@ All rights reserved under International Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-copying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or specific copyright owners. Work and publication made during the course of a personal master dissertation project, within the project of “The Urban Condition, a Case for Coexistance. Networked Infrastructure and Urban Politics of the Inhabitant” proposed by Tomas Ooms.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to Lia Somers and other members from “Merksem Historical Society” for providing us all information we asked them and their availability. To Bea Mertens from Transitie Merksem and Koen Pyls from Merskem District for helping me to understand from a closer point of view the reality of the area.
AUTHOR Ignacio Galán ACADEMIC PROMOTER Tomas Ooms
“Bringing Back the Dok. Industry and public space in symbiosis: Merksem Case” Master Dissertation Thesis.
2015-2016. Finished and printed on June 2016.
“International Master of Science in Architecture” KULeuven, Faculty of Architecture, Campus Sint Lucas Gent
BRINGING BACK THE DOKS
INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC SPACE IN SYMBIOSIS: SPACES FOR PEOPLE: MERKSEM CASE
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6
1_THE CONFLUENCE OF INDUSTRY AND LIFE Problem statement
8
2_RESEARCH QUESTION “The discovery of an old postcard” Industry and public space in symbiosis A simple answer to a complex problem
14
3_FRAMEWORK “How to rework the productive city” Antwerp ISOCARP 2015 “Rethinking the relation city-industry” Arkaiz Fullaondo, AA London An approach to critical sustainability The Urban Condition Antwerp: City-Industry-Water
24
4_EXPLORING DOKSKE
28
5_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM The history of a workers neighbourhood Analysis of Dokske
38
6_DELVING INTO THE ESSENTIAL ISSUES Industry Public Space Materials Catalogue
70
7_THE PARTICULAR CASE OF THE “KLEIN DOK”
76
8_REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION
80
9_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
126
10_DOKSKE’S CHAMELEON
170
_BIBLIOGRAPHY
PROBLEM STATEMENT THE CONFLUENCE OF INDUSTRY AND LIFE Merksem is probably the only neighbourhood in Antwerp in which industrial space, housing and the water network meet in such a strong way. The presence of water made it possible to carve the docks, around which industry was established, and together with it, a new workers’ neighbourhood flourished. Over time, factories evolved, adapting to new technologies and market needs. The residential area didn’t change much, keeping on being a humble district, which original inhabitants have been few by few replaced by new people, mainly migrants, turning Merksem in a very multicultural place. Nowadays Dokske has a striking lack of facilities, compared to other districts, but also clearly demands for more public space in which people could meet, and children play. The small housing and big families living in, makes it even more necessary those public facilities which would complement or replace that lack of space at home. Although the docks and their waterfront may seem a suitable space for it, the hard collision between industry (traffic, trucks, transportation and unloading of heavy loads…) and living areas make it a dangerous space for people, so there is a clear limit which divides both. Traditionally, Antwerp has faced these problems by taking the industry out, far from residential areas, but nowadays this situation seems unsustainable: the port can’t continue growing. Besides, industry belongs to the identity of Dokske, making it a vibrant and active area.
01_THE CONFLUENCE OF INDUSTRY AND LIFE
KLEIN DOK: INDUSTRY MEETS HOUSING
7
RESEARCH QUESTION
THE DISCOVERY OF A POStCARD During one of the visits to the Historical Society of Merksem, I discovered one element which change dramatically my way of looking at Dokske: an old postcard which shows how people enjoy such a vast space as the main dock to swim in summer, something apparently unthinkable nowadays. The further investigation on the topic led me to an old newspaper article in which they described the postard, dated from the 1920s, which talked about the spontaneous use of this space for several activities, such as swimming, rowing, sailing... but besides that, it mentioned one fact which is perhaps not so noticeable at first sight: although this activity might seem to be an isolated fact, the presence of changing cabins next to it shows this would happen frecquently, becoming the first swimming pool in the area.
It suggests that Merksem’s neighbouts could recover this unique space, in which they could meet and enjoy, fulfilling the public needs they have.
02_RESEARCH QUESTION
MERKSEM’s DOKS, Summer 1920s. PEOPLE SWIMMING IN THE CANAL
9
INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC SPACE IN SYMBIOSIS
The goal of the research is to find out how industry and public space could coexist, sharing this precious area to answer the needs of the inhabitants, benefiting of each other, and therefore improving the quality of life in Merksem. There is a current debate nowadays which states that as cities continue growing, pushing their industrial areas to the outskirts, where land is cheaper and create less conflict with its inhabitants. However, this situation, in terms of distance, time and logistics is becoming unsustainable. Therefore, the Dokske, or Old Merksem represents a good example in which this principle could be researched, since industry is still active in a residential neighbourhood, probably the last example in Antwerp. There are several examples and references which show how cities have been able to integrate heavy industry within public areas succesfully. Several questions are posed:
ยบHow does the public space need to be designed to be used by people and industry, making a benefit for both? ยบHow could water, present on the site and which makes it different from others, be used by people to improve their quality of life and by industry to ensure its future and integration in the residential tissue? ยบWhich kind of intervention would provide people with the public facilities they need, while contributing to industry, and blending with a space with such a strong identity?
02_RESEARCH QUESTION
CONCRETE FACTORY “PORT DE TOLBIAC” IN PARIS: Industry and public space coexisting
11
A SIMPLE ANSWER TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM The proposal seeks to fulfill all those different conditions. To be able to grasp the reality of the area I’ll tackle the area from different focus points, from the landscape and urbanistic dimension, to the very specificity of a certain area, the most problematic, but at the same time the most exciting. The first goal is to achieve a shareable landscape, where water-based industry can continue working, even improving the efficiency of the factories, while people must be able to enjoy the waterfront. The first step is trying to unify all fragmented spaces around the canal, understanding it as a whole and giving back the dignity and pride which this place once had. Then, by differenciating textures and materiality, each part will answer to the specific conditions that every building, company or location has, creating tresholds and generating different spaces which will arrange the area. Certain artifacts as cranes will appear in certain spots in order to facilitate the unloading process of the barges, and liberating ground floor for pedestrians. This intervention will promote changes in a near future in those factories which are nowadays not making an efficient use of the priviledge situation in which they are, turning them more efficient and at the same time, improving the conditions for the workers and generating a benefit for the inhabitants. As part of the landscape desing, one side of the canal, the small dock will be developed in detail. As the closest area between industry and housing, which relation is clearly not working nowadays, it’s an interesting location to focus. There, the design of an artifact which will mean the symbiosis between factories and neighbours will establish different dialogues with the landscape, generating different conditions, facilitating the industrial process, and creating leisure spaces for people.
02_RESEARCH QUESTION
DESIGN CONCEPTS
13
FRAMEWORK HOW TO REWORK tHE PRODUCTIVE CITY? ISOCARP 2015: ANTWERP
REWORKING LONDON AS A PRODUCTIVE CITY: CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTATION
Mixed use as an ideology
Nowadays in London, the difference between the value of land for residential and industrial use, and the pressure to address the housing crisis, is leading to the loss of industrial land and premises at an increasing rate. There is a common perception that the loss of industry is not a problem, but it indeed generates difficulties.
Underpinning this trend that is seeing employment sites re-designated as mixed use is an ideological argument against separating industrial from other land uses, which suggests that zoning or separation is an outdated way of managing cities, which doesn’t support compact, diverse and vibrant mixed-use city environments, and is therefore unsustainable.
There is a search for the symbiotic relationship between industry and the city, as many industries depend on a city location, it plays an important role for a wider economy and the vibrancy of the city life. Our cities need to create the conditions for new industries to flourish, whilst holding on traditional industries that enable the city to function, provide essential goods and services to businesses and residents, ans provide employment for them. London can’t take its growth for granted, and needs to rebalance the economy and build its economic resilience by supporting growth in a broader range of productive sectors. On the other hand, as the city population grows and residential property prices are rising enormously, “the city is eating itself”. London is losing much of what makes it interesting and special, including well occupied and functioning employment space, suitable for new and traditional industries, as well as start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises that seek more flexible and affordable space. Now, “industry” usually refers to traditional industries that are perceived as out-dated and better suited to other parts of the country or the world where land and labour costs are cheaper. However, there are reasons why businesses might need to be in an urban location: to be close to other businesses, to be close to their markets and to access labour.
