Master Dissertation of Vina Lestari

ÁSTY AND KHÔRA Filling the Extra Small Voids Through Unexpected Appropriations That Generate Community in Lille, France Master Dissertation

by Vina Lestari

COLOPHON This thesis was written as part of the Architecture: Resilient and Sustainable Strategies master program at KU Leuven campus Sint-Lucas, Ghent, Belgium.

Title: ÁSTY AND KHÔRA: Filling the Extra Small Voids Through Unexpected Appropriations That Generate Community in Lille, France Date: 18 June 2018 Author: Vina Lestari Master’s program Architecture: Resilient and Sustainable Strategies Faculty of Architecture KU Leuven campus Sint-Lucas Ghent Student number: 0606366 Vina.lestari@student.kuleuven.be Promotor: Tomas Ooms Faculty of Architecture KU Leuven campus Sint-Lucas Ghent Master Program: Architecture: Resilient and Sustainable Strategies University: KU Leuven campus Sint-Lucas Ghent Faculty of Architecture Hoogstraat 51 9000 Ghent, Belgium © 2018 by Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven campus Sint-Lucas, Hoogstraat, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission. All images are © the artists, reproduced with the kind permission of the artists and/or their representatives.

ÁSTY AND KHÔRA Filling the Extra Small Voids Through Unexpected Appropriations That Generate Community in Lille, France Master Dissertation

by Vina Lestari

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to express my gratitude to my master dissertation promotor, Tomas Ooms. Without his continuous enthusiasm, encouragement and support, this study would have hardly been completed.

I would like to thank Ward Swillens and Wouter Bouchez, for the supportive and constructive discussions throughout the entire process of the dissertation.

Last but not least, I am deeply grateful for my family and friends who have been nothing but supportive and caring during my study.

ÁSTY AND KHÔRA Brief Summary

Lille - one of the post-industrial cities in Europe- has a rich history of urban development. If most European cities grow outwards from the city center, Lille is the exception, in the past the city expanded by its quartiers (neighborhoods).

The city was once well known for its agriculture sector, especially food and textile. Its industrial sector thrived even more after the French industrial revolution but the Great Depression began to slow it down until the 1960s when the decline of investment in machinery resulted in the fall of the sector. This shifted Lille’s economic direction towards the tertiary sector.

While in the present day, the only evidence of the city’s fortification is the Citadelle, back in the past the entire city was fortified. The decommisioning of the fortification at the end of the 1920s created a vast space for the upcoming urban development.

The shift of the economy into the service industry at one point brought a ‘new chapter’ to Lille’s urban development. Until today, the first project, Euralille 1 - a TGV station - remains as one of the most important projects as it not only bore Lille’s ambition to ‘rebrand’ the post-industrial self but also has become the prime project to reflect on.

Through a thorough study on Lille’s urban development projects, one acknowledged the change of direction in design approach through time - how every project seems to reflect on the previous ones and gain consciousness towards its surrounding and the city.

One significant case is the development of the former freight station Gare Saint-Sauveur by Gehl Architects. In explaining the winnning concept, David Sim had viewed the railyard of Saint-Sauveur as a hole in the city - an extra large one, the one that is never enough just to be patched but to be woven back into the fabric of the city.

Sim’s way of thinking in his Saint-Sauveur project triggered one on how to perceive the empty spaces in the Ásty and Khôra of Lille: as holes in the city - the extra small ones that needs to be filled (scale compared to almost every urban development project in Lille). Inspired by Sim, one also recognizes the needs to find the threads of all the streets and the structures of the city in order to recreate its intertwined urban setting.

Ásty and Khôra is an exploration of how to fill extra small voids within the city on two different settings: the city center (Ásty) and the periphery (Khôra). It investigates if a community can be generated by public space which has the prospect of indeterminancy. Undetermined, so that the space could allow unexpected appropriation - the freedom to use the space for various spontaneous activities that will inspire other activities to happen - the possibility of endless stimulating experience.

The idea of generating a community as the objective of this project is possible to achieve by the use and share of public space (public space as the ‘common interest’, also known as the ‘urban commons’) that might lead to the increasing sense of belonging towards public space and the growth of sense of community amongst the users.

CONTENT 01 INTRODUCTION

02 LILLE: THE CHRONICLE AND CONTEXT History Urban Development

03 ÁSTY AND KHÔRA: THE CONCEPT & SPATIAL MANIFESTO Terminology Entanglement

The Future of a Network Spatial Exploration

04 DESIGN PROCESS: REASONING, STRATEGY & EXERCISE Theoretical Framework The Pimlott Experiment Inspiring Cases

Defining Program 05 THE FINAL INTERVENTION The Ásty The Khôra

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13 21

43 46 62 66

84 91 105 126

06 CONCLUSION

136 152

162

07

TIMELINE OF PRODUCTION

164

08

BIBLIOGRAPHY

174

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INTRODUCTION Background

If in other architecture master dissertations the location of the site is decided after thorough investigation, in my case, it is the other way around. The master dissertation began with determining the city that I would like to work on. It could be any city in the world, the most important thing was just that it had to be a city that I had never visited before.

I decided on Lille, a city in the northern part of France, just below the France-Belgium border. I found the city’s urban development interesting: the city has always been dealing with empty spaces - or voids - in various scales and through time there has been a shift in the design approach of the projects which main objective is to resolve these voids.

The master dissertation displays two extra small voids in Lille in two rather contrasting settings: the city center (Ásty) and the border (Khôra) which are intriguingly located two steps away from each other.

According to David Sim of Gehl Architects, whose firm took part in filling an extra large hole of Lille’s Gare Saint-Sauveur, just patching a hole in the city isn’t enough. One needs to find the threads of the city to ever recreate its fabric.

- Spatial observation, which is presented in a series of drawings that mostly showcase the unexpected appropriation of space.

The observation includes: - a zooming-in observation on both Ásty and Khôra in order to

comprehend the two different sites and their individual

context - a zooming-out observation which positions both sites as extra

small voids in the Lille’s public space network in order to

recognize the entanglement between the two

Methodologies

- Interviews, which are presented in both question-and-answer questionnaires, illustrations and analysed in a SWOT analysis - Data Collection and literature study

Research Questions

- Can community be generated by public space with the prospect of indeteminancy?

- Can public space with the prospect of indeterminancy generate unexpected appropriation - the freedom to use the space for various spontaneous activities to happen?

Objectives

- Filling the extra small voids within the city that generates a community - Creating public space with the prospect of indeterminancy that allows for unexpected appropriation

11

The city of Lille , (n.d.), digital image, Your Little Black Book. Available at: http://www.yourlittleblackbook.me/cityguide/lille/ 12

02

LILLE: THE CHRONICLE & CONTEXT History Urban Development Related Studies Inspiring Cases

History

Today, the only evidence of the Lille’s fortification is the Citadel, which now has become a tourist attraction. In the past, however, the entire city of Lille was fortified.

