3/16/10 Lecture Reflection: Architecture & Design

Today's lecture managed to answer my question as to how someone can design housing developments that are economically conscious, aesthetically pleasing, efficient, and well crafted. As well thought out as the Five Finger Plan may have been in regard to designing logical suburban sprawl, the truth remains that such land development is not sustainable, especially when single family homes are dispersed in such a way that large amounts of land are turned into residential areas. And even if much of the space in these Danish post war housing complexes remained green, they are nevertheless largely inaccessible to wildlife.

But more recent housing projects, instead of moving farther away from Copenhagen, are bringing suburbia into the city in the form of efficient complexes that are self contained and have a relatively small land footprint in comparison to the single family complexes of the 1950's and 1960's. Some of the most exciting projects are being created by architecture firms such as Vandkunsten and Metropos. Vandkunsten, which had its first major commission in 1971 describes its mission as providing quality, low-cost, and social housing. Metropos, founded only five years ago, not by architects, per se but by a landscape architect and urban designer, is described as tackling challenges including those of "rural and urban development, landscapes, urban spaces, infrastructure, usability and identity". Simply the fact that Metropos is composed of designers of different backgrounds reflects a modern recognition of the importance of collaboration, especially when dealing with urban and/or environmental issues.

Unfortunately, Metropos' website is in Danish, so I cannot read about their current projects. But I was able to find numerous projects by Vandkunsten, on in particular being the Copenhagen Harbor Housing Project. The project, which was the winner of a 2003 competition in which the Copenhagen harbor authorities had donated an area of water in order to develop the harbor area. Vandkunsten actually constructed an island over the water onto which the 120 flats (half social housing, the other half private) could be located. The flats are then attached by a system of wooden decks that create outdoor living spaces. The structure was largely prefabricated and so created little environmental waste in the actually building process; moreover, the structure itself is concrete, a relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly material. Additionally, the flats are constructed to receive daylight from at least two sides so that natural sunlight can illuminate and warm the spaces.

Copenhagen Harbor Housing Complex
http://architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Teglvaerkshavnen_008_L.jpg

Unlike regular apartment complexes, the Harbor Housing Project has created a community through its inviting layout that is open to the general public. As a result, its spacious decks welcome people to come and walk, fish, swim, even kayak. Overall, the project is thoroughly Danish - it is functional, minimalist yet beautiful, socially conscious, and improving everyday life. It is acknowledging tradition through its attention to quality design and construction while looking ahead to the future through its innovative use of materials and environmental consciousness.

Outdoor living space integrated into the Copenhagen Harbor Housing Complex
http://architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Teglvaerkshavnen_031_L.jpg

There are so many other exciting Danish designs that are similarly future-focused in their nod towards environmentalism but also their re-conceptualization of modern living. Examples include the VM Mountain in Ørestad City, designed by BIG Architects which consists of 80 housing units, all of which have large roof terraces so that residents can experience the green spaces of suburbia while living in an urban environment; or the Tietgenkollegiet, designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitektfirm, which contains 360 student residences in one round building that is designed to foster community. And both structures are aesthetically amazing, to say the least. It seems to me that complexes such as these, which are beautifully integrated into the urban environment and acknowledge the needs of their residents are the ideal way to address the population boom, especially if the complexes are constructed from renewable materials in the least intrusive way possible.

Tietgenkollegiet, by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitektfirm
http://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/tietgenkollegietcpeterhor_530x466.jpg

VM Mountain, by BIG Architects
http://archrecord.construction.com/features/designvanguard/2009/09Bjarke-Ingels-Group/thumb.jpg