-Industry needs the city: working in close symbiosis, proximity to other businesses in the supply and production chain, and clusters of other similar firms with similar needs. As firms grow, they become more self-sufficient and can move to more peripheral locations. However, in mature economies it’s harder toseparate, since design and manufacturing choices are closely in tertwined. London was historically home to industries at the end of the production chain. Industry has traditionally sought a city to be close to its markets. Cus tomers are becoming more demanding in terms of speed of delivery and service, and there is also a trend towards integration of manufacturing and retailing, where customers can buy products from the site of production. -Cities need industry: they keep the city functioning, providing goods and services to its businesses and residents... They also deal with construction industry, and sustainable deal with its waste, such as waste recycling centres. Inceasingly, it’s becoming clear that the called “knowledge economy” has not solved the problems of post-industrial cities, the gap between rich and poor has got worse and long-term unemployment remains a major issue. Finally, another argument is that industry makes for a more interesting and vibrant city.
03_FRAMEWORK
The loss of industries in cities of north America and Europe has prompted many to question the logic behind the continued physical separation of employment land from other city uses and housing, the assumption being that businesses in the knowledge economy no longer seek traditional employment locations, but are more attracted to the mixed-use environments typical of city centres. Promoting more mixed use also allows employment land to accommodate housing developments and meet the pressure for housing growth. A range of different commercial, residential, leisure and community land uses are accommodated together within a building, site or district. There is an opportunity to move away from the rooted practice to design these sectors out of our towns. Let’s make them visible again and stop housing them in anonymous sheds. Let’s reappropriate industrial estates and districts through raising the quality of their design. As a result, local communities could have a better understanding of how their local economy is formed and develop a sense of ownership. The concept of a future “industrious city” might well entail overlap of land uses that are often deemed “incompatible”. But the enthusiasm for reintegration is driven by revolutions in technology.
From this text, I would highlight the current debate about bringing back the industry to cities, and the advantages this generates. It’s necessary to stop taking it out to the outskirts, making disgregated cities and generating logistic problems. At the same time, recovering the strong image of industry in the cities, with their factories as symbols of their power.
RETHINKING THE RElATION CITy-Industry ARKAIZ FULLAONDO, AA LONDON
When walking through cities with industrial past, it’s easy to bump into ancient factories’ remains, These remains tell us about a past life where urban, residential and industrial tissue were mixed on space. However, these realities not always belong to the past, and keep on exising as small workshops and isolated factories which are still integrated in urban environments which resisted the offshoring process towards industrial periferies. However, after several decades of divorce between industry and urban spaces, nowadays they start to appear urban projects, based in bringing industry back to the city. An industry characterized by an intensive use of technology, innovation and knowledge, which has been defined as “the new industry” (Paz Benito del Pozo, 2005). Some examples of these kind of projects which have been tagged as “spaces of innovation are the “22@” in Barcelona, “Hafen City” in Hamburg or “One North” in Singapur. This reunion means, in part, an answer to new setting logics, which is related to the new industry, much more linked to urban dynamics. The so called innovation spaces search for environments which would provide flexible proceesses, interactive, dynamics, and at the same time be attractive environments for talent. Urban environments can fulfill these conditions. The city is presented that way, as a big infrastructure over which those industries base their activity. “Creative cities”, “Intelligent territories or “Living Labs” are just some examples. Another reading of this process of bringing back the industry to city is sustainable urban planning, and mix of uses. One of main criteria of urban sustainability is mixing economic and residential functions. The development of economic industrial activities, integrated into urban spaces, generates a mixed urban process, where productive spaces and urban life mix up. Innovation spaces and new industry, because of its non-polluting characteristic, and less need of space, is suitable for this mix on urban environments. ¿Is it possible to think of an integration of industrial and urban spaces if these trend of embodying new industry to the city is strenghtened? The answer seems to be negative. ¿Why? These trends let most of industries out of the strategy, and industrial spaces are not based on an intensive use of knowledge, innovation and technology, but they’re based on production, manufacturing, logistics and tradtional industrial services. We refer to those factories and companies which are established on industrial areas on urban periferies, productive functional spaces where urban elements don’t exist. Integration of industry and city will be real once those spaces are integrated in urban processes and tissues.
¿Is it really necessary or dessirable this integration? Functional segregation which was started decades ago, with the zonning establishment in modern urban planning answered successfully to needs of an industry to which the city was uncomfortable, an obstacle for its growth. Therefore, ¿are there reasons to rethink the relation between urban space and industry? The answer to this question depends on the contect and criteria we use. According to urban sustainability and mix use criteria, the answer is positive. On the other hand, on environments with few available floor, the situation makes it necessary the integration, as there is any space available to relocate the industry. ¿Could we think of an industrial area intregrated among the urban space, with an optimal urban life quality? “Industrial urban planning” is based on the construction of industrial areas of non-urban scale, where space is desined and built as a mere production infrastructure. Its architecture is characterized by industrial monofunctional sheds with a low density, pure containers of productive activity. However, new archetypes of industrial architecture, better designed and with certain urban characteristics start to appear. Lastly, one of key issues is the negative social perception about living in areas which are close to industrial spaces. It’s considered as a negative aspect for urban life quality, and reduces the attractive of residential areas. However, new technologies may help to reduce noises and smells which some factories emit. Urban design can find solutions for work issues, and architecture can design attractive spaces.
From this text, I foreground the most social aspects of the industrial integration in the city. How to do it, while providing a better quality space for people. Which kind of industries can fit in a healthy urban environment? Which typologies of industrial buildings would fit in a human urban setup?
15
AN APPROACH TO CRITICAL SUStaiNABILITY The proposal is from the beginning tackled from a sustainable point of view, trying to apply some simple concepts learned and debated during these years lectures. One of the main concepts is the “time and space sharing”. Nowadays an effective use of space in the cities is crucial. Each day ground is more and more valuable, and cases as this in Merksem shouldn’t be allowed. Industrial sites in general usually have a very unefficient use of space. They usually need quite a lot of space for logistics and circulations which are not used most of the time. Besides, when factories are closed they become empty spaces, not controled by anyone, being sometimes even dangerous for people walking alone or for the safety of the factories on themselves. By designing that space in order to be shared, you provide an extra space for people to enjoy, usually big open valuable spaces close to big infrastructures, like the canal. At the same time you create social control, and a certain feeling of belonging and responsibility. Both, people and companies take care of it, as it is for their own interest, bringing back social control. Furthermore, by increasing the quality of public space, companies also feel the obligation to answer in a proper way with their factories to that space, as their façades will become the image of their companies, in front of a valuable public space. The second term present on the intervention is “coexistance”. In sustainable urban planning, monofunctional neighbourhoods can’t be longer designed. It’s necessary to find a balance which would improve life quality and reduce the traffic and distances to work.
“Use of existing resources” is a key element of the project. Sometimes it’s not about figuring out completely new setups, applying tabula rasa, but trying to read the qualities of the area, which are present, maybe hidden under several layers which have overlapped throughout years of history. In the case of the project, these key resources which were underrated are the water infrastructure as a logistic channel and people gathering element, the uniformity on the desing of the pavement, and the powerful image of industrial heritage, together with the historical attatchment or feeling of comunity of factory workers. While analyzing the site, I realized of how fast industry changes, compared to the housing area, due to the need of addapting to technology evolutions. At the same time, it’s a very humble neighbourhood, inhabited most of it by immigrants which rent or buy their first dwelling there. This makes the area change permanently, which also implies that the needs will vary continuously. Architecture has the problem of not being able to catch the frenetic rythm and changes of daily life. Therefore, “addaptability” of the building is necessary to be able to fulfill those changing needs of public spaces in the area. Therefore, the building is a “reprogrammable artifact” which interacts permanently, according to the needs, and to the position. An open structure which is able to host different functions. One of the goals was to generate the minimal impact, trying to achieve the most with the less as possible intervention. Not only in terms of costs, but also in preserving the image of the site, generating the least impact for the inhabitants. The space needs to be optimized. That led me to think about a moveable element. A hybrid artifact, between building, crane, vehicle, canopy... which is all and none at the same time. According to energy use, the roof of the canopy will be closed by solar pannels, in order to be selfsufficient as much as possible. 03_FRAMEWORK
THE URBAN CONDITION The Urban Condition was one of the frameworks of the studio. Cities are constituted by a series of elements of fields. Those fields of layers overlay, and it’s in this overlaying zone where the dissertation is settled. Each day there are more and more people in the cities, in a situation of coexistance in different ways. It raised the question of how to make this coexistance easier. Much of it has to do with the relation of housing and public space, elements which should dialogue democratically.