In total, the fortified wall of Lille had experienced seven consecutive extensions - aligned with the expansion of its quartier - which expanded the intramural space from 10 to 2,100 hectares in the period of 800 years (Mahieu, n.d.).

Based on L’histoire de Lille (Spes Nostra Heul, n.d.), in general there were several major events that caused the ‘voids’ within the city of Lille: - The decommissioning of the fortification that surrounded Lille in the 1920s which provides extensive new spaces for urban development - The change of the city’s canal network system which includes the coverage of some parts of the canal for infrastructure purpose - The urbanisation that followed the industrialisation of the outskirts area of Lille (now included in Lille) such as Fives, Wazemmes, and Moulins.

The following sequence of historical maps presented show the growth of the city and the emergence of ‘voids’ throughout centuries.

The map showcases the evolution of the fortification of Lille from the 11th to 19th century Carte représentant l’évolution du périmètre fortifié lillois du XIe au XIXe siècles, (n.d.), digital image, Lille D’Antan. Available at: http:// www.lilledantan.com/agrandissements.htm 13

1580 The map shows the early stage of the city’s fortification also the condition of the first two quartiers of Lille which include the Vieux-Lille and the Lille Center: 1. The old water network of Lille: Avenue du Peuple Belge (the location of åsty site) was still an open canal 2. The location of the Notre Dame de la Treille (not built yet)

Map of Lille, (1580), non-digital image. Available at: http://www. cartes-livres-anciens.com/productdetails.php?ssid=43&id=589&categorie=2 14

1 2

1715 The map shows the fortification of Lille

Lille, (1715), non-digital image. Available at: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ ark:/12148/btv1b8445424h 15

1822 The more detailed map of the two quartiers indicating the important buildings, properties, places, streets, etc. The former of Avenue du Peuple Belge shown on the map was still an open canal that functioned as a port.

Plan de Lille, (1822), non-digital image, Biston, V.J., Darnet, J.M., and Rousseau, P.F. (Author). Available at: http://gallica.bnf.fr/ 16

1871 After hundreds of years of insignificant change in the composition of the city, this map of Lille shows the expansion of Lille which consists of Vieux-Lille, Lille Center and the added quartiers: Vauban Esquermes, Wazemmes, Moulins Plan de Lille, (1871), non-digital image. Available at: http://gallica. bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8445206w 17

1950 Map of Lille: decommisioned of the fortification and the coverage of parts of the city’s canal network for infrastructure (now is Avenue du Peuple Belge) Cartes 1950. (n.d.), non-digital image. https://www.geoportail.gouv. fr/carte/?c=3.070678,50.63033827758592&z=15&l0=ORTHOIMAGERY.ORTHOPHOTOS:WMTS(1)&l1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN25TOUR:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes 18

1950-1965 Aerial picture of Lille (the now covered canalisations of the ‘Asty’ are circled in red).

Photographies aériennes 1950-1965. (n.d.), digital image.

Available at: https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte/?c=3.07067 8,50.63033827758592&z=15&l0=ORTHOIMAGERY.ORTHOPHOTOS:WMTS(1)&l1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS. SCAN25TOUR:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes 19

2010 Map of the larger Lille Metropolitan Area (center is circled) showing all large brownfields/industrial voids

Friches industrielles et pollutions historiques, (2010), digital image, Decock, C, Pacaux, M.. (Author) Available at: http://ddata. over-blog.com/0/00/49/42/pdf/Friches-industrielles-et-pollutions-historiques-LMCU-19-04-.pdf 20

Urban Development

Origins and historical growth

The first urban planning actions were initiated by the public authorities in the seventeenth century after the end of Spanish siege over Lille which works consisted of streets paving and a substantial number of building constructions: the Old Stock Exchange, the complex of l’Hospice Comtesse (Lille main hospital), and Dutch inspired row houses that can still be found in Old Lille.

The second wave followed before the end of the century and continued throughout the eighteenth century when Louis XIV commissioned the development of a new district facing the citadel. Nowadays, mansions and row-houses with similar height and facade could be spotted in this district.

In the ‘new city’, wide and long boulevards with bourgeouis buildings were constructed at the southern and western border of the ancient city where the fortification used to stand. (Mahieu, n.d.) This was also the period where important public buildings and university districts were built.

The next major operation was the enclosing of the canals for the road network. Neighborhoods which were included in this extensive works decided to evade, causing the illegal spread of housings in the proximity of the factories that was persistently growing.

In the twentieth century, the concern for the issue of destroyed buildings by both world wars emerged, together with the idea of heritage preservation (Duhamel, 2004). Saint-Sauveur district, which was one that had suffered the most, was partially dismantled for the construction of the new town hall in the 1920s. The second term of demolishment in the 1960s was for the purpose of opening new streets and modern housing estates.

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Current situation

Most medieval cities were built circularly around the city center. Lille, however developed around its various ‘quartiers’.

The first two historic quartiers were the Vieux-Lille (Old Lille) and the Lille-Center, which includes the expansion of the city from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. Then there were the quartiers from the annexations of the nineteenth century: the quartier of Bois Blancs, Vauban Esquarmes, Wazemmes, Lille-Moulins, Faubourg de Béthune, Lille-South, Saint-Maurice and Fives. In the twentieth century, Lille was incorporated with two towns: Hellemes to the east and Lomme to the west.

Disadvantaged neighborhoods comprise of a crescent shaped area stretched towards the southern part of the city and here and there also to the east and west. Included in this are the quartier of Moulins, Faubourg de Béthune and Lille-South which are classified as free urban zone (Zones Franches Urbaines - ZFU) and home to approximately 15% of Lille’s population. Except for Moulins, these quartiers struggled to succesfully develop despite the attempts by the municipality.

In contrast, the quartiers of Vieux Lille (Old Lille), Wazemmes and Saint-Maurice has undergone an exceptionally vital change. The cause of these improvements are varied: the aesthetic and historical value of Vieux Lille, the vibrant artistic life of Wazemmes and the new commercial and transportation facilities (e.g., Euralille, Gare de Lille-Europe) of Saint-Maurice Pellevoisin.

The Map of Lille’s Quartiers Division, (n.d.), digital image, Dolanca.

Available at: http://dolanca.free.fr/Marketing/plan-lille-et-quartiers. jpg 22

Fortifications, (n.d.), digital image, SPL Euralille.

Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/qui-sommes-nous.html 23

Pre-Euralille

(SPL Euralille, n.d.) The ancient fortification that once surrounded the city was demolished in 1919, resulting in over 275 hectars for future urban projects.

