Sustainable Urban Landscape 2021

2021

Sustainable Urban Landscape | Spring 2021

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Sustainable Urban Design Master’s Program

School of Architecture Lund University Spring 2021

95

SUDes 2020

2021

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Sustainable Urban Design Master’s Program

School of Architecture Lunds Tekniska Högskola Lund University P.O. Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden +46 46 222 00 00 www.stadsbyggnad.lth.se

AxSUD

Ax:son Johnson Institute for Sustainable Urban Design Lund University

Book Editor

Teresa Arana Aristi

Cover Graphics

Hugo Settergren

Photo Credits

Ása Katrín Bjarnadóttir

Contents

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Introduction

2

4

People

6

Course Outline

10

Design Site

16

Projects

18

Endurshöfði

22

Follow the water

26

Ártúnshöfði // Happy - Healthy - Moving

28

Reconnect the Landscape

30

The Cyan Border

32

TURFICTION

34

Ártúnshöfði Að Eilífu

38

Vatn-Höfði

40

Bringing-back Future

42

Pioneering in Ártúnshöfdi

44

Reconnecting Ártúnshöfði

48

Artúnshöfði, the everyday experience

50

Locavore Town

52

Iceland Gems

56

Re-Life

58

Artúnskastali

60

The 3 strings of Ártúnshöfði

64

Collective Communities

by Andrew Ryle

by Anna Hasslöf

by Ása Katrín Bjarnadóttir

by Chia-Yu Chang

by David Hörnblad

by Ghada Shaaban

by Hugo Settergren

by Joel Lopez

by Kateřina Rybínová

by Katharina Deisting

by Lisa Lödén

by Marina Comoji Soto

by Momoko Kotani

by Mutaz Alabtah

by Niloufar Amirsoleimani

by Philipp Westhauser

by Tereza Rihová

by Varvara Maria Politi

66

Open the borders, soften the edges

68

A Landscape Perspective

70

Ártúnshöfði -An Icelandic Pastoral

72

Terraforming Landscapes

by Vinicius Ferreira de Oliveira

by Wendy Hernandez

by Yifeng Xie

SUDes 2021

by Zacharias Malmberg

3

Introduction

People SUDes Team:

Guest Lecturers:

Lars-Henrik Ståhl PhD, Professor Director of SUDes Master’s Program School of Architecture, LTH Lund University

Allan Gunnarsson, SLU Alnarp Catharina Sternudd, LTH, Lund University Christer Larsson, LTH, Lund University Drífa Árnadóttir, ALTA Arkitetar Emeline Lex, Mandaworks Marie-Claude Dubois, LTH, Lund University Nils Björling, CTH Páll Gunnlaugsson, ASK Arkitektar Peter Siöström, LTH, Lund University Rebekka Guðmundsdóttir, City Planning Office Reykjavik Simon J. Flender, ARKÍS Arkitektar Teresa Arana Aristi, LTH, Lund University Tom Nielsen, Aarhus School of Architecture Tomas Tägil, LTH, Lund University Vera Wetzsels, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Peter Siöström Associate Professor, Chairman of Ax: son Johnson Institute for Sustainable Urban Design Lund University Louise Lövenstierne Architect MSA Senior Lecturer Course Leader, SUDes School of Architecture, LTH Lund University Teresa Arana Aristi Architect MSA /Urban Designer Course Assistant, SUDes Lund University

Guest Critics: Jenny B. Osuldsen, Snøhetta Rebekka Guðmundsdóttir, City Planning Office Reykjavik Peter Siöström, LTH, Lund University

Students:

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Andrew Ryle, Australia Anna Hasslöf, Sweden Ása Katrín Bjarnadóttir, Iceland Chia-Yu Chang, Taiwan David Hörnblad, Sweden Ghada Shaaban, Egypt Hugo Settergren, Sweden Joel Lopez, Ecuador Kateřina Rybínová, Czech Republic Katharina Deisting, Austria Lisa Lödén, Sweden Marina Comoji Soto, Argentina Momoko Kotani, Japan Mutaz Alabtah, Jordan Niloufar Amirsoleimani, Iran Philipp Westhauser, Austria Tereza Rihová, Czech Republic Varvara Maria Politi, Greece Vinicius Ferreira de Oliveira, Brazil Wendy Hernandez, Mexico Yifeng Xie, China Zacharias Malmberg, Sweden

4

FINAL PRESENTATIONS THROUGH ZOOOM DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC

SUDes 2021

SUDES GET TOGETHER - SPRING 2021

5

Introduction

Course Outline Sustainable Urban Landscape For the second semester of the Sustainable Urban Design master’s program a diverse group of students at Lund University’s School of Architecture continued their educational journey in the advanced course ‘Sustainable Urban Landscape’ (ASBN16) and its complementary theory course ‘Urban Landscape - Theory and Methods’ (ASBN11).

The course of Sustainable Urban Landscape deals with urban design through a greater perspective – the urban landscape. The spring design project begins with the students understanding of cities as a part of the larger landscapes. They are no longer approached as isolated urbanities but are analyzed and approached from a regional perspective and put into a greater contextual setting.

The course focuses on design adhering to the cultural landscape contexts. The aim is to create a balance between the human and ecological systems. How can cities develop in relation to their setting with the landscape? Can that landscape become a driver for sustainability strategies, and generate new ideas for living in synergy with the natural environment?

The design studio resulted in 22 unique projects in which students challenged conventional notions of sustainability and proposed new structures preparing for and supporting the process of urban transformation currently underway in Reykjavik, specifically in the area of Ártúnshöfði.

Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to organize a study trip to visit the site – instead a Focus Iceland week was prepared, in which the students got more in dept knowledge about the country andÁrtúnshöfð, with presentations from local guest lecturers and other experts. We encouraged the students to challenge the notion of what a region is and how their design projects can be influenced by their site’s context, like the built form,

Sustainable Urban Landscape

ecology and local landscape elements.

6

For further information on the course and master’s program please visit our website at http://www.stadsbyggnad.lth.se.

SUDes 2021

VIEW FROM GEIRSNEF PARK

7

Sustainable Urban Landscape 8

VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE CLIFF - GREAT TOPOGRAPY CHANGES

9

SUDes 2021

Introduction

Design Site Ártúnshöfði – Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland and Reykjavik were the focus of this course for the very first time during the Spring semester of 2021. We challenged the students to design a proposal for the future development of Ártúnshöfði.

The City of Reykjavik has been working to reach the goal of developing a more sustainable built environment within the city limits for many years now, focusing especially on moving away from the car-oriented planning that was implemented in the 1960’s. This masterplan led to a spread-out development, planned for cars as the main means of transportation and with very low density; Nowadays, there are more cars than people in the country and the only public transportation option is the bus, which doesn’t run too frequently.

After a framework and vision plan competition held in 2015, the area of Ártúnshöfði was designated as a key area of densification and development in the city. The location of the area is very unique: it’s closeness to the coastline and Elliðaárvogur recreational area, with the Elliðaár river passing by the site on its way to the sea, make it an ideal place for a new district with people and ecology as the main drivers. It is also very centrally located and will be very easily accessible thanks to the Borgarlínan, a high-quality public transport system (Bus rapid transit) planned for the entire capital area.

Even though Ártúnshöfði is very centrally located, it’s also very disconnected from its surroundings. One of the busiest roads in Reykjavík – which splits the city from east to west- runs all along the south. To the north, it is bordered by Reykavik’s big vessel harbor and the bay, which allows the area to be sheltered from the north wind. Big neighborhoods with single family houses and large scale industrial and business areas encompass the rest of the context.

In this area, the coast underwent significant man-made modifications over the last 50 years, particularly for the creation of space for the extraction of minerals, gravel storage for the

Sustainable Urban Landscape

building industry, car related purposes like workshops and garages, warehouses, all of

10

which nowadays continue to be the main functions of Ártúnshöfði. Because of this, within the site limits the amount of asphalt and non-permeable surfaces is way higher, especially in comparison to its surroundings, and creates a very hostile environment for pedestrians.

MAGNIFICENT VIEW TO AKRAFJALL, SKARÐSHEIÐI AND ESJA

ONE OF MANY WAREHOUSES

VIEW TOWARDS BRYGGJUHVERFIÐ

THE SITE CONSISTS OF MAINLY INDUSTRY AND CAR RELATED FUNCTIONS

SUDes 2021

CONTRASTS BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL AND NATURAL LANDSCAPES

11

Introduction

VOGAR

Sustainable Urban Landscape

GEIRSNEF PARK

12

ELLIÐAÁRDALUR

Ártúnshöfði, Design Site

FOLDIR

BRYGGJUHVERFIÐ

SUDes 2021

ÁRBÆR

13

Sustainable Urban Landscape 14

ELLIÐAÁN RIVER AND GEIRSNEF PARK

15

SUDes 2021

Projects

Projects

The initial design task this year was to analyze Iceland, focusing on both the natural and cultural landscapes and develop a strategy for where and how can Iceland and the Reykjavik region grow. Critical questions asked were: How can a region better manage its resources through site specific urban development? How can a local place and its landscape characteristics play a critical role in sustainable regional development?

The first two phases focused on understanding the country, it’s landscape and its history.

After working in groups to form strategies for the region’s future development, the students zoomed in to Reykjavik and Ártúnshöfði, which nowadays is the site for one of the largest developments in the city. It is estimated that around 8,000 new households and up to 20,000 new residents could live in this area, with the BRT line (Borgarlínan) as the backbone of the development.

The aim of the individual phase of the Design Projects is to tell a holistic story and design a sensitive, detailed plan for development of the design site. We asked the students to translate their vision into a site-specific and holistic plan that pays attention to the unique landscape characteristics, local community, existing ecological systems and to other aspects of sustainability on the area.

The constraints and potentials that were identified in the previous stages of analysis and strategy are now to be turned into physical spaces, bound by real dimensions and sitespecific performances. Thus, the students’ visions for Ártúnshöfði’s urban transformation naturally came to be concrete proposals as a result of the extensive research base from which they could be pulled up.

The reader of this booklet is invited to indulge into the following pages in order to witness a brief collection of the final projects. It is our hope that all of the students’ tireless efforts and

Sustainable Urban Landscape

energy can inspire one as much as it has inspired us throughout the semester.

16

SUDes 2021

THE HIGH CONTRASTS CONTINUE ALL AROUND THE AREA

17

Endurshöfði Andrew Ryle, Australia

Site Proposal

“Endurshofdi is about reconnecting people back with people, city, nature and

Sustainable Urban Landscape

sustainable living.”

18

Modern Iceland faces huge challenges as a result. Prosperity in the 20th century has resulted in swathes of suburbs has created a car-dependent society. Imported food is the primary source of nutrition. CO2 emissions that naturally follow these are the highest per capita in Europe.

The precarity of a tourism-led economy during an epidemic is now staggeringly evident. Social isolation has skyrocketed in recent decades, and antidepressant usage is among the highest in the world. In addition, deforestation over 1000 years is now causing soil to erode at such a rate that there will be no soil within 200 years.

A regenerated, connected Artunshofdi must reject the unsustainable patterns of development, movement and consumption Iceland currently displays. Therefore, Artunshofdi must utilise dense urban settlement along new public transport corridors to ensure

equal accessibility and connection to wider Reykjavik. Greenhouses, increasingly employed in Iceland, should be scattered through the site and on rooftops to provide opportunities for Reykjavikians to meet and grow their own food.