It’s clear that one of the main reasons why this relation doesn’t work is because more and more this distinction between working areas and housing and public areas has become more and more accentuated, towards the extent that there is no buffer between them. There is a clear line between both, of completely different scales, logic... which is reduced to a distance not bigger than 8 or 10 meters, and which is the street itself.
In the proposal, high attention is paid to the public space in relation with the neighbourhood, but also with the industry. Nowadays both, industry and housing are clashing elements not related at all, and public space can be the tool to let them coexist. By designing it in a way it could work for boths, depending of the moment of the day, or the specific activities which need to be done there it will create benefit for both.
Since it it a very humble neighbourhood, characterized by small and old houses for big families, the need of a qualitative public space, and facilities is even higher than in other situations. Furthermore, the current amount of facilities and meeting spaces is much lower compared to other similar neighbourhoods, which make it a necessary fact to think about.
As part of the proposal, the artifact will become a mediator between industry and inhabitants of Dokske, enabling a peaceful relation between them. There are plans from the city of Antwerp to take the companies out of there, and to transform those factories into other kind of smaller businesses, such as offices, workshops... because in their opinion, there is no possibility to provide qualitative life environment for the neighbourhood as long as they are there. This intervention shows that it is possible to have a nice environment and public space, which would make them possible to stay.
Both interventions provide a certain balance which didn’t exist now, but which used to happen in the past. The neighbourhood needs that space to fulfill the public and meeting needs they have, spaces for activities, but also to be represented in that space, to feel that this area belongs to the neighbourhood, as part of their history and their current reality. On the other hand factories need to integrate in the neighbourhod, recovering that particular identity which existed when Dokske was created in which Merksem and the docks were just one element.
17
ANTWERP: CITY - INDUSTRY - WATER Antwerpen is the most populous city in Flanders, with a population of 510.000 inhabitants, and the industrial capital city of the region, due mainly to its port, one of the biggest in the world, and second in Europe. It’s known also to be a highly multicultural city, with a 39% of immigrants in 2010, although it is expected to reach a 55% by 2020. History of Antwerp has always been linked to the river Scheldt, next to which the city was founded, enabling its important development. During all its history, Antwerpers used the river as a fast channel of connection to the sea, making it possible to trade with other cities and countries all over the world. Old paintings often showed a view of the city from the other side of the Scheldt, full of trading boats as a pride of the inhabitants. Its economy nowadays still depends heavily on the port activities. Antwerp faced the growing social and economic problems of the past through “separation”. The clash between port and city was solved by moving the harbour out of the city. Few by few, the city has pushed the port, which also expandend towards the outside, and close to the river, until reaching an unsustainable current situation: the port, which is nowadays more than 20 km long (more than two times the size of the city) has reached the border to Holland, cutting off a future extension beyond, and generating more and more problems in terms of logistics, time and distances to workplaces... In the same way, the relationships between traditional inhabitants and immigrants were solved by moving the old residents, which had a longer memory of the places to other parts of the city, creating segregation and making integration more difficult. Merksem is probably the last neighbourhood in which city, industry and water meet in such a close and strong way. HARBOUR GROWTH HAS REACHED THE BORDER
03_FRAMEWORK
CITY-INDUSTRY -WATER
POPULATION DENSITY
POPULATION GROWTH (2000-14)
HEIGHTS
Merksem is one of the least densely populated areas in Antwerp. This fact is generated by the big amount of green areas, but especially of industrial sites. On the other hand, Merksem has a traditionall residential neighbourhood structure, with small family row-houses between one and three floors.
It has a strong industrial character, dominated by the huge buildings of the mills, which can be seen from a far distance, forming part of the skyline of the city, and defining the image of the neighbourhood.
Old Merksem always had (wrongly) questionable reputation. It was formed by a working class area with entertainment and togetherness which stood against the better neighbourhood. The axe of Bredabaan separates it from the better area of the north Merksem, with better and bigger housing typologies and facilities.
Therefore, the margin to increase this rate is still wide, although its growth in the last fifteen years is one of the highest, in Antwerp comparable to the increase at city center.
03_FRAMEWORK
Their scale is related to other monuments of the city, as the cathedral, the MAS, and other towers and high buildings of the city center. They represent, together with the strong structure of the canals, a visual reference which positions and orientates Merksem in Antwerp.
The level of incomes is one of the lowest in Antwerp, even more surprisingly taking into account that the areas outside of the 20th century belt where often occupied by higher classes which moved from the city center.
INCOMES (â‚Ź netto/year)
BUSINESS PER NEIGHBOURHOOD
SELF-EMPLOYED
Old Merksem always had (wrongly) questionable reputation. It was formed by a working class area with entertainment and togetherness which stood against the better neighbourhood. The axe of Bredabaan separates it from the better area of the north Merksem, with better and bigger housing typologies and facilities.
The level of businesses is around the same than other peripheral neighbourhoods of the city, being lower than at the city center.
Old Merksem residential area was created in the 19th century in order to accomodate the workers and its families in a place next to the factory by its owner. Nowadays the area is still dominated by the industrial monofunctional factories, formed mainly by big companies. The worker houses
The level of incomes is one of the lowest in Antwerp, even more surprisingly taking into account that the areas outside of the 20th century belt where often occupied by higher classes which moved from the city center.
Most of them are situated at the Bredabaan, as main structuring and commercial street of Merksem, although nowadays it’s in decline, and the elegant businesses and shops that once where placed here closed or moved elsewhere, leaving commercial premises empty, or being replaced by lower quality businesses.
This implies that a high percentage of population would be workers employed by big companies, so the numbe of self-employed is lower than other areas.
21
History of Antwerp is strongly linked to water. It started existing thanks to the connection to river Scheldt, and its possibility to enable trading with other cities through it.
Along the years, the topography of landscape was modified, digging out earth to create canals and water networks which established an even closer relation between city and water.
1884
1940
The presence of the river and other streams made it possible to use the water as a deffensive element which would generate a wall around the city center.
Along the centuries this structure has been permanently changing, adapting to the existing needs of the city. Therefore, underused small canals in the city center dissapeared to make space for wider avenues. As Antwerp kept on growing, the harbour did it also together with it.
1960
03_FRAMEWORK
1970
An interesting fact is to observe that the docks of Merksem already existed when the Eilandje was the only inland big docks in Antwerp, much earlier than the huge new port started to develop.
WATER NETWORK AND INNUNDATION AREAS
EXPLOring DOKSke
FIRST SITE VISIT AND IMPRESSIONS
At the beginning of the process, before starting to analyze the neighbourhood, we spent a week working in Antwerp, being able to visit the site several times in different moments of the day. We experienced the site, walking and cycling around it, with a sketchbook as a tool to collect first perceptions of the area.
When walking around the neighbourhood we could experience the particular atmosphere of the neighbourhood: the scale of streets and housing may make you feel as a village, but suddenly the presence of industry appears, with the view of mills in the end of the streets bordering the factories. The limit between both is very clear, as there is no intermediate space which could act as a filter.
The big towers of the mills define the skyline of Merksem, being perceived from a very far distance.
Noise is also very present in the area. Although the central part of the residential neighbourhood is quiet and silent, the closer you get to the perimeter, the more busy and noisy it is, either or because of the factory production, or due to the enormous amount of trucks traffic generated by industry. Trucks, cranes, pumps for filling and emptying containers and ships, activity in the mills, compose the particular soundtrack of Merksem, showing the vibrant activity of industry.
The approach to Merksem from the city center is done through the two bridges which enclose the limits of Dokske or Old Merksem, together with the Bredabaan.
But what took my attention most was the vaste infrastructure of the doks, and all the activity and artifacts which were placed there, in relation with the beautiful industrial heritage.
One of the first things I realized was the monumental scale of the industry, in contrast with low-rise workers housing.
DOKSKE SKYLINE: Silhouette of the silos over the small worker’s housing
04_EXPLORING DOKSKE
MONUMENTALITY OF FACTORIES NEXT TO THE WATERFRONT
SMALL DOCK: The view of the water is almost blocked by parked trucks and boats.