Accessibility

In the midst of the Industrial Revolution, railways and stations swarmed into the available space: - 1848: Passenger station (later Gare Lille Flanders) - 1865: Freight station Gare Saint-Sauveur The growth of road infrastructure: - 1932: the belt boulevard - 1950: the Lille-Arras motorway - 1960: ring roads The building developments: - 1933: Foire de Lille - 1934: l’Institut des Fluides (later Office national d’études et de recherches aérospatiales ONERA) - 1950-1960 : the HLM (Habitat Lille Métropole) buildings of Porte de Valenciennes

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Urban Development Projects

In actuality, there are more projects enlisted by the city of Lille in its official catalogue (Métropole Européenne De Lille, 2017). However, this segment only features several of them based on their relevance in the overview of shifts in design approach through time. All of the below mentioned large urban projects are undertaken by the Société Publique Locale (SPL), Euralille’s local public company who’s focus aims on the implementation of continuous and transversal urban projects, involving public partners, local authorities and urban communities.

Euralille 3000: Le Projet Sur La Carte, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Availabe at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/ euralille-1.html 25

Project: Euralille I

Architect: OMA Client: SAEM Euralille Year: 1989-1994 Status: Completed Program: Masterplan

Aerial view of Euralille 1, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille.

Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Aerial-view-of,Euralille-1-Orientation-to-the-north-on-the-right-SPL-Euralille-14_ fig3_273890122 26

Euralille, (n.d.), digital image, OMA. Available at: http://oma.eu/projects/euralille 27

The Commission

A masterplan which consists of more than 800,000 square meters of urban activities - a new TGV station, shopping, offices, parking, hotels, housing, a concert hall, congress - built on 120 hectares on the site of the former city fortifications by Vauban (OMA, n.d.).

Hypothesis

(Koolhas, R. and Mau, B.,1995) Lille was once well-known industrial activity before it suffered in 1960s and shifted the economy to the tertiary sector. The attempts to transform Lille - the post-industrial city - include: - a new tunnel between England and the continent of Europe - the TGV network (the one that will run through it) Lille as a strategic position: - center of gravity of... 50 million Western Europeans - intersection of major north-south & east west axis - minimize the importance of distance - reduce travel times

Euralille, (n.d.), digital image, OMA. Available at: http://oma.eu/ projects/euralille 28

“In this fin-de-siècle, ‘programs’ have become abstract in the sense that they are no longer connected to a place or a city; they float and gravitate opportunistically to that site which offers the highest number and quality of connection - which seems nearest to all other places.

In Lille, the new TGV line is projected on the location of the former fortifications now occupied by a proliferating periphérique. A gigantic futuristic project is imagined two steps from the historical centre, a hybrid condition - history and modernity - that allows the injection of peripheral activities near the heart of the city.”1

OMA, “Euralille”, OMA. Available at: http://oma.eu/projects/euralille.

(Accessed: 23 February 2018) 1

Euralille, (n.d.), digital image, OMA. Available at: http://oma.eu/ projects/euralille 29

Project: Euralille II Architect: François Leclercq Architectes Urbanistes (Delphine Baldé); Agence TER; Egis Aménagement.

Client: SAEM Euralille Year: 1999-2012 Total area: 22 ha Status: Completed Program: 52,000 sqm - Residentials 70,000 sqm - Offices 5,400 sqm - Commercials 13,000 sqm - Hotels 15,000 sqm - Amenities

Euralille 2: Le Projet Sur La Carte, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Availabe at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/ euralille-2.html 30

1. Le Bois Habité The Challenge

The existence of these rather huge networks of infrastructure resulted in a strange equation that draws a distorted map2 - Lille is viewed by its strategic location regard to Paris, London, or Brussels; leaving the local surroundings out of the consideration.

So, the real challenge is how to integrate all the very different scale elements of the site and generate a condition for coexistence : from the infrastructural to residential.

The Approach

Examine the infrastructures based on their potential, functions and use to define their relationship with the city, the environment, and simultaneously to each land parcels and its qualities in order to decide what would be the right program.

The project attempts to explore the city in all of its qualities. To build low (heightwise) and allow a proportion of vegetation. This becomes the essential element of the program and the morphological peculiarities of the city - creating a living forest.

Francois Leclercq Architectes Urbanistes (n.d.) Euralille 2, Le Bois Habité/ Lille. Available at: http://www.francoisleclercq.fr/index.php/ projets/view/villes-territoires/31.

(Accessed: 23 February 2018) 2

Euralille 2, Le Bois Habité/ Lille, (n.d.), digital image, Francois Leclercq Architectes Urbanistes. Available at: http://www.francoisleclercq.fr/index.php/projets/view/villes-territoires/31 31

2. Le Triangle Sud

(Spl-euralille, n.d.) Euralille 2 continues today on both sides of this new district. Le Triangle Sud (The southern triangle) hosts public institutions’ new premises: the National Center of Territorial Public Service (CNFPT) under construction and, soon, the Rectorate.

Timeline 2012 Beginning of the CNFPT project 2013 Decision to implement the Rectorate 2014 Installation of the CNFPT

Le Secteur La Carte, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/euralille-2/le-triangle-sud.html Le Secteur La Carte, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/euralille-2/le-triangle-sud.html 32

3. Le Champ Libre

To the north, between Lille Grand Palais and the Siège de Région (Regional Headquarters), Le Champ Libre is the extension of Lille Grand Palais which comprises of hotel, service and commercial programs. It is connected to the 1994’s Norexpo and accessible to the car parking space of Lille Grand Palais.

Timeline 2012 Start of the construction site1994 Lille Grand Palais implantation 2006 Establishment of the Regional Headquarters 2010 Beginning of reflections 2014 Selection of the operator / architect team 2015 Expected start of CNFPT projects

Le Secteur La Carte, (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/euralille-2/lechamp-libre.html Projet, (2011), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http://www. spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/euralille-2/le-champ-libre.html Projet, (2013), digital image, Dusapin-Leclercq. Available at: http:// www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/euralille-2/le-champ-libre. html 33

Project: Saint-Sauveur Architect: Gehl Architects Client: MEL, SPL-Euralille Year: 2013 - present Status: On going Total area: 23 ha Program: 300,000 sqm - Residentials 55,000 sqm - Offices 25,000 sqm - Commercials 20,000 sqm - Amenities

Le Secteur La Carte (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html Debut XXE (n.d.), digital image, SPL-Euralille. Available at: http:// www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html 34

The site project is a 23-hectare railway wasteland of Saint-Sauveur on the south east of Lille.

The existing old freight station building created a certain ‘disconnection’ to the city center. It is a rather sensitive site as it is located near the Moulins quartier which is classified as the disadvantaged neighborhood (Métropole Européenne De Lille, 2017).