The site’s proximity to crucial ecological corridors should be integrated into everyday life, to improve biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

It must accommodate sheltered and indoor social and cultural spaces for a wide variety of users to provide opportunities help combat the worst effects of social isolation and promote community cohesion.

Through four phases of development, Artunshofdi will be transformed into an area that is integrated into the landscape and the wider urban context, while generating sustainable social, economic and cultural growth.

Section

SUDes 2021

Typologies

19

20

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

AXONOMETRY

21

Follow the water Anna Hasslöf, Sweden

VIZUALISATION - THE PRODUCTION PATH

“Create a motion through a strong landscape element like

Sustainable Urban Landscape

flowing water”

22

In this project I want to explore how to create an activity through using the landscape and its strengths. I also want to see if there can be a more sustainable approach to heritage in an urban area like Ártúnshöfði. We tend to move our problems with short term solutions when it comes to industry in a densifying city. I want to explore if it’s possible to keep the area’s identity of production but on a smaller scale while also making it sustainable and livable.

The new area that I introduce has a rich biodiversity connecting throughout the area. Sedum roofs and green yards contribute as well as the two water

streams going through the area. The streams are meant to create a motion and an activity through the flowing water.

The new production is partly smaller workshops connected to housing areas but also bigger complexes of agriculture and sustainable production are introduced. Greenhouses are placed both in private and public areas.

The productional approach creates a community where people get to know each other through activities of sharing locals, buying things and working together. Public places both indoors and outdoors are placed around the area inviting to both locals and visitors.

production

community public

public building

blocks

building

silo

point houses

BRT stop

waterfall bridge bus center

the production path

school

mixed community blocks

BRT

mixed community

A

blocks

A

hangars square

school point houses

connection

BRT school

BRT community blocks

production belt

MASTERPLAN

OVERVIEW FROM WEST

SUDes 2021

SECTION AA - STREET SCAPE AND COMMUNITY BLOCK YARD

23

24

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

DETAIL PLAN

25

Ártúnshöfði // Happy - Healthy - Moving Ása Katrín Bjarnadóttir, Iceland

The heart of Ártúnshöfði

“A village in the city where everything is close by, people can live car free and

Sustainable Urban Landscape

slow down their everyday life.”

26

In modern society time is at the essence and as we add on more and more responsibilities we often find it hard to prioritize our physical and mental health.

However we will always need to get to places and if every trip we take requires physical activity we kill two birds with one stone. The municipality has already started this process and plans on being a world-class cycling city in the future where car traffic will be reduced immensely. Ártúnshöfði is an excellent location for that kind of neighbourhood. Nature is present in the Icelandic landscape everyday. The ocean and the mountains keep constant visual connections with the inhabitants making nature’s not just a key element in the urban fabric, but also a psychological energy source.

In

Ártúnshöfði you have your basic foundations for a diverse public life.

It’s a place where you work, where your kids get education, where you meet your neighbours in the hot pots to discuss the weather. It’s also a destination for visitors who want to enjoy swimming in the ocean, visit galleries, restaurants or just to take a walk in nature. Ártúnshöfði will not only be a neighbourhood where people are healthier and happier it will also become a neighbourhood that celebrates all the different weather conditions and rewires how Icelanders think of their own climate so that they will be more connected to the nature that surrounds them and appreciate all it’s variety in every condition.

Master plan 1:2000

Building typology

SUDes 2021

Courtyard section

Nature at your fingertips

27

Reconnect The Landscape Chia-Yu Chang, Taiwan

MASTER PLAN

“Bring back the nature and have

Sustainable Urban Landscape

a healthy life!”

28

With the development of tourism and the increasing demand for housing, as well as the need for public transportation, the site must be re-developed into a mixed-use area that not only undertakes the urban and suburban areas, but also connects the natural environment and the built environment.

Three big themes— Move, Stay, and relax—knit it all together, showing how to bring nature to the city, provide transportation choices, create places to linger and savor. The plan will not only connect each district and bring new street life, but also renew and expand green space into urban life.

This project will provide thousands of new residents and workers with connection to the green corridor and waterfront. The new district will create a strong heart for the entire area, as well as a transit-supported new community that fulfills the progressive goals to put more people close to BRT. The

development provides much needed housing, retail and cultural facilities, an innovation district with employment opportunities, an urban school, and a green network. With inhabitants, workers and numerous visitors, the site will become RJV’s vibrant community with beautiful landscape, as well as a leading example of sustainable, highintensity development that maintains and enhances quality of life for all.

REGIONAL PLAN

FUNCTION

PUBLIC SPACE

Grafarholt

city center

sea & mountains

GREEN HOUSE

1.5m

3m

3m

8m

3m

3m

SUDes 2021

6.5m SECTION OF BRT STOP

29

The Cyan Border David Hörnblad, Sweden

MASTERPLAN 1:2000

The final piece of the puzzle along the river Ellidaa, continuity and progress

Sustainable Urban Landscape

combined.

30

Through continuity and landscape planning the area is given both a unique identity among its peers, as well as a good foundation to withstand any of the natural events that are a predominant issue, such as soil degradation and erosion. The different biotopes make for a new piece of the blue corridor that is Ellidaa, and embraces the river’s image as a gathering spot for recreational activities and ties to traditions of old.

By reducing parking and street scale to a minimum, reliance on the BRT will be a paramount part of living in Artunshöfdi.

Its inhabitants can find all the qualities from reykjavik center within walking distance from their home, enabling an active social life.

The housing is updated to match modern requirements, with reduced footprints both of site and of size.