25
A SURREAL IMAGE: The authority of the factories as a collage of added extensions and materials.
INDUSTRIAL MECHANIC ARTIFACTS VS BEAUTIFUL INDUSTRIAL BRICKWORK - Tradition against modernity
04_EXPLORING DOKSKE
ATMOSPHERE NEXT TO ALBERTKANAAL - Highway viaduct, concrete factories, old industrial buildings...
MAIN CROSS SECTION OF DOCKS
27
UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM HISTORY OF A WORKERS NEIGHBOURHOOD
The history of Merksem and the Dokske has always been related to two main elements: the road which lead to Breda, around where the first settlements were established.
All these roads and historical paths played an important role in future developments. They would become in the future the traces of new streets.
On the other hand the water, the river that once was regulated and turned into the Albertkanaal.
The river had the advantage of being conected to other water infrastructures of the city and the river Scheldt, and led towards other important locations in Belgium.
Apart from the first settlements next to the road, there were several castles from landlords which owned this farming fields.
This originally farming land would be the lowest area, full of small streams and water networks.
There were also some areas of forest.
05_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM
Taking the advantage of being the lowest area: the easiest to carve, in 1874, the works to dig out the docks started.
Factory owners built a residential neighbourhood next to the industry, in order to accommodate their employees.
This absolutely powerful gesture meant the starting of development of Dokske. The docks made it possible to develop industry which used this huge infrastructure, together with train lines secondarily, to transport its raw and finished goods.
The higher classes were accomodated in bigger houses and villas next to the Bredabaan, by then the most important commercial and connection street of the area. Those workers’ houses, some of which still nowadays exist, are often small and humble (just one floor high), generating this particular environment of Merksem.
By 1891, 16 companies were already established.
29
ANALYSIS OF DOKSKE FUNCTIONS DIVISION The urban tissue of Merksem’s docks has a clear and strong divission on functions.
Water network structure the main edges of the neighbourhood, and arranges the position of functions arund it.
Big monofunctional blocks of industry are placed next to the water, which enables factories to use water as a logistic channel, transporting its goods in big container boats. However, in last decades few by few water transport has been replaced by trucks.
The blocks which are not in contact with water are occupied by housing and few public buildings, such as schools, elderly daycare centers and community centers.
On the extremes of the docks, for logistic reasons the waterfront was left for housing, representing the points where the connection towards the water is bigger in the neighbourhood.
WATER-INDUSTRY-HOUSING STRONG DIVISION 05_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM
There are very strong limits which correspond to this dramatic change of function. This reality is emphasized by the great difference of scale between big industrial silos and small residential housing.
UNBUILT - OPEN SPACE If we analyze the unbuilt or open spaces that there are in the neighbourhood, we may see that there are not that many, specially in the area of Dokske, but most of it belongs to the empty area of the Doks, and the quays between water and factories.
Although there is an area of park on the east which links with other green networks, it’s mainly a forest, where it’s nice to walk or cycle, but perhaps may not be the most suitable spot for meeting or children to play.
Furthermore, the distance towards it, and the factories as a boundary, the area is not so approachable for inhabitants of Dokske.
Therefore, the docks and its waterfront is still a space to be studied, in order to see how this open space could be used for both, inhabitants and industry.
UNBUILT-OPEN SPACE: Most of it corresponds to the void of the canal
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TOMOGRAPHY- BUILT vs USE OF PUBLIC SPACE : Oikonet Elective - Prof. Tomas Ooms
05_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM
BUILDING HEIGHTS Buildings’ difference of scale is one of the first identifiable aspects of the area.
There is a certain gradient of heights, according to the position to the canal.
Two high bridges over the Albertkanaal (which would be rised also soon to let bigger boats pass underneat) enclose and define the limits of the neighbourhood.
Next to the water, the main open area, even the smallest industrial buildings make already a difference towards the residential area. Besides, the highest towers, which define the skyline of the place are the big ceral silos, some of which are up to 8 times taller than the small workers housing.
On the limits of the neighbourhood towards the Bredabaan, and not in contact with the docks, except in two points, which correspond to the ends of the Klein and Groot Dok, respectively, are placed the housing blocks. BUILDING HEIGHTS: Big difference industry- housing
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HOUSING-INDUSTRY-WATER LIMITS In a neighbourhood with so strong borders, it’s interesting to compare the legal and real limits between housing and industry.
Although this line should match to a street, meaning that the blocks have its own function, there are still cases in which an industrial plot is partialy occupied by houses or just the other way around. In these cases tha clash between them is even bigger.
When watching old aerial views, and comparing to current situation, we can see that this line has been permanently moving, depending on the needs at a certain period.
One of the main issues is that there are no buffer zones or elements which would make this transition softer.
LIMITS: Strong edges and almost no buffer zones 05_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM
TOMOGRAPHY - HOUSING vs INDUSTRY: Ignacio Galan & Zora Starcevic.Oikonet elective - Prof Tomas Ooms
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HOUSING TYPOLOGIES If we make an analysis regarding the different elements which compone the residential blocks, we can mainly see a differentiation on housing scale.
The size of the house may show the purchasing power of inhabitants on each area. There are several streets which have on average bigger houses than others. At the same time, it may also make reflect on the type of house and the limitations that may generate to the owner: a family house or appartment block without elevator may mean a future accessibility problem to its user.
Housing is mostly formed by family row-housing, although some of them have been divided into floors and appartments. They go from 1 up to 4 floors high. There are also big appartments’ blocks, which are mainly placed towards the main street: Bredabaan.
Inside some blocks, occupying part of the back courtyard, there are small industries which are integrated in the residential tissue, and which sometimes are not too perceivable from the street. In the analysis map it’s also easy to see the different uses that people make of the backyards. Many houses have big extensions on the back, running out of garden.
There are a few public services, as schools, district house, community centers and elderly daycare center.
HOUSING TYPOLOGIES 05_UNDERSTANDING MERKSEM
One of the most surprising typologies which can be seen here are the tiny one-height worker’s house.
PUBLIC FACILITIES The neighbourhood of Dokske is the poorest area in the district of Merksem.
One of the biggest complains when talking to different users, inhabitants, members of community societies, and workers from the District House, most of them agree on that there is a lack of services, compared to other similar areas.
The north side of Bredabaan, the main lane which limits the area on the north, where the new part of Merksem is, has many more facilities compared to Dokske.
This makes it a less attractive place to live in. Furthermore, the small size of the housing, with big number of members in general, makes this need even more critical. They need those spaces to compensate the dense residential area and the humble housing stock.
It should be a space which encourages the feeling of community, of belonging to the place and its inhabitants, flexible and adaptable to the fast changes on society. A place which would blend with the landscape, which would compensate these more degradaded zones, meaning the connection element between industry and society.
PUBLIC FACILITIES: Concentrated on Bredabaan
PREDICTION PUBLIC FACILITIES Source: LABOXX
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DELVING INTO THE ESSENTIAL ISSUES
The proposal attends mainly to two core topics: it brings the public space back to people, designing it in order to be shared, and at the same time improves the way the undustry works, taking advantage of the water infrastructure and making it possible to those companies to stay there, and at the same time improving the quality of life in the area. Thus, INDUSTRY and PUBLIC SPACE are two fields which need a deeper analysis in order to understand all their extents.
About industry it’s important to take into account for the proposal that there are different kind of buildings, in terms of height, scale, type of industry or business, some of them are of special beauty, which of them are using or can use the water as a logistic channel, understanding how certain companies work and its relation to public space, a catalogue of very particular elements like cranes which have almost dissapeared, but also othe issues like the intention from Belgian Government to try to implement the use of the canals to relieve the roads traffic.
Regarding public space I analized the use of it, and specifically according to the different moments of the day or week. the different activities which happen there, physical of visual boundaries, incidence of shadow along a day and during the year. Other key element could be the floodings, since this is a quite low area which gets flooded at certain moments of the year.
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INDUSTRY
MAIN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS (height and beauty)
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INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE BUILDINGS
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06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
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COMPANIES IN DOKSKE The industrial area has many companies which are established there, with very different scales and pressence, according to the size, heights, meteriality, heritage...