The Challenge

As explained by David Sim (Gehl Architects) in his presentation titled ‘Lille - Saint Sauveur winning idea!’ (2013), the big challenge is how a hole in the city is filled. This brings the craft for urbanists. The railyard of Saint Sauveur amongst the fabric of the city, with its patterns of streets and buildings, is a big hole.

“It is not enough just to patch that, you really need to find the threads of all the streets and the structures that recreate the fabric of the city - to really connect everything together”3.

The Saint Saveur site has a distinctive rectangular shape with two chopped off corners and a viaduct of the metro which crosses the site. The first thing to acknowledge of this urban infrastructure site is that the railway separated the city from east to west.

D. Sim, Lille - Saint Sauveur winning idea!, Vimeo video, 06:43, posted by “Gehl - Making Cities for People”, 2013. https://vimeo. com/80261817 3

Photos Aériennes (2012), digital image, Bocquet. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html Existing Photo (2000), digital image, Vu D’en Haut. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html 35

Plan of Saint Saveur, (n.d.), digital image, E. Gehl. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/uploads/media/journal-concertation-saint-sauveur-octobre-2014.pdf 36

1.

There is already a little ‘life’ on the site in the shape of two existing railway shed buildings which everyone knows in Lille. In the blue sheds, we already have public space and life around them, in the scale that I’d call ‘metropolitan’. It relates to the university on the north side of the site; it’s near the town hall, the art museum and the big arena. These are the things that are like an urban metropolitan scale.

So what we do here - public space of Saint Sauveur - has to connect and bring people; walking connection and reinforce this metropolitan life around these rail sheds. This is the first chapter of the story.

2.

What if we could create a very strong connection between the east and the west, that connects the Museum area on the west all the way to Avenue du President Hoover (east)? But it should be on a human scale, for walking or biking - soft mobility, crossing in the middle of the site.

Most importantly the place in the middle of the site should be a really good public space, that could be an image of a postcard of the city; to be a place where both local people and visitors could come and feel they’re belonged.

All we have to create is two levels of scale which kind of ‘wow’ scale of big space, but also of an ‘ahh’.

Les Halles Foisonnement (n.d.), digital image, E. Gehl. Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/uploads/media/journal-concertation-saint-sauveur-octobre-2014.pdf Premiére Esquisse Du Plan Guide (2013), digital image, E. Gehl.

Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html 37

3.

The second chapter has a different story because, you talk to the neighbors on the south, and there is something going on there. So we want to take some kind of friendly scale and pace of the site on the south and bring that into the site.

That gives us the scale of streets and network, which will be an urban fabric on the south part of the site - it’s going to be ‘talking’ to the neighbours all the time.

4.

In the north east corner, there is something that is very signigficant in Lille, which has to do with the railway bridge, the viaduct, which gives us almost like a mountain, by ‘Lille standard’.

We would like to do something which would emphasize the change of scale: the heights and views over the site.

5.

There’s something about green connection. Because out here (south east), it’s a big landscape plane to the north of France and if we could bring some of that greenness - there’s already quite interesting biodiversity on the site, like a wave of greenness into the site - and connect it to the big park (Parc Jean-Babtiste Lebas on the opposite longitude of the site) and way up to the Boulevard de la Liberté and up to the Citadel.

This green wave will bring quite a bio-diversity into the city.

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Timeline (Lille Métropole, Ville de Lille, and SPL Euralille, 2014) 2012 - Project Consultation 2013 - Gehl Architects won the competition and presented in public 2014 - Planning from Gehl Architects 2015 - Saint Saveur became officially ZAC (Zone D’aménagement Concerté), entering operational phase 2017 - Some parts are open to public and start to function 2030 - project completed:

Saint Saveur (2011), digital image, J. Sylvestre. Available at: http:// www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html 39

The Ambience of Saint Saveur (2010), digital image, SPL Euralille.

Available at: http://www.spl-euralille.fr/nos-projets-urbains/saint-sauveur.html 40

Approach of Urban Development: Change of Direction

Ásty and Khôra Euralille 1 OMA

1989-1994

Euralille 2 Francois Leclercq Architectes Urbanistes

1999-2012

Saint-Sauveur Gehl Architects

2013-present

Fives-Cail Urban Innovative Actions (UIA)

2014-present

in the future

full awareness of the site as part of the city’s urban fabric and public participation programs were abstract: they were suddenly ‘landed’, they were not generated by the city; and they were not connected to the city as a ‘place’.

the growth of conscience towards the city: programs must belong to the city; dialogue towards the physical setting of the surrounding; generated from users’ aspect of consideration

programs were generated by a full awareness towards the site (and the city): physical & social setting of surroundings; the approach was done inside-out; they aim to generate positive impact towards the neighborhood

programs will be developed through a bottom-up system where public participation plays an important role in the process of redefining users’ own neighborhood

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03

ÁSTY AND KHÔRA: THE CONCEPT & SPATIAL MANIFESTO Terminology The Entanglement The Future of a Network Spatial Exploration

Terminology

In the Ancient Greek, khôra is the boundary which defines the borders of the Polis, the term for city-states at that time. (Pivetta, 2015).

Based on the land-use, the Polis was divided into two: the ásty and the khôra4. The ásty usually consisted of a small urban centre where most of the Polis’ inhabitants lived and participated in political and social activities (Cartwright, 2013). The fact that many political buildings were strategically positioned in the ásty made this part of the city simply more important than the khôra. It functioned not just as a center of administration, the ásty also contained religious buildings (although sometimes they were also located in the khôra for the natural context), public space for social interaction (the agora), and leisure purpose facilities (theater and gymnasium).

Meanwhile, the khôra is comprised of a large rural area dominated by agricultural activity which provided food and economic resource.

The word khôra was briefly used by Plato in his philosophical work, Timaeus, where he introduced the receptacle as the third kind (triton genos)5 - an enduring substratum, neutral in itself but temporarily taking on the various characterizations6. (Zeyl, 2014) Timaeus specifically used the word khôra (space) to strongly describe the receptacle’s function which is to provide a spatial location for anything that enters and disappears from it7. Reflecting on Plato’s khôra is Derrida who defines khôra not at all as a receptacle, but as an “abyss”, a void of empty space and as an infinite play of reflections8.

M. Pivetta, The City and the Countryside, Pesquisa FAPESP, July 2015, http://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/en/2015/07/15/the-city-and-the-countryside/ (Accessed: 12 November 2017) 5 Plato, Timaeus and Critias (London: Penguin Books Ltd), 48e4 6 Ibid., 51b4–6 7 Ibid.,, 49e7–8, 50c4–5, 52a4–6 8 J.D. Caputo, Deconstruction in a Nutshell: A Conversation with Jacques Derrida (New York: Fordham University Press), 86 4

43

Viewing the condition of the urban development in Lille, one begins to reflect how Derrida’s term of Khôra might be the most relatable. The major changes that had been done by the city of Lille which comprises of the demolishment of fortification that surrounded the city, the canal-coverage and the refurbishment of the industrial sites provide extensive available space – empty spaces, voids – within the city. One realises that these urban development projects could only be realised by the availability of these voids in the first place. Another way to look at it, is how these projects seem to be the city’s medium to deal with and fill the empty spaces.