Coupled with grouping single family housing into row- or linehouses the cost of maintenance is reduced and

reinforces a stronger social structure for the modern people of Reykjavik.

Through enhancing the connections to and from our site I hope both to make available the inherent qualities that would exist within our borders, as well as encourage the people living here to venture out and make use of the connecting districts.

Continuing on the built environment, Artunshöfdi is allowed to build its own identity, through buildings, functions and specializations. The only requirements to be part of the district is to let go of owning your car, and exchanging your current way of living in solitary houses.

In the end, I hope that my proposal would be a nourishing base for future development, and allow for a diverse spectrum of interests to work and thrive within its regions.

DIAGRAM WATER

DETAIl PLAN 1:500

DIAGRAM BRT

DIAGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE

VISUALIZATION STREET

VISUALIZATION WATERSCAPE

SUDes 2021

SECTION CLIFFSIDE

31

TURFICTION Ghada Shaaban, Egypt

Water body Keep building New buildings BRT Line Cycling line Vehicle roads Pedestrian roads Public square Semi public Shared courtyard Private garden

Master Plan-Ártúnshöfði, Reykjavik

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Re-think with the turf house!

32

The”Turfiction” which is “turf-fiction” is the act of remembering the principles, growth, warmth and well-being of the turf house and imagining how to bring and develop those principles back.

The project focuses on improving connection, typologies and ecology.

The aim is to transform the industrial area and landfills of Artúnshöfði into a flexible, walkable, well-integrated and healthy pattern of the urban area that is more connected to the residential surroundings and the city center of Reykjavík and creates proximity to the stunning landscape both from public spaces and new volumes. The new streets link the dramatic topography of the hedge. They are designed to synchronize with city line (BRT) plans and improve the capacity and relations to the new street network. At the same time, the hedge itself works as a buffer zone between the high and low density buildings. Turfiction aims for creating a green network of bioswale, green roofs, walls, greenhouses and rain gardens

to integrate greenery into the urban environment to create biodiversity, social events and ecological balance.

Various sizes of housing typologies are provided to fulfil the needs of families, individuals and childless families.

Creating qualitative experience through sustainable stormwater management and good microclimate solutions such as using local heat absorbing materials such as Icelandic stone wool and pitched green roofs.

THE HEDGE IS CONNECTING AND ENGAGING

Reconnecting landscape layers

Embracing the fluidity and improve stormwater Improving connectivity and public transit

Create flexible and healthy typologies

SECTION

SUDes 2021

STRATEGY

33

Ártúnshöfði Að Eilífu Hugo Settergren, Sweden

PICTURE DESCRIPTION

“At Ártúnshöfði, the streets are for the people, the food is produced locally and the urban life in harmony with nature”

The climate crisis expresses itsef diffrently all over the world, but one thing is sure - a new type of permanence needs to be established.

This proposal of Ártúnshöfði is planned with permaculture principles in mind to adress the following challenges facing the site, Reykjavík and Iceland:

Sustainable Urban Landscape

1. Shifting away from fossil-fuels 2. Securing self-sufficiency of essentials like fresh food and water 3. Restoration and protection of local wildlife habitats from pollution and exploitation

34

Firstly, the proposal builds upon the already planned BRT which gets a “fasttrack” over the estruary along with a sheltered bicycle-highway. The design is made for mixed & slow mobility , making the neighbourhoods safer, less noisy and more friendly to human activities such as community farming.

Secondly, the urban morphology contains alot of space for food cultivation

in the courtyards and in rooptop greenhouses. A geothermal heating system extrends the growing season and also makes it possible to cultivate a wider range of species. Generating a yield is encouraged in all green spaces within close dwelling proximity, such as ‘food forests’ and herb gardens (in appropriate microclimate).

Lastly, the wider landscape and wildlife holds the proposal together. Green/ blue interventions on the shoreline and below the ridge protects animal and plant life from pollution while offering a wider range of habitats such as coastal wetlands, bushlands and meadows. This land, below the ridgeline, is estimated to be at risk during stormwater floodings, making a fruther argument to keep this vegetated and unexploited as a buffer zone for the elements.

Urban life in harmony with nature, for the survival of future generations.

DETAIL PLAN

SUDes 2021

THE BRIDGE LANDS ON THE RIDGE (SECTION)

2021

2071

35

36

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

2071 - MASTERPLAN

37

Vatn-Höfði Joel Lopez, Ecuador

BRT STATION IN UPPER AREA IN 2025; LOWER AREA STREETSCAPE IN 2050

“Climate change challenge us to design cities which can withstand flooding & sea level rise.

Water might come and go, but who knows if it’s here to stay and virtually wipe Artúnshöfði Sustainable Urban Landscape

out of the map back again”

38

Iceland is a country where landscape has a starring place like no other.

Artúnshöfði is a unique site in Reykjavik because it’s only here where you can find the union between fresh and sea water.

A landscape analysis sees water as the specificity of the site, along with rugged topography, mountainous backgrounds and a privileged location.

However, the closeness to water will bring future challenges. Iceland is on the verge of the Arctic circle, where temperature rises faster than anywhere on Earth, and coastal and riverside areas face risk of flooding from the rivers and sea level rise, higher tides and increased rainfall due to glacier melting.

The vision is to develop a sustainable urban design in Reykjavik exploring how to ensure water-resilient spatial qualities through time, how to interact with water and embrace landscape in such coastal and riverside areas.

Vatn-Höfði is an urban design project developing in 4 phases: 1. Human scale the district (2021-2023): A new street network follows topography.

This network also constitutes a water management system and it’s accessible to cars in a minimal extent, with pedestrian and cycling priority.

2. Let the nature back in (2023-2025): Höfði’s green heart is strategically located in a topographical connection; it starts growing to the neighbouring blocks to finally extend into the cliff.

