act of expanding architectural thinking toward planetary interdependence. Circularity is reframed as an economic metric, but rather a relational ethic, an ecological worldview. This is supported by alternative biogenic materials, a culture shift in the maintenance of the built environment and lastly socio-spatial configurations in which communities take on roles of stewardship rather than extraction. Through this lens, the project envisions architecture as compost: a living, decaying, and renewing practice in service of the Earth.<br/
Reconciling Christiania?
No full textThis thesis explores how Christiania, a Freetown in Copenhagen, should develop follow- ing an agreement with the Danish state to build 15,000 sq m of public housing. In con- tinuation of this, this report presents a conceptual plan with strategic design measures that aim to guide this development, emphasizing robustness, elasticity, and democracy to accommodate societal and physical changes.Elasticity is ensured through a phased development plan, allowing adaptation to new knowledge and circumstances as the transformation progresses. A democratic approach fosters inclusiveness and transparency, supporting equality in urban development. The project advocates for informal, bottom-up planning approaches, enhancing community engagement through temporary experiments and social events. Involving citizens from the beginning of the development process and enabling flexible design solutions increas- es ownership, sense of belonging, and overall satisfaction with the area’s transformation, laying the foundation for a more successful result. By planning for unforeseen changes that inevitably occur in long-term projects, the core vision is more likely to remain resilient, thereby making the plan robust. ‘Reconciling Christiania’ offers a forward-thinking de- velopment plan that balances the strong socio-political views present in Christiania with the modern urban need for affordable housing within a densely populated city structure