Even though both ásty and khôra seemed to have different characteristics, there was always the physical and social relationship - entanglements - between the two as they were constituted as an integrated whole.

Recognising Ásty and Khôra in Lille

Looking at the common features of an ásty, I have identified the city center of Lille as the ásty - a rather dense urban setting where the important administrative offices take place together with other facilities such as health, religious, educational and recreational functions.

In recognizing khôra of modern days, however, one agrees to Boomkens’ (2003) vision in ending the traditional division of what is city and what is rural, that is always the ‘patchwork of different forms and programmes’.

Built, Green and Water Areas of Eurometropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai displaying the post-industrial development on the edge of the three provinces (2012), digital image, B. Hakbart and L. Servillo. Available at: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/bitstream/123456789/375712/1/ A4.5+Case+study+LKT.pdf (Accessed: 30 January 2018) 44

In the case of Lille, the concept of rural simply can not be associated with peripheral (khĂ´ra).

To prove one’s point (Hakbart and Servillo, 2012) of Lille (French region Nord-Pas de Calais) being grouped in Eurometropole with Kortrijk (the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen) and Tournai (the Belgian province of Hainaut). As illustrated on the map, the border of the three provinces show a continuous -rather urbanized- condition in geography and morphology, also a portion of functional integration.

Back to the formerly industrial era, the need to grow and expand the manufacturing enterprises was so high that it had the urge to reach the empty peripheral (Kalantaridis and Labrianidis, 1997), creating a sprawl of industrialization.

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The Entanglement

In discovering Lille, one has started to sense the hints of physical likeness – entanglements – between the two sites of Ásty and Khôra, which are indicated on The Entanglement Map.

First, the presence of historical architecture as tourist attraction close to each site. In the Ásty, it is quite apparent as the site is located in the quartier of Vieux Lille (Old Lille) where well-preserved historical buildings nearly compose the entire district. Most of these buildings are functioned for various commercial activity such as shops, restaurants/ cafés and bars, creating the very busy and vibrant atmosphere of the neighbourhood. The fact that the Ásty site is only 200 meters away from both historical and commercial activity (A) is certainly a positive aspect to be considered in the further stage of the design process.

In the Khôra, the historical value takes form in the only physical evidence of the fortification, Citadelle de Lille (D), which has become one of the tourist destinations in Lille. Besides the citadelle, there are three permanent leisure activities close to the site: the Lille zoo, an amusement park (demolished and under reconstruction), and a children train track (closed), while the vast park and ride nearby (Champ du Mars), sometimes houses a seasonal fun fair. The fact that all of these functions seem to be spatially impossible to be located in the Ásty and be located in the Khôra instead, bears the resemblance of Plato’s own theoretical concept of a Khôra, where Khôra is described as a receptacle, a container of space. Related to this, one then should propose a program for the development of the Khôra that in a way also holds on to the narrative of function.

Second, the existence of public greenery close to the sites. In the Ásty, it is the empty grassed area (B) that stretches along the Avenue du Peuple-Belge (C) until the ringroad. Mostly the green space is only used as a crossing path, an entry access towards the underground parking, and place where people walk their dogs which according to the locals, is pretty unfortunate. In general, the area is dominated by motor vehicles – of the flow of traffic and parked cars which might be one of the discouraging factors to use or stay at the green space. However, based on the interviews performed in the area, in the summer, the greenery is used as an extension terrace of the nearby bar and a picnic spot – a rather unexpected appropriation.

46

In the Khôra, the public greenery takes the form of a 60-hectare Bois de Bologne (E) that surrounds the citadelle, making it the largest green space in Lille. Besides of the touristic attractions, people usually go there to have a walk and jog. The restrained natural area in the city is considered to be a rare quality, while the easy access from the city centre is convenient for the visitors.

Third, the context of the city’s canal network within the vicinity of the sites. In the Khôra, it is the Canal de la Deûlé (G) which is now functioned as recreational activity, such as a floating bar or speedboat rental (spring or summer). In the Ásty, however, this refers to the Avenue du Peuple-Belge (B), a boulevard that was built upon the Basse Deûlé basin in 1929 (Ravel, 2014).

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29

28 21

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public properties religious facility cultural

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administrative

Landmark

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m

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XS /rad 250

22 31

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of

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The Entanglement Map scale 1:4000

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The Entanglement Map illustrates the investigation area of the sites within the public space network of Lille. It is divided by the interval of distance from each site, so that one could recognize by the expansion of the interval if there is any element of entanglement of the two sites, besides the physical ones.

The output of this investigation take form of a set of drawings that showcases the unexpected appropriation of public space.

m

00

zooming-in observation: “XS” – rad 250m zooming-out observation: “S” – rad 500m “M” – rad 1000m “L” – rad 1500m “XL” – rad 2000m 49

XS

/rad 250m

Ă€sty

01 Staff from the restaurant dragged a garbage bin to the curb Curb as a place to park delivery motorbikes

02 Also happened at another corner

50

Staff from the restaurant dragged garbage bin to the curb

03 V’lille bikes

04 Large slab of stones laid down around the grass where people sat down having a drawing open class or just enjoy the sun

05 People who walk passby: -the ones that cross the street -the ones who goes in/out of the underground carpark -’walk’ the dog

06 Limitation of urban furnitures only puts safety as consideration not for engaging social interaction

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07 Private garage & carpark below

52

07 an empty public park on top

XS

/rad 250m Khôra

08 A little closed kiosk

09 Potential site 01: Abandoned building by the canal

10 Vast car parking space

11 The only ‘approachable attraction’

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11 Unexpected use of space: camping site

13 Empty children playground

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12 Potential site 02: Children train track playground which is closed (during winter)

The row od small kiosks were demolished (visit on 03 February 2018)

S

/rad 500m Khôra

14 Other function of the car park: space for temporary event Oct ‘17- Dec ‘18: circus Feb ‘18: empty

16 Jardin d’Arboriculture Fruitiere - official city fruit garden - in abandoned state

15 Newly paved car park with minimum greenery

The sight from the back fence of the garden: zero sign of activity

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17 People sitting around Quai du Wault

S

/rad 500m

Ă€sty

18 Public greenery also functions as a pedestrian short cut

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Pedestrian pathway positioned side-by-side to the ramp of an underground carpark

19 Pathway behind the Cathedral is worth rerouting for

20 A configuration of a corner

It displays rows of architectural buildings with inaccessible backyards

21 Public space + seating furnitures: people sitting in sunny day

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M

/rad 1000m

22 People walk their dogs in the park

23 Enjoying the view from the stairs/ terrace of the Opera building

24 25 Empty square with no benches.