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Bev
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The biggest companies, with the highest silos buildings, are cereal grinding factories, which mainly produce flour and derivatives from them (BRABOMILLS, DOSSCHE MILLS and AVEVE). There is also a rice factory (BOSTO).
There is a quite big logistic company which has two buildings, and whose trucks represent a big part of the traffic and parked trailers generated on the area.
The rest of the factories, all of them smaller are divided into warehouses, workshops and other services.
The expansion of certain companies made it necessary to connect their new buildings with elevated corridors and bridges over the roads.
COMPANIES AND CONNECTIONS 06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
1948
2016
2025
WATER-BASED INDUSTRIES (PAST-NOW-PROPOSAL) When watching historical postcards and pictures from the docks, it’s clear how much the industry, unlike the housing, has changed in Merksem. One of the elements which took my atention from the beggining were those particular artifacts which are placed as a connector between the industry and water, making it possible to load and unload goods from the boats.
Nowadays a big part of the boats have been replaced by trucks, making industry readapt, and changing for other kinds of industries which could be placed in more suitable locations, such as logistic companies which recquire permanent trucks traffic. There are many industrial buildings which are not taking advantage of that privilege condition that the site has, and which makes it unique. Furthermore, the space which used to be free when the industry closed has been taken by parked trucks and trailers waiting to be used.
Industry should readapt to nowadays conditions, in order to coexist with the neighbourhood, instead of imposing, and giving back a space which historically belongs to the inhabitants. The waterfront must be redesigned in order to be possible to be shared by people and companies. Therefore, it will motivate non-water-based industries to be replaced for others which would take advantage of this priviledge position.
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TYPES OF INDUSTRIES AND PRODUCTION VOLUME 06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
RESILIENCE INDUSTRY COMPANIES
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PALLET TRANSPORT SHIPS SYSTEM
The government of Flanders started to develop some time ago a pioneer strategy. Its purpose is to shift the largest possible volume of pallet transport from road to inland waterways in a sustainable manner.
They subsidize companies which are interested on it, in order to compensate for the investment they need to do to adapt to the system, until an 80%, and during 3 years.
PALLET BARGES vs TRUCKS
= 40x 300-1200 tones
20-30 tones
TYPE OF BOATS ALLOWED IN MERKSEM Groot Dok -> Klasse IV (1350 ton) 2’5m deep 7’78m high
They are focused mostly in sectors which generate much traffic, and whose goods can be transported in these kind of vehicles. They need to be nonperishable, able to be packed on pallets and stacked one on tope of each other... Construction sector, logistics and distribution, producers and traders are the possible users of this system.
This issue, together with big container boats, which are very suitable to transport granular goods, as they already use for cereals grane in Merksem, may contribute to decrease the huge amount of road traffic generated in the area.
80-85x9’5x2’5m
1378t 1937m3
Klein Dok -> Klasse III (1000 ton) 2’5m deep 7’78 m high
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R.H.K. Class IV
D.E.K. Class III
67-78x8’2x2’5m
968t 1413m3
UNLOADING PROCESS OF PALLETS TRANSPORT BOATS
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DOKSKE ARTIFACTS: HISTORICAL CRANES AND GRAIN UNLOADERS
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MERKSEM MILLS INDUSTRIES LOGISTIC SCHEME
The millls industries, the biggest in the docks, and those which require a bigger level of logistics have a complex system which grain follows since the moment it’s unloaded from the boats until it gets packed and delivered somewhere else. Most of the grain comes in huge deposit-boats, which are emptied by very big artifacts which suck it from the boat to the deposits inside factories.
During the unloading process, to avoid that the grain of the deposits could get wet due to the rain, some companies built huge canopies: structural elements which are empty inside, and which only purpose is cover the boats during unloading.
The final product of the factories, the flour, might be transported either in bulk (big tanker trucks which are filled in right from the flour deposits, or in bags which are then stacked in pallets, depending on the size of them, and transported in trucks.
These elements are absolutely inspiring: cantilevered huge elements over the canal. Oportunity spaces where public activities could be done. The confluence artifact between industry and the neighbourhood.
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BRABOMILLS FACTORY
ELEVATED CONNECTIONS
PNEUMATIC UNLOADER
PROTECTION CANOPY (empty structure)
WATERFRONT SPACE TAKEN BY PARKED TRUCKS
NOT PRODUCTION COMPANIES (don’t use water)
GRAIN PNEUMATIC UNLOADERS’ STRUCTURAL MODEL: Amazing empty structural canopy which covers the boats deposits from rain
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PUBLIC SPACE
Use of public space is very unbalanced in Merksem. This is a consequence of the monofunctional blocks and the strict division which differences between industrial and residential area. It means that during working hours (Monday-Friday 08-18h), there is a high level of activity taking place in the area around the docks. Therefore, when industries close, or during weekends and holidays, that space remains empty and underused, only occupied by vehicles of the companies which park at the waterfront.
06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
On the other hand, streets become the main meeting point, besides the few spots which are designed for that purpose, as small squares and playground. The dangers which the trucks’ traffic generate, mainly for children playing next to busy logistic roads, and closeness between both elements have provoked the need of building walls in order to separate them as much as possible, keeping them far from each other. But that also implies that there is a big underused space waiting to be occupied, while the neighbourhood claims for leisure spaces, and has a high lack of public facilities, compared to other similar neighbourhoods.
Residential road Trucks road Public parking Private parking (not fenced) Private parking (fenced) Trucks parking Trucks logistic area Materials stock Boat parking (permanent) Boat parking (temporary) Boat logistic area Square configuration Park Urban gardening Playground Public underused space Private underused space
USE OF PUBLIC-UNBUILT SPACE
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WEEKDAY (Working hours) DIFERENT PRESENCE OF VEHICLES AT THE WATERFRONT 06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
WEEKEND/HOLIDAYS: Almost empty
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INFORMAL ACTIVITIES ON PUBLIC SPACE IN THE PAST
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INFORMAL ACTIVITIES ON PUBLIC SPACE NOWADAYS
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PHYSICAL AND VISUAL BORDERS
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The canal and the open space around it is the main orientation element in the area. However, it’s not easy to get to it, since throughout history, some of the streets which divided industrial plots were closed in order to form bigger blocks for the increasingly growing factories. Therefore, there are many dead ends, or street which finish in a very high wall, which contrasts with the small scale of old worker’s houses. At the same time, other kind of fences were created, in order to prevent children to get too close to industry, which may represent a danger.
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SHADOW INFLUENCE DURING ONE DAY 06_DELVING INTO ESSENTIAL ISSUES: Industry and Public Space
11:00h
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SHADOW INFLUENCE - Months and Hours
The study shows the influence of the sun and shadow on the neighbourhood along the year, picking the extreme months (summer and winter solstice and intermediate stages), and on top hours: starting of work/classes, end of work/classes, as well as frequent middle breaks and last time before going home at the end of the day.
During most of the year, due to orientation and height of the buildings around, the small dok is the sunniest part, together with the east kaai, as well as the intersection between both canals. On the other hand there are some areas on the west kaai which will be most of the year in the shadow, except in the mornings, so that space might be less enjoyable as public space.
Due to Belgian climate, those spaces which are more exposed to sun, and which have East-South orientation are precious, and must be used as potenetial public spaces. This study is crucial in the development of the design, as these are the open areas in the whole neighbourhood.
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FLOODABLE AREAS The area of the Dokske was suitable for building the canals, since it it the lowest zone in Merksem. But it also means that it’s the easiest one to get flooded at certain periods, due mainly to some streams and little rivers which are next to it.
Therefore, this fact should be taken into consideration, since eventually the water may cover a part of the area around the docks, creating some damage to the neigbourhood.
Thus, the proposal may seem logical to be an element which stands lifted from ground floor, in order to prevent being covered by the water in case of floodings. At the same time, the Small Dock seems to be higher than the other side, being more suitable for it.
FLOODABLE AREAS
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WATERFRONT PROPERTY The area of the waterfront, the space which remains in between the industry and the canal is property of the municipality. However, and specially in last decades, industry has taken it, being occupied most of the time by parked trucks, cars from workers, used sometimes as storage for elements which they don’t want anymore or don’t fit inside the factories.
There are even some parts which are fenced and used as private parking for the companies, and some of them have certain huge structures which form part of the loadingunloading process involving boats.