3. Time to densify (2025-2032): The arrival of the first BRT line kickstarts the development along the line and continues in three steps.

4. Give back to the city (2032-2040…): The second BRT line arrives and the district is ready to contribute to the city in livability, productivity and public space while exploring water resiliency.

process plan

MASTER PLAN ON 2050: 4M SEA LEVEL RISE

1

2

3

4

Human scale the district 2021-2023

Let nature back in 2023-2025

Time to densify 2025-2032

Give back to the city

existing streets

green heart

new streets net.

BRT, Line 1

build. phase 1 build. phase 2 build. phase 3

2032-2040… anti-flood decks recovered soil preserved build.

SUDes 2021

SECTION ON 2050: 4M OF SEA LEVEL RISE

39

Bringing-back Future Kateřina Rybínová, Czech Republic

SEA BATH AT THE WATERFRONT

“Inspired by sustainable times of historical settlements; Icelandic bustabær and

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Norwegian klyngetun.”

40

The project aims to create a new district within the city of Reykjavík, which would contribute to a transformation of Icelanders’ everyday behaviour towards healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

Based on historical formation of cluster settlements, four new car-free districts are to be developed, which is possible due to a new public transport line. Districts are varying in function, surrounded by nature, accessible and coherent.

Landscape played an important role within the design process, as natural habitats are reinforced and settlements are formed by the existing landscape conditions. An intense reforestation is planned, implementing ideas of a permacultural food forest. The greenblue infrastructure connects existing green corridors on a regional scale.

Small-scale typology with open courtyard gathers around a greenhouse.

The main idea is to support community sense, improve microclimate and create diverse spatial organization to let nature and public life flow through the whole place.

To enhance public life, a waterfront area is transformed into a cultural centre with its silo and a new sea bath, intending to positively influence mental health; old barracks are transformed into an activity centre, celebrating movement, sport a health.

MASTERPLAN

STRATEGIES

SUDes 2021

TYPOLOGY

41

Pioneering in Ártúnshöfdi Katharina Deisting, Austria

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

“Think Global -

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Act in Ártúnshöfdi!”

42

Relating to the increasing number of tourists coming to Iceland every year (over 2 million in 2019) I want to lead the way to sustainable tourism. The choice of transport is a crucial aspect to that, creating a wooden path that follows the existing Ring road and leads through Ártúnshöfdi will therefore be the first implemented project. Ártúnshöfdi will become a pioneer for sustainable development and community living in Iceland, attracting and teaching tourists from all over the world and influencing how they will treat Iceland on their stay. The path will also cross one of the main public spaces by the new sea bath situated at the bay of the area, securing the heritage as bathing is deeply anchored in the roots of Iceland.

Another lighthouse project will be the Ecoduct connecting the area to the nature reserve in the south and minimizing the effect of “Vesturlandsvegur” in the south that is passed by more than 100.000 cars every day. This will improve the whole region as this green connection will be a missing link for the Green Belt the municipality of Reykjavik aims for and will ensure the protection of the existing natural heritage.

N MASTERPLAN 1:2000

ICE SKATING

SECTION MAIN SQUARE

CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS

OPEN AIR CINEMA

ZOOM IN MAIN SQUARE

SUDes 2021

ART EXHIBITION

43

Reconnecting Ártúnshöfði Lisa Lödén, Sweden

MASTER PLAN

“Iceland is well-known for its big, dramatic landscapes, but this landscape is often more of a backdrop than actually integrated in the urban every-

Sustainable Urban Landscape

day life.”

44

Iceland is well-known for its big, dramatic landscapes, but this landscape is often more of a backdrop than actually integrated in the urban everyday life. In a regional perspective, the capital area is missing important green connections, both between recreational areas and between green and built structures. My project therefore investigates how the landscape can be better integrated with the urban context on different scales.

What roles can the landscape play in varying typologies of private, semiprivate and public spaces?

Today, the Ártúnshöfði area is mainly car oriented, with a low relation to the human scale. However, interesting industrial landmarks, the proposed BRT and a beautiful surrounding landscape give the site great potential.

My landscape strategy is therefore to strengthen connections between the built environment, public transportation and green/blue assets, and use existing landmarks as catalysts for the proposed

development of the site.

The proposed masterplan offers a variation of building typologies, which are gradually shifting from more to less urban as moving away from the BRT. Going further down in scale, I have identified two key places by the old hangar and the silo. The hangar is partly broken through by a park structure connecting to the BRT in one end and the surrounding landscape in the other, whereas the silo together with a system of canals and sloping wooden stairs is used to make the waterfront more accessible. Together, these key places are thus used as symbols of the main concept of the proposal: the reconnection between the built and the landscape.

PERSPECTIVE OF THE AREA AROUND THE HANGAR

Urban block

Waterfront block

More urban/ higher density

Block in landscape

Low-rise structure

Row houses

Less urban/lower density

ZOOM IN SECTIONS OF THE COURTYARDS AND STREETSCAPES

SUDes 2021

TYPOLOGIES

45

46

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

DETAIL PLAN

47

Artúnshöfði, the everyday experience Marina Comojo Soto, Argentina

PERSPECTIVE

“Artúnshöfði, the everyday experience, aims to appeal to this caring spirit by placing human and ecological systems at the center of the project.”

Sustainable Urban Landscape

.

48

Wildness and extreme climate have historically penetrated not only in the urban but also in the identities of locals.

Nature has shaped everyday life and developed a sense of belonging and care not just of the marvelous nature but community.

Artúnshöfði, the everyday experience, aims to appeal to this caring spirit by placing human and ecological systems at the center of the project.