Public furniture surrounded by vehicles and tables (storage) ‘Commercial seating opportunity’ is provided by restaurants and bars.

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26 Empty passage way

27 Intersection: patchwork of building facades

28 Access to citadel for cars only: dangerous for pedestrian

29 The ‘official entrance’ of the Champ de Mars park & ride

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L

/rad 1500m

30 Spotting a tent at a park in front of the Palais de beaux Arts

60

Another tent at such a formal place?

31 Improvisation in public use

32 Very active Jean-Baptiste Lebas park

Seating bench on the gate of the park

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The Future of a Network

It was Derrida who described khôra as a void of empty space; that khôra also acts as a mirror that reflects sensible things (Caputo, 1997). One could argue that Derrida’s term of khôra is relevant for Lille’s condition in general. Looking at the vast urban development in Lille – the major constructions that resulted in voids, the challenges, and attempts to fill them – voids are clearly the issue that the city has been trying to overcome in years. Still as a viral network of non-spaces they loom over and reflect the urban change in the city.

In reviewing both the history of urban change in Lille and the Entanglement Map with its role in demonstrating the investigation of the sites within the public space network of Lille, one then discovers that the public spaces displayed by the illustrations are also empty spaces – voids.

So one starts to question, what if as voids, ásty and khôra do not possess any non-physical entanglement as such but they are parts of the extra small voids network in the city? Can ásty and khôra be the first two projects in a network that deals with the issue? Also, adopting Derrida’s reflective concept of khôra, is there any chance for the development or interventions of these extra small voids to reflect on each other?

We need to be careful in trying to architecturally manifest Derrida’s notion of ‘khôra’ as he and architect Peter Eisenmann once tried to develop a park that embodied the notion of ‘khôra’ together in La Villette, Paris but they failed to succeed. Instead of creating the park they bundled their conversations and ideas in an essay (Derrida, 1997). If this book conveys one thing it is the “foolishness to try represent the unrepresentable” (Morgan, 2006).

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So rather than seeing the propositions for the ‘ásty’ and ‘khôra’ as physical manifestations of Derrida’s notion of ‘khôra’, the sites could be seen as pilots in a potentially growing network providing a medium/catalyst to Derrida’s notion of ‘khôra’ within the urban context in general, enhancing those elusive extra small voids (as they come and go in the city) into open and free structures/sites allowing them for further reflection of and upon each other and the city.

Model of Chora L Works (n.d.),digital image, Eisenman Architects, J.Derrida. Available at: https://www.penelopejcorfield.com/whycant-we-think-about-space-without-time/ 63

ásty

khôra

Landmark

ity of

Proxim

ercial

Comm

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Activ

1

ásty

The Entanglement Map scale 1:4000

khôra

Landmark

Possible Scenario 1. Ásty and khôra - the extra small voids - within the proximity of the commercial activities 2. Ásty and khôra as the two pilot projects in filling the extra small voids. The program of each project reflects to the other.

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ity of

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khôra

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The Entanglement Map scale 1:4000

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3. The other extra small voids included in the Entanglement Map with possibility of development or intervention 4. The network of the extra small voids in Lille with chance of growth

ity of

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4 65

Spatial Exploration

The purpose of this investigation is to gain understanding of the roles of these particular spaces towards their surrounding and to decide what possibilities that could emerge from them.

Therefore the aim of this section is to draw focus on the zooming-in exploration of the surrounding environment which is conducted through observation and interviews.

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Ásty The Interviews

Below is the conclusion regarding the site and its neighborhood based on the interview performed on 10 people on 24 December 2017.

Strenghts: - Large public space with greeneries - It is nearby the commercial and touristic activities in Vieux Lille - Numerous car parks are practical - The vast empty space highlights the silhouette of Vieux Lille - The existing bars/ café attract people to socialize - Architecturally interesting buildings surrounding Opportunities: - Create a welcoming green space that invites people to socialize; create a greater social control - Engage the various users and make them stay longer - Presence of water-element that reminisces the canal that is used to be there Weakness: - Public space is not designed to engage users - Surrounded by vehicle traffic - Only used as a transit space - Prostitues roam the ara at night - Green space is used as dog toilet Threats: - The car heavy environment could make the area even more unsafe/ unattractive - The non-use of the space might only deteriorate the condition of the grounds and neighborhood towards the future

referred in questions as ‘the space’

area of observation potential site green to know the roles that they play towards public space the surroundings car park space where the interviewee is

co m m er ci

al ac ti vi

ti es

The Area of Investigation

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Facades of Ă sty Part 01 This illustrates the surrounding environment: the pysical aspects of the facades, the activities in the ground floor, and the overall atmosphere.

The map is to indicate which part of the facades will be shown in the following pages.

Ramp road Carpark

2-way street with parking space on each side

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Carpark

69

Potential Site

under construction: collective housing and activity space

by Ville de Lille

Underground Carpark covered in grass

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Facades of Ásty Part 02

l’hospice Comtesse

13th-century hospital building turned into museum

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille

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Palais de Justice

Ramp road Carpark

built in the 1960s

possibility of deactivation as OMA just won the competition of the new Palais de Justice in the Vauban district (scheduled to be completed in 2023)

Carpark

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2-way street with parking space on each side

Square Julien Grimonprez public park with playground

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KhĂ´ra

more carpark on several visits from october to December, the space was occupied for a circus event on the day of the interview, the large circus tent was not there anymore cita

Below is the conclusion regarding the site and its neighborhood based on the interview performed on 10 people on 2 February 2018.

del

The Interviews

Strengh: - Largest green public space in Lille - Peripheral area in walking distance from the city center and Vieux Lille (Old Lille) - Existence of historical building complex as one of the main attraction - Numerous car park is practical Opportunities: - Enhancing the existing park in becoming a welcoming green space that invites for socializing; creating greater social control - Engage the various users and make them stay longer Weakness: - Park and car park: too empty - Surrounded by vehicle traffic - No variety in other activities - Complimenting facilities only active on a seasonal basis - Walking track is not that interesting and convenient Threats: - The car heavy environment could make the area even more unsafe/ unattractive - The non-use of the space might deteriorate the condition of the grounds and neighborhood towards the future

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c

The Area of Investigation

er omm

cial

act

ies ivit

to know the roles that they play towards the ‘contrast’ surroundings

area of observation potential site canal haute deule car park space car park space also for temporary event where the interviewee is

Facades of KhĂ´ra Part 01

Quai du Wault

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Potential Site Rives de la Haute-Deรปle Unused little shop

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Potential Site

children train track (1952) possibility of deactivation as the same playing facility is being constructed at the amusement park area

resting area with tables and benches: there used to be some food kiosks but they were demolished

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Zoo de Lille

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Facades of KhĂ´ra Part 02

Amusement park is being demolished. The new one is scheduled to be completed in June 2018.