Therefore, as being a public property, it’s one more reason why this space should be shared with neighbourhood, and not only being used for factories.
PUBLIC SPACE PROPERTY
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MATERIALS CATALOGUE
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THE PARTICULAR CASE OF "KLEIN DOK" Housing, Industry and Public space IN COLLISION
AERIAL VIEW OF SMALL DOCK AREA 07_THE PARTICULAR CASE OF “KLEIN DOK”
URBAN GARDENING SOCIETY RESIDENTIAL AREA
LOGISTIC COMPANY
FENCED PLAYGROUND
TRUCK TRAILERS PARKING
PERMANENT PARKED BOATS
UNDERUSED PRIVATE PARKING
SMALL DOCK AREA MODEL
BACK GARDENS
HOUSING
RESIDENTIAL STREET
SECTION THROUGH THE INDUSTRY OF SMALL DOCKS 07_THE PARTICULAR CASE OF “KLEIN DOK”
URBAN FARMING
LOGISTICS COMPANY (NOT OPTIMAL FLOOR USE)
SREET CLOSED TO TRAFFIC
FACTORIES FROM THE PLAYGROUND, BEHIND THE FENCE
INTERSECTION BETWEEN GROOT AND KLEIN DOK
CEREAL GRINDING COMPANY BEING DISMANTLED (TURNING INTO DEMOLITION RECYCLING PLAN)
BUSY TRUCKS ROAD
TRUCKS PARKING
GROOT DOK
TRUCKS PARKING
BUSY TRUCKS ROAD
SMALLER COMPANIES
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“KLEIN DOK” COLLISION AREA: INDUSTRY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD MEET
REFERENCES
AND
INSPIRATION
CONCRETE FACTORY "CEMEXSHORE PORT DE TOLBIAC" OF SEINE, PARIS CITY CENTER
The concrete factory “CEMEX Port de Tolbiac” was built recently in the quays of Seine River in the city center of Paris, right next to the National Library, and just few hundreds of meters away from the Ile de la Cite. The goal of this project was to design a factory with “high environmental quality”, placed in a very urban setting, with the river as a main logistic channel. The factory is a great example on the current debate about coexistance between industry and city, together with other 08_REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION
factories which are being built around Paris. It deals with its urban setting in a very subtle way.Concrete factories are usually rough, unhumanized buildings, but at the same time, it’s placed on the quays, which are pedestrian footpaths through which people walk and enjoy the views. It’s designed over pilotis, so it doesn’t block the view to the walkers. At the same time, it doesn’t affect to the vision from perpendicular streets. A light engineer and artist colaborated in the project, design-
ing it so it generates a completely different atmosphere at night. The success of the project couldn’t have been achieved by the concept of time and space sharing: on working hours, the space is active, open to trucks traffic and boats. When work time finishes and during weekends, this place gets unblocked and open for people, who can walk safely through it, enjoying the views of the Seine.
TOWN SQUARE OF KALMAR CARUSO ST. JOHN
The main square of Kalmar suffered during history continuous changes. Until 2003, the square had been added layers and layers, lightpoles, and any kind of element which in the end filled the square of useless different objects. It was also used as a big parking area, as it was allowed to drive in it. There was a big lack of hierarchy.
The main idea of the architects was to strip the place of everything superfluous and return it to an original state, characterised by the sober, undifferentiated emptiness of its large cobblestone plane. The concept for the design of the square involved the removal of roads and pavements, and the re-establishment of a unitary surface of field stones, the primitive granite stones that were first used in the square.
Due to the use of different materials the architect defines tresholds within the square. The use of a type of pavement also relates to the representative buildings on the square. Pedestrian routes and sites for public events were accomodated within smoother surfaces of precast concrete slabs and cut granite sets.
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ARCHIGRAM: CITY AND MOVEMENT - STRUCTURE, modules and ADAPTABILITY
Archigram developed enormously powerful concepts, related to the industrial and technological world, which they used to propose utopian projects for cities.
which could host secondary prefabricated modules which were pluged-in thanks to the technology of cranes, adapting to new users and conditions.
They were able to develop a very personal way of representation, which they used to express those utopian cities they dreamed.
Their philosophy is based on the changes which the new industry made it able for construction. They were really concerned about the speed and changes on life, incorporating the factor of movement to architecture: moveable primary modular structures
Architecture for them is not linked to the form or material, but to the uses, the facts, the events.
However their architecture might seem sometimes a bit out of human scale, too cold or impersonal, something which I would like to implement.
The building becomes a pure machine.
Bernard Tschumi: "Folies" OF la Villette PARK AND "SPACE AND EVENTS"
Tschumi designed the park as a superposition of layers and grids, in which he included what he called “the folies”, space activators, which more than just sculptural elements which establish a certain order and reference, they become animation activity spots, according to the specific function which is taking place there: concerts, exhibitions... and at the same time, providing the 08_REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION
place with a certain identity. “Like Ariadne’s thread, the folies are activated by the rythm of programed functions” On the other hand, the text “Space and Events”, from his book “Architecture and Disjunction” reflects on a building beyond its function: as a space of a certain characteristics which could host
different functions to whose which it was designed for. He searches for provocation suggesting the interesting case that a church could be used as a cinema. Therefore, any building can be rethought and used for many other uses, linking with the idea of hybridity and multifunctionality.
CEDRIC PRICE - "FUN PALACE" AND "THE CITY OF THE FUTURE"
Cedric Price inspired to many other architects as Archigram. He defends that architecture is too slow in solving immediate problems. Permanent buildings are limited for a particular reason/ function. Therefore, buildings need to be constructed for adaptability, because of the unpredictability of the future use of those spaces.
“Fun Palace” consists of rails through which cranes move, enabling the movements of vertical cores, placement, replacement, displacement... In the City of the Future, he establishes some principles to follow together with some schemes, such as: “the potential of phased movement of goods, shelter and equipment by means of mechanical and magnetic suspension”. “The ability to be aware from above and below, of the mass to
support, shelter and concealment that the city offers.” “Recognition of the familiar, by alteration of scale and relevance” “Existing buildings in new roles (...) and the recognizable shell prepared for new uses” Another really intesting concept is the project “Teaching Units Over Rails”, in which the building consists of several modules which are transported through the rails, according to the needs.
CRANES OF THE HARBOUR: IDENTITY OF ANTWERP AS AN INDUSTRIAL CITY
Cranes form part of the identity of Antwerp as a harbour city. They are functional huge structures which can me moved to transport heavy goods from one point to another. In the area of Merksem Docks they used to exist to unload the goods from the boats to land and vice-versa, although they were progressively replaced by the pneumatic unloaders.
They are mainly formed by its supporting structure, which is often lifted from the ground, enabling circulation below it on ground floor for trucks, other smaller cranes or the harbour workers. This structure on itself is often movable, most of the times on rails which guide its movement through the dock, parallel to the water.
At the same time they had a third element, which is the one which enables lift the goods, most of the time nowadays modular harbour containers, which have a determined size, although in the past they used to move different kinds of goods on size and format. As huge machines they are controled by an operator which often drive them from the top, controling the process.
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DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
DECOMPOSITION OF THE ELEMENTS PRESENT ON THE POSTCARD
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GRINDING MILLS Cereals Cleaning Storing
FLOUR
(Storing)
Ships unloading -> 1880-1930: Crane (Bags) Grain shipping (Germany/France) 1930-Now: Pneumatic unloaders
Non-stationary elements (load and go) Enjoyable space
Enjoyable space when industries close
Temporary activities -> SHARED SPACE Grain shipping (Germany/France)
Ship Unloading
Flour in bulk
Tank wagon train
Flour in bags
Trailer wagon train
CEREALS PROCESSING
TYPOLOGICAL SECTION DOCKS IN 1950s
Big unloading canopy (protecting ship deposit from water)
GRINDING MILLS Cereals Cleaning Storing
FLOUR
(Storing)
Other elements blocking access/views to waterfront Parked trucks and empty trailers
Parked trucks and empty trailers waiting to be used
Industrialized Space - Permanent Traffic Flour in bulk
Ship Unloading Grain shipping (Germany/France)
Truck Unloading
CEREALS PROCESSING Flour in bags
Tank truck Trailer truck Pallets
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Truck
TYPOLOGICAL SECTION DOCKS NOWADAYS
PROPOSAL SECTION CONCEPT
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A LANDSCAPE DEFINED BY SECTIONS: Tomography Model 09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
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TIME & SPACE SHARING The concept of time and space sharing comes from the previous done analysis which show how the biggest public space is underused, becoming empty after working hours and in the weekend.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
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People will mainly use public space before entering to work or to school, after it, and during the weekends, while the most intensive timeframe for industry won’t match with them.