Following the regional strategy principles around mobility and starting with the Borgarlína as the flagship of the project, the main idea is to create a walkable network supported by an everyday infrastructure that bridges the lower and upper areas of the site.

The everyday infrastructure concept refers to the social and economic infrastructure that allows running life at the neighborhood scale.

Also in line with the regional strategy, food production is central in the everyday life. Gardening areas, as well as places of care, are knitted by the everyday network along the cliff and constitute spaces of meeting.

The project aims to appeal to this community spirit by encouraging gathering and exchange. To this end, the idea is to challenge the dominant private-public division. The interaction between private, collective, and public spaces have been investigated and configured in different ways.

PROCESS PLAN

GREEN AND BLUE STRUCTURE

EVERYDAY NETWORK

SUDes 2021

BRT STRUCTURE

SECTIONS

49

Locavore Town Momoko Kotani, Japan

SITE PLAN

“grow locally and eat locally for a healthy lifestyle in Reykjavik, Iceland!”

The main challenges in this project are health issues, such as mental illness, diet issues and lack of exercise. Furthermore, the situation of food import, the balance of nutrition and domestic food transportation, result in the issues of diet in Reykjavik, for example, low food self-sufficiency (especially vegetable and fruit), and lack of food production in the capital region.

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Therefore, the vision of this project is to provide a healthy lifestyle in Reykjavik.

To overcome the challenges, the project will promote urban agriculture, biodiversity and active/ public transport.

50

Urban Agriculture To become a food self-sufficient city, food production on several scales is essential. Under the condition of extreme weather in Iceland, the production of fruit and vegetable in greenhouses in urban areas, for example, residential and commercial areas will result in the supply of fresh fruit and vegetable,

which will improve the balance of nutrition and promote a healthier diet.

Moreover, small or middle scale urban agriculture will be an opportunity for education and community building.

Also, the food production in urban areas will reduce transportation.

Biodiversity In addition to urban agriculture, the improvement of biodiversity at the roadside, street and former industrial areas will also help better mental health, community building and education.

Active/Public Transport The attractions near or at BRT stop will encourage the use of public transport.

The connectivity through Reykjavik is adequate, however, the quality of street for cyclists and pedestrian is poor.

Therefore, the improvement with green structure, appropriate width of cycle lanes and pavement will allow people to shift from the use of private cars to active transport or public transport.

BUILDING TYPOLOGY

The Urban Farm

SUDes 2021

SECTION AT A BRT STOP

51

Iceland Gems Mutaz Alabtah, Jordan

The lagoon geothermal pool

“A destination for visitors and Icelanders to enjoy what Icelan-

Sustainable Urban Landscape

dic spectacular nature offers.”

52

The project aims to connect surrounding natural areas around Ártúnshöfði again through six major guidelines: -Promote coexistence between human and green structure.

-Plan a storm water attenuation and water farming network.

-Build with topography.

-Response to the municipality future plans for the area.

-Enhance urban and roof agriculture (institutional and individual).

-Generate recreational and social hubs that promotes Iceland nature and Icelanders’ life style.

Project Phases; The project will be developed in 4 phases; -Phase 01- BRT line and attractions: This phase will focus on establishing the BRT line through the area, using guided bus rails. Also introducing the first two hubs, The lagoon geothermal pool and the botanical garden.

-Phase 02- Mixed used neighborhoods i: Densifying the areas surrounding the BRT line, especially the areas over the ridge taking municipality plan into consideration.

-Phase 03- Mixed used neighborhoods ii: Densifying the areas in the landfill areas with respect to water runoff and sea level rise in water front areas.

-Phase 04- Dream Phase: This phase will happen when people realize the importance of slow production and start to depend less on the cars, then food forests and local products can be promoted, areas will be reforesting and nature can be back again to Ártúnshöfði and the whole Iceland, which is the real Iceland hidden gem!

Site plan

BRT Line Details

SUDes 2021

Proposed density

53

54

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

WATERFRONT DECK AREA

55

Re-Life

Niloufar Amirsoleimani, Iran

Overall Plan 1:2000

“Revealing the potential opportunities of existing challenges is the pivotal driver of this project.”

Following the expansion of Rejkevik, Artunshöfði area shaped and considered as a fringe part of city that brought many industrial activities and land fields to the area which have contaminated soil and damaged natural environment.

Also, it has caused expansion of the car paths and neglecting pedestrian paths in the area.

Sustainable Urban Landscape

Besides aforementioned items harsh climate of Iceland, lack of sun exposure, and intense topography of the site are general challenges.

56

To revival the area, the contaminated soil should be treated, and the site should be clear of the landfills and industrial waste. Providing residential and commercial buildings in safe lands and treatment of contaminated part, strengthen the common edge of the site with its surroundings and providing public and sustainable transportation will be first strategies.

To optimize the result of these proceedings the climate condition and enhancing sun exposure should not been forgotten.

Since, the private car usage is very popular in Reykjavik and municipality has planned BRT System development, making car free spaces, providing wind protected pedestrian and bicycle paths, locating mixed used parking buildings out of car free areas, bolding BRT station characters and providing quick access from residential area to the BRT stations will be efficient in terms of public transportation usage.

Detailed Plan 1:500

Section B-B 1:200

SUDes 2021

Section A-A 1:200

57

Artúnskastali Philipp Westhauser, Austria

Wetlands view towards city

”Like an Oarsman: Moving Forward, Looking Backwards Towards the Past”

Sustainable Urban Landscape

- Stig L. Andersson

58

Fishing and whaling were the main sources of survival for centuries. The warm and salty sidearm of the gulf stream meeting freshwater from polar melting, underwater thermal spring & the continental shelf are best conditions for Phytoplankton - the basis for the rich underwater and aerial wildlife.