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Champ de Mars

A park & ride: parking ticket purchase includes free bus ride to the city center flexibility in being a temporary event space recently renovated: - pavement - street furniture along the esplanade

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Food truck

bus stop

Palais de Justice

Underground Carpark covered in grass

Ave. du Peuple Belge

Potential Site

Residentials

Section Àsty 81

Children train track Possible for deactivation due to the similar program of the new (on going construction) amusement park

Section Khôra 82

Abandoned Citadel park Bois de Bologne

Potential Site Rives de la Haute-Deûle

V’lille bike

Jardin Vauban

04

DESIGN PROCESS: REASONING, STRATEGY & EXERCISE Theoretical Framework The Pimlott Experiment Inspiring Cases Defining Program

Theoretical Framework

In their own way, each of the urban development projects mentioned before discussed the same issue: voids in the city and the challenges to fill them (Sim, 2013).

In the 1995’s S, M, L, XL, OMA catagorises the firm’s projects by their scale, hence the title. There are two completed works in Lille included in the book. The first is Congrexpo, which comprises of a 5,000 seat concert hall; a conference center with three main auditoriums; and a 20,000m2 of exposition hall9. It falls into the “L” catagory. While the second, Euralille I is classified in the “XL”.

If one adapts OMA’s scale classification, the projects presented in previous section will either be catagorised as “L” or “XL” as they deal with “a large” or “an extra large” space, then both sites in Ásty and Khôra fall into the “XS” category as they are physically, “extra small” spaces within the city.

How to fill the voids?

Shown in his presentation, Lille - Saint Sauveur Winning Idea!

(2013), David Sim (Gehl Architects) emphasizes that to fill a void, one requires more than just a patch. He highlights the importance of viewing the city through its entirety of urban fabric: of elements that interlace together. Learning from the firm’s inside-out approach in the Saint Sauveur project, these elements might not only consist of the physical ones where all the aspects of the surrounding environment are included, but also the non-physical, the users’ aspect and their interaction. This premise is also presented in the theoretical framework regarding the two elements and the relevance towards the concept development of Ásty and Khôra.

OMA (n.d.) Congrexpo. Available at: http://oma.eu/projects/congrexpo (Accessed: 23 April 2018) 9

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Physical element: public interior

It has always been a binding prerequisite in an early phase of spatial investigation to gain knowledge of the physical aspects of the site and its surrounding context in order to decide on which direction one would like to take in the designing process. It is helpful in terms of setting up a certain ‘limit’ in designing, aside from the local development regulation. It could be the parameter of the site, the existing next-door buildings, the traffic flow, etc.

However, in his recent work, The Public Interior as Idea and Project (2016), Mark Pimlott comes with quite a refreshing yet relevant approach towards the topic of voids: to view them as a part of the public interior.

What is a public interior?

It is the space which on a certain degree is open to the public despite the nature of its ownership. An engaging example are the corridors of a shopping mall. In the shopping mall, users are given the perception of being in the public domain where they could appropriate the space accordingly and own it for a short period of time under the supervision of authoritative figures10. Nevertheless, since there is a various range of publicness in a public interior, these shopping malls’ corridors, like any pedestrian streets which are clearly public infrastructures, are referred as one.

Public interiors have always held a major role in defining the public life of a city. They often represent the society with their big span of variant of functions such as the space for socializing, for devotion, for exploration, for pondering etc. Through their development, public interiors have become the spatial responses of what the society needs or demands: need of behavioural enhancement, of social interaction, of leisure, of exposure, etc. In other words, public interiors always give impacts to the users, whether they are positive or negative11.

M. Pimlott, The Public Interior as Idea and Project, (Heijningen: JAP SAM Books, 2016), 10.

M. Pimlott, 11.

10

11

Chrystal Palace (London) illustrates a sheltered vast space with transparency and emptyness Chrystal Palace (2017), digital image. Available at: http://www. barzingroup.com/can-crystal-palace-turn-season-around/ 85

Since there is a wide range of possibilities in determining the concept of a public interior, Pimlott decides to review it within a thematic framework – six typologies of space that have always been argued as public interior through their occurrence, depiction and composition: the Garden, the Palace, the Ruin, the Shed, the Machine and the Network.

The classification was the sole inspiration of ‘The Pimlott Experiment’ which will be displayed later.

Throughout the whole six chapters, there are several captivating aspects that keep surfacing in almost every chapter. However, one finds the aspect of emptiness as a concept that might generate the undetermined space as the most intriguing to explore. The term of undetermined space first appears when Pimlott discusses about The Palace as a space with prospect of indeterminacy. Meaning, the structural elements might be permanent but the functions of space which the structures create is adaptable and interchangeable12. As it has the flexibility to accommodate any event in any circumstance, it gives the users the freedom and spontaneity to appropriate the space – to bring their desired function to the space which could generate the endless stimulation of activities.

As one would like to pursue this idea of undetermined space and the feasibility of unpredicted appropriation for the Ásty and Khôra site, it is then necessary to investigate the connection between a space and its users - whether it is possible for a space to generate such appropriation and how.

This leads to the next theoretical framework of the non-physical element.

Cedric Price’s Fun Palace is ‘fun’ - place for social interaction, freedom of space for users and the unpredictable behaviour M. Pimlott, The Public Interior as Idea and Project, (Heijningen: JAP SAM Books, 2016), 65.

12

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Fun Palace (n.d.), digital image, C. Price. Available at: http://www. worldarchitecturenews.com/project-images/2012/21461/cedric-price/reader-review-fun-palace.html?img=1

De Meerpaal, Dronten, Netherlands (1967), digital image, J. Versnel. Available at: http://ro-w.tumblr.com/post/49181210323/demeerpaal-dronten-the-netherlands-1965-by 87

Large space with the unpredictability of use ReĂźnie De Meerpaal: 50 jaar Meerpaal (n.d.), digital image.

Available at: https://www.meerpaal.nl/zakelijk/evenement/reunie-de-meerpaal/ 88

Non-physical element: social interaction

In his publication, Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space (2011), Jan Gehl discusses the relation of outdoor activities and how various physical settings could affect them.

He begins with a rather simple differentiation of outdoor activities. The first, necessary activities, comprise of the mandatory everyday actions, such as attending work or school, running errands, or groceries shopping. Due to their nature, these activities will take place in any circumstances - they are hardly affected by the physical environment.