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USERS TIMEFRAME PROPOSAL: NEIGHBOURS-INDUSTRY
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There will be some moments in which they may overlap a bit, mainly during those hours in which children leave the school, which is often before factories close, but the rythm of the factories could addapt also, taking it into account, and regulating certain hours in which their logistic activity should be lower than others.
NEIGHBOURS-INDUSTRY SHARED SPACE AND TIME PROPOSAL
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TIME AND SPACE SHAREABLE OPEN STRUCTURE CONCEPTUAL SCHEMES
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The first masterplan proposal attempts to design a hybrid space, in which the waterfront will be a pedestrian walking path which would be only interrupted sometimes by the unloading and loading process from the water to the factories. This new landscape will be activated through those artifacts which work as cranes and unloading canopies for industries, but which at the same time provide an open structure which could be used by the neighbours for a certain function. Although most of them are fixed to the ground, the ones which work with the smallest factories will be moveable. Due to the scale of small factories, it would be unthinkable to have one per each, and at the same time the volume of goods by factory would be much lower than the biggest companies. Some of spaces which remain between the industrial buildings will be also transformed into shared public space, which could be used by people once factories close. One of the goals of this proposal is to implement the water logistics in order to decrease the volume of trucks.
However, the proposal still looked a bit generic, not precise enough when attending to the needs of industry, and existing conditionings of each particular location. Furthermore, the artifacts could become out of the sudden too numerous, taking too much attention. Couldn’t those artifacts be more effective and at the same time more subtle, by being moveable, as the harbour cranes?
09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
MASTERPLAN FIRST PROPOSAL: SHARED SPACE AND UNLOADERS-SPACE ACTIVATORS
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SPACE ACTIVATORS PROPOSAL MODEL
FIRST PROPOSAL MASTERPLAN MODEL 09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
FIRST PROPOSAL MASTERPLAN GLOBAL VIEW
SHARED LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONDITION 1: THE OPPORTUNITY AREA Industrial areas are often not too efficient in the use of land: they leave quite a lot of empty space which is often necessary for trucks, logistics, parking for workers, open spaces to store goods... It’s also very inefficient, and sometimes even unsafe for the factories, since it gets empty after work hours and during the weekends, which make it an underused space, and without any social control. But this space, which remains between the factories towards the waterfront, which in Dokske represents the biggest unbuilt and potential area can be redesigned in order to be shared.
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SHARED LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONDITION 2: SPACE FOR PEDESTRIAN Out of the whole available area, there are some zones which are more likely for people to walk, meet or develop certain activities. These would be the areas closer to the water, since it generates a much nicer atmosphere, particularly in the corners, or angles in which there is a better overall view of the whole site. At the same time, the ends of the docks, and the waterfront just in front of a street, are the spots in which the intensity of the contact with water is stronger. Furthermore, precisely the ends of the canals become crucial places to research deeper, since they’re the limit in which residential area gets closer to this open space, acting also somehow as the access, or first point through which people arrive. There is a powerful possibility to link this new pedestrian area to the castle’s park on the east, which at the same time is connected to a green areas network. making the site easier to access.
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SHARED LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONDITION 3: RELATION TO BUILDINGS When analyzing the area of the docks it’s easy to see that, although the waterfront space is public, there is a direct relation between each building and the space they have right in front of their façades, in certain ocassions as if they had privatized it. There are some areas they designed for parking, other buildings have set their façade allignment backwards, in order to leave a logistic circulation space for their trucks... At the same time, the relevance of their façades is different. Therefore, industrial historical buildings will create a much better atmosphere to the space in front of it, compared to a “industrial shoebox” warehouse. Consequently, the design of those spaces should relate to those conditions which the building or their functions impose.
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SHARED LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONDITION 4: FACTORIES LOGISTICS As an industrial zone, and although it’s going to be designed in order to be shared as public space, it still needs to continue working, properly, and even increasing their production, by introducing the water-based pallet system, which would also improve life conditions in Merksem and also in Antwerp, by decreasing trucks traffic and liberating much of the parking space which they used to need. Some plots have also a certain advantage: those which have also connection to the back of the block, which means that they can also have their truck logistics on the other side, releasing space for people or other uses at the waterfront. The system of circulation for the trucks in the area then needs to be rethought, according to those possibilities and scenarios.
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SCHEMES LANDSCAPE DESIGN
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PROPOSAL CONCEPT: CREATING TRESHOLDS WITH PAVEMENT TEXTURES
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DOCKS LANDSCAPE DESIGN PROPOSAL
MASTERPLAN DETAIL SECTION MODEL 09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
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MASTERPLAN TEXTURES TRESHOLDS MODEL 09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
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CONSEQUENCES MASTERPLAN The goal of the intervention in the docks is to achieve a change which would benefit both, people and industries. Therefore, the proposal will provoke certain consequences, some of them urgent, since those companies are already closed and even some plots are starting to develop new factories currently, and others will happen in a near future, according to the previously described resilience analysis.
This plot is situated in the confluence of both docks, the small and big one. It used to be an animal food production industry, although it’s been closed for a while, and nowadays it’s being demolished to turn the site into a new demolition recycling plant. They have the huge advantage of being located in the intersection, so they have double water connection. The company foresees to use quite intensively this resource. When analyzing the way this kind of facilities work, you can notice that most of the area of the plot is used by logistics (trucks circulations, incoming materials weighing, unloading zones, deposits, storing...) while the machines on themselves and the small control offices and labs take the smallest portion of it. They mainly consist of big canopies which cover and protect the machines and materials. Besides, in this case the plot size is pretty big, which may imply a underusement of it.
09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
Continuing with the logic of the project, one of the first decissions was to try to share the public space according to the activity hours. The unloading zones will be located on the waterfront, facilitating the maneuver to trucks and boats, and the material deposits will consist of container barges which will be removed once they are filled directly to new destinations. This implies that the factory will need in the end around half of the whole plot, sharing the other half with the city, and making it possible to build a public facility which would at the same time generate a buffer between this noisy industry and the residential area. Furthermore, the space under the canopy, since it’s very flexible can be used as a covered events space linked to this facility.
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This case, although it’s not as direct as the previous one, it will happen in a near future, motivated by the current situation and the landscape proposal. This area is occupied now by small and generic warehouses, most of which make any use of water, not taking in advantage this priviledge position. The main trigger is the widening of the canal, in order to facilitate the access to new barges, longer and wider than old ones, when the docks were built. But this decission will imply that these future factories will need to take advantage of this decission. The proportions of boats will determine the areas which are able to use for loading and unloading, specially when all them are in use, scaling at the same time the position of those new factories.
09_DESIGNING A SHARED LANDSCAPE
Each of them should take advantage of both potential conditions of that area: being at the waterfront, and at the same time having a back service road directly linked to the main accesses. The spaces which remain in between those buildings, which are not productive for factories will be green paths which will link the front and the back, and at the same time will represent really enjoyable areas for workers, as leisure and meeting spots and will provide always a nice view and a visual contact with other companies. The section of the building will be related to functional decissions. The office space, facing the waterfront and controling the boats unloading will cantilever over the area in which the cranes will leave the pallets, protecting them and making this task easier. The central part, the biggest, will contain the storage, which links all proccesses and can be highly densified in vertical, optimizing its use.