Nowadays, tourism and the energy industry have been joined fishing as driving forces. Large corporations, for example from the aluminum industry or cryptocurrency farms, are reliant on the “renewable” cheap energy from the hydropower of melting glaciers.

Artúnshöfði is a former industrial area between the highway and the sea. The outflow of the river has been reduced in recent decades by landfills.

Currently, more free building land is being created in the north of the area.

For a sustainable city we must stop this!

Handing the land in the east below the cliff back to the nature, will create a habitat for a lot of species in the outflows of the River Elliðaárdalur. The wetlands will be a safety mechanism for upcoming river flooding’s as well as a recreational area for the inhabitants.

The newest landfill in the north should be used for greenhouses to nourish the population of Ártúnskastali.

To counteract the increasing mental problems, it is very important to create social spaces where everybody feels welcome and can be part of it.

My vision is a nearly self-sufficient and livable city, with a proximity to the needs of daily life. Nature, sport activities, social Interaction and fresh food are on the doorstep.

Masterplan

Axonometry hangar park

SUDes 2021

Streetlife

59

The 3 strings of Artunshofdi Tereza Říhová, Czech Republic

PERSPECTIVE OF BIOVILLAGE COURTYARD

CONNECT different areas COMMUNICATE between build and natural

Sustainable Urban Landscape

AND

60

CONSERVATE what is already existing

Iceland has one of the most breath taking landscape in the world. You can feel its presence whenever you are. But even though there is always strong visual connection that doesnt mean that the nature in Iceland is easily accessible.

Car dependancy became a big issue on Iceland and causes a lot of problems that we can track all over the country and Reykjavik is not an exception. Missing connections between build and natural but also missing connections between build structure itself.

Since the whole population is so reliable on their cars there became a trend of merging functions into small clusters which are surrounded by big streets and parking lots.

This cause that the city as a whole is not walkable and there is missing conection between resident and its surrounding.

Artunsfhofdi i sone of those cases and since it is just in the center of Reykjavik it has huge potential for improvement.

The 3 C strings of Artunshofdi describes 3 main problems that can be applied from the biggest scale to the smallest one. It is connection, communication and conservation.

Connection is not only roads and cars, but mainly about connecting different areas between each other so you have the opportunity to walk, bike or use public transportation without feeling the need of taking a car.

Communication between people, natural and build and different areas. Places in between witch provides you the possibility to také a breath, rest and enjoy your surroundings.

And conservation, as it was mentiones, landscape is huge theme on Iceland and it should be protected and preserved.

Artunshofdi has history full of soil and damaging but i tis also connected to natural park with salmon river which should be one of the main characteristics of newly developing area.

PERSPECTIVE OF NEW PARK AROUND OLD HANGARS AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL CAR-PARKING HOUSE

SUDes 2021

AXONOMETRY OF THE SITE

61

62

Sustainable Urban Landscape

SUDes 2021

MASTERPLAN

63

Collective Comminities Varvara Maria Politi, Greece

Vision Collage, Collective Courtyards

“Grown Community: We grow, we plant and we maintain, so we can share consume and

Sustainable Urban Landscape

appreciate”

64

Iceland defined by the word nature and what nature means? In that context nature means endless mountains and raw landscape embraced by the people are living there and been nurtured very carefully. Exploring the site through out my project, I envision collective communities based on the culture and applying collective courtyards as a micro scale to an endless nature that people protecting. The first step is to express the site as I see it and then apply elements that would transform Artunshofdi as a lively and sustainable place for everyone.

With the main goal of plant, grow and maintain the residents of the area will have the purpose to protect and care of their own little nature but with respect to a bigger scale of viewing the water, and the surrounding wild landscape.

The topography of Artunshofdi can be dramatic in several spots, and there instead of difficulty I see potential towards the views, wind and natural

sunlight.

Horum, finatrarit fita dius; iam paritrum, nonsitr atiquodis lare, egero Cat rem ius mena, nos morum silinve nsignon telicia edinimus re consigna, quod nos sti, noculostem sultor incestra ve, quamquam con serec revidiendis.

Ahalicatum duc vit.

Overall I see how important is to engage the indoor and outdoor scape with programs, but also to give the possibility to the residents to use the outdoor spaces for growing their plants during the winter too. With different typology of buildings including high and small scale, people can choose what fit best for them. If their needs can be adjust to a bigger community gardens or their private ones.

Masterplan. Scale 1:2500

Section Courtyards

Perspectives and programming

Collective library

Entertainment areas

Glass houses

Diagrams, Perspectives, Plan

SUDes 2021

Bike workshops

65

Open the borders, soften the edges Vinícius Ferreira de Oliveira, Brazil

ÁRTÚNSHÖFDI MASTERPLAN 1:2000

“No borders, a truly connected

Sustainable Urban Landscape

neighborhood!”

66

Ártúnshöfði: open the borders, soften the edges is in Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital. However, the site did not carry the representative aspects of Iceland, such as tiny colorful houses and impressive landscape. Ártúnshöfði was an industrial area not connected with the urban fabric and surroundings.

The proposal turns the area as part of an integrated system of public transportation, leisure, and easy access to the water. The aim is a dense neighborhood, with vegetation and a system of public spaces integrated to people’s daily life, turning the ground floor lively.

There are some structural axes in the project, one of them is the BRT line, part of bigger plan lead by the municipality.

Along this street the density is higher than the surroundings, facilitating the access to public transport and highlighting its urbanity. Squares are framed by buildings with housing,

retail, and some offices, creating local urban nodes. The levels differences are an asset, facilitating accessibility, introducing urban elevators, ramps, and pedestrian bridges.

A new park next to the shore besides integrating the courtyards, pedestrianized streets, and spaces of encounter, also control the water levels during floods. Ártúnshöfði is open to the city.