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DOKSKE'S CHAMELEON As part of the landscape design of the docks, there is one area which requires a special attention: the Klein Dok. This is the area in the whole Dokske where the relation between the neighbourhood and the industry, the housing and this vaste space of the docks is stronger. There are lots of conditionings, unsolved relations, borders and undefined spaces which need to be rethought. But at the same time, there are many activities, which are taking place, and which make it even more interesting. Old Merksem is the poorest area in the whole district, families are big, and houses are most of the time quite small. There is then, a special need for some public spaces which would compensate and complement it. At the same time, the neighbourhood has a remarkable lack of public facilities when compared to other similar areas. It’s strange then that this zone, which is the most open of Dokske, in front of the canal doesn’t have almost any. The level of migrants is very high in this area, and integration isn’t smooth enough sometimes: there are a lot of people with little or any knowledge of Dutch. At the same time, the relation between the factories and inhabitants is almost null. There is then a huge necessity of a space for integration, where those different users could meet and relate. There are many activities happening eventually in different spots of the area, showing a clear need of a space which could shelter them. At the same time, the conditions of the shared space must be fulfilled: implementing and contributing to waterbased logistics, and letting people enjoy it, while improving the environment. Hence, the proposal consists of an hybrid artifact: a mobile articulated structure which could be the conciliation of industry and the neighbours. A moveable harbour crane and canopy which would enable the companies to use boats as a main logistic transport, while during the weekends and after work this element will be used by people, becoming a canopy which interacts with the landscape generating different conditions and spaces, according to specific needs and events, and a space on itself where to develop indoor activities, standing and moving over the canal, contemplating this monumental space. This element should keep the strong identity of the place, blending with the landscape, and generating that ambiguity: Is it a building? Is it a crane? IT MOVES! 10_DOKSKE’S CHAMELEON
CONCEPT SCHETCHES PROPOSAL CHAMELEON
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INDUSTRY
Raw product -> Grain - Raw product ->
<- Flour (bulk) - Bags in pallets <- Finished product
Canopy: protects boat’s tank while unloading
Flood protection: can keep operating
NEIGHBOURS
Bridge: Connect Industry and water
Big companies: Mills Small companies WORKING SYSTEM
LESS TRAFFIC - LESS NO
Open structure: Hybrid use - Industry + Leisure
CITY
Ground floor accessible during working hours
Urban canopy: gathering covered space
Space activators
C02 -60%
Traffic descongestion: revitalize water network
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CONCEPT SCHEMES AIMS OF PROPOSAL FOR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS
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FIRST PROPOSAL: RETHINKING A WATER-BASED INDUSTRY The first approach to the chameleon was to go on detail with one of those “folies”, one of those hybrid elements which would be used for industry and people at the same time. The chosen spot to test it out is the unloader which would work for IDP, a logistic company which is located at the end of the Small Dock, on the most conflictive area between housing and industry. They recently built a new logistic center right in front of their main center. An old margarine factory, warehouse and modular building, which could be addapted on that system. The concept is that this fixed element would be a canopy for unloading the goods from the boats, which would transport immediately through one of the pipes of the “folie” inside the building, transforming at the same time into a kind of parasite which would invide this modular space, in order to mechanize and addapt the way the factory works to this system. At the same time, the “folie” on itself will become a space with public functions for both, inhabitants for the neighbourhood and factory workers.
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FIRST “FOLIE” DESIGN APPROACH. VOLUMETRIC MODELS
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TOMOGRAPHY MODEL AS A DESIGN TOOL: Designing in section 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
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10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
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10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
DESIGN PROCESS MODELS
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GETTING INTO DESIGN: Canopy with hanging functions and the enclosing skin. 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
HUMAN PERSPECTIVE VIEWS: SPACE!!!!
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SECTION OF OPERA GARNIER
The “stage house”, or “theatre loft” represents the technical box which contains the stage. On top of it, several floors of structures hang the different sceneries, lighting systems, groups of pulleys and ropes which make it possible to rise different elements on scene, even the actors. In the case of buildings like the Opera Garnier, the loft was the tallest volume of the whole building complex. Underneath, below the stage, other technical floors supported the scene as well. It suggests the powerful idea that the building could be a kind of theatre loft, which contains the program, lifting it, exchanging it for new gadgets which would support new activities. On the ground as a topographical fold of the terrain, there will be the technical installations which require water supply.
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DESIGN CONDITIONS
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VOLUMETRIC IMPLICATION IF THE PROGRAM WAS SOLVED BY CONVENTIONAL BUILDINGS
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REAL VOLUMETRIC IMPACT PROPOSAL
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This light and mobile structure will adapt continuously to be able to accomodate and support different activities, both for industry and neighbours. The boxes will sometimes contain the elements which make it possible a certain activity, as the chairs for the cinema, or the rowing canoes, but other ocassions they will be spaces on themselves: classroom units, exhibition rooms, or other kind of places which would enable enclosed activities, not only for summer conditions. The skin of the Chameleon will also change, depending on climate conditions and specific activity which is done in that moment. It will be a very light and transpartent textile membrane which will let the light get through it, while it would generate a more cozy shelter for users. The following document is just a sample of the endless possibilities of the proposal.
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CHAMELEON ADAPTATIONS
COVERED PLAYGROUND AND PARK 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
INDOOR SPORTS HALL
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SMALL CONCERTS AND INDOOR EVENTS 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS
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MEETINGS - COZIER SPACE FOR EVENTS 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
BIG CONCERTS - SUMMER PROGRAM
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ROWING CLUB AND SUMMER SCENARIO 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
SUMMER CINEMA AND EVENTS PROJECTIONS
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INDUSTRY UNLOADING SCENARIO - TOYS LIBRARY IN CONNECTION TO PARK 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
PERMANENT/MOBILE EXHIBITION - CONTAINERS UNITS LOADING
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BRIDGE WHILE DRAWBRIDGE IS RAISED 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
CONSEQUENCE: NEW RECYCLING PLANT - NEIGHBOURHOOD PUBLIC FACILITY BUILDING
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CANOPY DETAIL PROCESS MODEL 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
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10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
CHAMELEON CROSS SECTION
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CHAMELEON LONGITUDINAL SECTION
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CHAMELEON PERSPECTIVE SECTION
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EXTERIOR VIEW 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
VIEW UNDER THE CANOPY
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CHAMELEON AREA PROPOSAL MODEL 10_DOKSKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMELEON
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BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION BRIEF OOMS T. (2015), The Urban Condition, a case for Coexistance. Networked infrastructure and urban politics of the inhabitant
REFERENCE BOOKS DOGMA, Living and working: How to live together ISOCARP 2015, Preceedings: Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reinvent the planning STAD ANTWERPEN, LABXX SECCHI B., VIGANO P., Antwerp: Territory of a new modernity TSCHUMI B., Architecture and Disjunction: Space and events GEHL J., Cities for people ARCHIGRAM, Archigram Monographie, Centre Georges Pompidou TILL J., Architecture depends CORNER J., The agency of mapping ECO U., The open Work
CATALOGUES AND PRESENTATIONS VOGERAIS V.(2013), Sable en Seine: repertoire de bonnes pratiques, Ports de Paris asdad PROVINCE ANTWERPEN, Kaderplan Albertkanaal SOLA MORALES, The impossible project of public space PROJECTS FOR PUBLIC SPACES INC., Placemaking and the future of cities MARTINEZ IZAGA, Competition Refurbishing for Clesa Factory in Madrid
WEBSITES Dokske community: dokske.be Cultuur Centrum: ccmerksem.be Merksem Dok Activities: Facebook page: merksemdok â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transitie Merksemâ&#x20AC;? Urban Farming Community: Facebook page: Transitie Merksem
OTHER DOCUMENTS Urban Tomographies: Methodology learned and applied from Oikonet elective - Prof. Tomas Ooms Spaces for Economy in the City, International Master of Architecture 2015-16, KULeuven Gent
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I would like to thank my parents and sister for their unconditional help. For supporting and allowing me to continue learning and living this amazing experience one more year. I hope to make you feel proud. Thanks Marina for being my inspiration and reference, for not letting me give up, for taking care of me and advising to help me to get back to the track. I’m looking forward to start a new adventure together. Thanks Tomas for convey us your enthusiasm, for motivating and guiding us, and for your patience throughout long journeys of consults and work. “GWAKI”, “42”, “Small is power”, “The Urban Condition”, “folies and chameleons”, “urban tomographies”, are just some of all the terms I bring with me from now on. To Zora, Olivier, Anouk, Ryan, Saman and Emiel, all my studio buddies, for all the hours shared together at school, on the different trips we did to the site, all the funny times, lunchbreaks, but also hard moments we lived this year. Thanks to Dimitris(es), Iwo, Andres, Monica... for all the interesting discussions we had, and which helped me to continue with my research. Thanks to Pieter from the MMLab for his help and patience on the probably most busy days of the year.
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