PEDESTRIANIZED STREET

FLOOD PARK

SUDes 2021

SECTION FLOOD PARK AND RESIDENCES 1:200

67

A LANDSCAPE PERSPECTIVE Wendy Hernandez, Mexico

MASTER PLAN

“A merge between the landscape and the built fabric by integrating the blue-green qualities, the new development, the future BRT

Sustainable Urban Landscape

system and key places”.

68

Iceland is defined by its spectacular landscape with volcanoes, hot springs and lava fields.

And during the two investigation phases, the qualities that already exist in the area and of course the threats and weaknesses were identified. The design strategy is based on three nuclei: people, nature and resources and although the three nuclei are united, it is nature that led the entire project.

The main idea was to achieve a merge between the landscape and the built fabric and this was possible by first linking the blue-green qualities, second by integrating the new development, the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system and the secondary streets (with pedestrian and bike perspective) and finally creating key places.

In this way, it is possible to maintain the existing vegetation in the area and give it more space and create connections with other ecosystems. Another objective is to protect the coastline through implementing natural drainage networks and the use of an intertidal structure (that improve and protect the habitats of birds and fish).

The key places and infrastructure allow accessibility and proximity to daily destinations and a variety of spaces with different character to create lively areas with constant activity (school, sports center, visitor center, greenhouse market), connected through green corridors.

Finally, three facilities that function as part of a large system: the waste and recycling facility (promote awareness about avoiding packaging, reuse, recycle, buy local products) the biogas plant and the greenhouse market (biomass nutrition for indoor agriculture).

COAST LINE PROTECTION - CREATION OF INTERTIDAL HABITATS

URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY

SECTION 1

SUDes 2021

SECTION 2

69

Ártúnshöfði -An Icelandic Pastoral Yifeng Xie, China

Materplan

“My project aims at exploring the possibilities that reshapes tough natural environment to provide more livabilities for

Sustainable Urban Landscape

human beings.”

70

As we have known,Iceland is a country with tough natural environment with frequent flood and vocalno activities.

Besides that, Iceland is also a country with very limited trees and soil.So my proposal is to consider Ártúnshöfði as a driver,by the help of nature itself to change the natural environment.The ultimate goal is make iceland a country with prosperous land and forest,which is something Icelanders never had in their homeland before.

Before getting into that,I studied the local water system and realized that they were connected by the melting glaciers,meanwhile, greenery plays an important role when controlling the amount of surface water flow.So I consider Blue & Green system as this key element in entire landscape strategy.

Changing the water system could benefits Iceland from several aspects,for instance, the migranting fish and birds, sea level rising and flood,the green

strcuture,etc.

I achieve this strategy by opening up a new channel in Ártúnshöfði.This act would benefit the site in many ways.As time goes by,the nefits would appear.

When talking about the affect on local resident’s daily life.The most obvious one is that local people would be given the chance to grow their own vegetables and push local agriculture. Eventhough local residents doesn’t seems to like trees as the interview shows,but Trees are playing an important role in mental health and improving the qualities of living environment.

To sum up,designing a natural oriented neighbourhood,when mentioning natural oriented,I mean introducing an eco system circulates internally,can provide many different qualities of local life.

Axonometric for Costal Area

Street View of Costal Area

SUDes 2021

Section for Costal Area

71

Terraforming Landscapes Zacharias Malmberg, Sweden

MASTERPLAN

“From an asphalt wasteland to

Sustainable Urban Landscape

a green urban habitat.”

72

At the core of ‘Terraforming landscapes’ are questions of what a human habitat might look like, how can we create an urban area that is conducive to a healthy way of living? But also, as we are dependent on the landscapes we live within, how do they reflect in our built structures? And how do we balance this with other larger trends and problems that Iceland is facing? Problems such as soil degradation, dependence on fossil fuels for transportation, and a larger decline in mental and physical wellbeing. This is what the project attempted to explore.

Artúnshöfði is an area that in the process of being developed for industry lost many of the landscape’s positive natural qualities. The vision for a future Artúnshöfði is then to reintegrate and strengthen the landscape’s natural elements within the area. And to do so through a process of terraforming, where the built structure grows throughout the area alongside the green

structure.

The end goal is an urban area that still inhibits and reflects many of the landscape’s positive qualities. With built structures that interact with the topography and creates courtyards with space for play or community farming.

An area where interaction with nature is a part of everyday life, and with a green network that supports recreation and activity throughout corridors and parks. A place with active areas that gives people the opportunity to connect with others in either city life, park life or in baths by the waterfront. Everything a person needs to live a healthy life, always within the distance of a pleasant walk.

VISUALIZATION OF THE MAIN PUBLIC SQUARE

green space 50,5 m

courtyard 32,5 m

BRT path 20,7 m

green path 9,8 m

courtyard 21,7 m

semi-public courtyard 27,6 m

green corridor 22,9 m

rooftop greenhouses

sedum roof

sitka spruce black cotton wood rowan

downy birch

SECTION TROUGH A SLOPED LANDSCAPE

EXAMPLE COURTYARDS

SUDes 2021

BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

73 EXAMPLES OF COURTYARD COMPOSITIONS

STRUCTURES IN LANDSCAPE

Sustainable Urban Landscape 2021

Ax:son Johnson Institute for Sustainable Urban Design Lund University

Sustainable Urban Design Master’s Program School of Architecture Lunds Tekniska Högskola P.O. Box 124, 221 00 Lund, Sweden +46 46 222 00 00 www.stadsbyggnad.lth.se

Lund University P.O. Box 117, 221 00 Lund, Sweden +46 46 222 00 00

Sustainable Urban Landscape

www.lunduniversity.lu.se

74

Published February 2022

75

SUDes 2021