The second, optional activities, only occur when the exterior settings are favourable13. Activities that fit in this catagory include taking a walk, standing up and watching the surrounding and sitting down. According to Gehl, in low quality exterior settings, only strictly necessary activities take place.

In contrast, in the high quality ones, the necessary activities tend to occur longer and there is always the possibility of a broad spectrum of human activities to happen14.

The third, social activities are every activity that occur in the attendance of other subjects in public spaces. In this sense, this catagory overlaps the previous two outdoor activities. Here, Gehl interprets how by just being in the same space is seen as a social contact.

In his hierarchy of intensity, meet, see, and hear contact (passive contact) might be on the lowest degree of intensity, however, Gehl is convinced that because of its spontaneity and unpredictable nature, this kind of contact has the chance to evolve.

J.Gehl, Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space, (Washington: Island Press, 2011), 11.

14 Ibid.

13

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It could develop an actual relation between people, source of inspiration and a stimulating experience15. In terms of the latter, Gehl clearly presumes that experiencing people are more interesting than experiencing wonderful yet lifeless objects. The reason? It’s because people always move and share their stories and they take part in numerous new situations. People seem to find the display of others doing their activities attractive - a possibility of endless stimulating experience. Something happens because something happens because something happens16.

Understanding the users activities is crucial in design process. Because although physical condition does not have direct impact on the merit, amount or intensity of social contacts, Gehl believes that architects and planners can affect the possibilities of people to simply share the visual and auditory contact. Supporting his argument is illustrated the case in Copenhagen, where the advance development of pedestrian infrastructures during 19681986, by no coincidence resulted in the significant increase of users.

Conducive public space

In general, the success or failure of attempts in creating a public space are determined by the usage of it: if performances portrayed to happen in the public space actually happen in the public space

So, what are the parameters for such a public space to be referred to as conducive?

It must have the means to‌ - Assemble; the people and activities - Integrate; various activities and functions together to create a heterogeneous environment.

- Invite; the people to enter the public domain - Open up; one activity to another, to increase the chance for contacts and experiences17 J.Gehl, Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space, (Washington: Island Press, 2011), 21.

J.Gehl, 75.

17 J.Gehl, 80.

15

16

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Pedestrian street alongside the harbour, Copenhagen (n.d.), digital image. Available at: http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Denmark. html

The Pimlott Experiment

Ásty and Khôra imagined as Mark Pimlott’s typologies of public interior.

Pre-experiment What if... Ásty comprises of an urban garden and an agora 07/03/18 91

Ásty

The Garden Ásty 19/03/18 92

The Palace Ă sty 19/03/18 93

The Ruin Ásty 19/03/18 94

The Shed Ă sty 19/03/18 95

The Network Ă sty 20/03/18 96

The Machine Ă sty 20/03/18 97

KhĂ´ra

Pre-experiment What if...

KhĂ´ra comprises of an urban garden and an agora 07/03/18 98

The Garden KhĂ´ra 19/03/18 99

The Palace KhĂ´ra 19/03/18 100

The Ruin Khôra 19/03/18 101

The Shed KhĂ´ra 19/03/18 102

The Network KhĂ´ra 20/03/18 103

The Machine KhĂ´ra 20/03/18 104

Inspiring Cases

01 The Regeneration of Baode Square Shenzhen, China Architect: URBANUS Year: 2017 Status: Completed Program: - Exhibition Venue - Public Space

From the case of the Baode Square, one highlights two things. First, in the midst of the verydense surrounding, the square lays as a ‘room to breathe’ for the inhabitants. Baode square as a public space is considered conducive: it becomes the space where people could do their different activities that the activities themselves attract others; it also acts as the ‘backyard’ that the apartment residents do not posses.

Second, the intervention proposed by URBANUS offers a certain freedom for the users in appropriating the square: to be the actors or to be the spectators; to use the indoor facilities or to use the roof as a ‘terrace’. In addition, the 24-hour activation of the square makes the stimulation of activities possible.

Axon of Baode Square (n.d.), digital image, URBANUS. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en 105

Nantou

The project took place in Nantou Old Town in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen. In the 1980s, after being included as Shenzhen’s Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the urbanisation was initially dominated by the state and its ventures, together with the top-down development which was guided by the city’s urban planning.

Self-urbanisation

Encircled by the growth of urban development, the Nantou Village encountered a bottom-up and disorderly self-urbanisation process - the antithesis of the planned urbanisation around it. This phenomena was triggered by the historical legacy of the ‘rural-urban-dual-system’ of land ownership18 and the pressing demand of property. There are countless cases of villagers who broke the law which restricts them to build only two-storey housings. They subsequently turned their houses into market-driven apartment rentals by maximising their house plot and build way bigger and higher on top of it.

The result is a uniqe urban landscape of very-densed clusters of ‘hand-shake buildings’, which has become a special alternative urban typology19.

City as Exhibition Venue and Exhibition as Practice20

After a thorough study on Nantou, Urbanus came with a proposal of the village as the main venue of 2017’s Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/ Architecture. It consists of a development model which focused on renovation of key public spaces and the introduction of public activities as part of the process of activating and promoting the regeneraURBANUS (n.d.) Exhibition Venue Design Concept - Curating in Nantou: A Case of Village/City Coexistence and Regeneration \ Meng Yan. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/ uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 19 Ibid.

20 Ibid.

18

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Baode Square After Regeneration, (n.d.), digital image, URBANUS. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en

The site: Baode Square

The square is located in the heart of the old town where the ruins of the county government, the Baode Ancestrall Hall and other historical buildings are also located in the area. The site is enclosed by high-density residential buildings with a basketball court from the 1990s. During the day, the square is usually empty and unwelcoming due to the high temperature, while in the evening it is very lively: it becomes a ‘playground’ for children and a meeting place for adults to have a barbecue, drinks, etc. It is a stage for daily life, shifting between noisy and silent, chaotic yet dynamic21.

As seen on the photo,the two metal sheds on the site were built several years ago and functioned as temporary markets.

URBANUS (n.d.) Exhibition Venue Design Concept - Curating in Nantou: A Case of Village/City Coexistence and Regeneration \ Meng Yan. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/ uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 21

Baode Square (aerial view) Before Regeneration (n.d.), digital image, URBANUS. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/ uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en 107

The transformation

After coordinating with the local inhabitants, the sheds were agreed to be demolished for two new temporary structures.

The exterior

Following the surrounding building scale and roof profile of the historical buildings, the two structures were designed as a two-storey building with slanting roof/ steps. This creates an continuous interface that allows people to walk all the way from the square to the rooftop: a transition of a pedestrian to become an audience; a possibility of a 24-hour activation.

The interior

The two new buildings would become the information center, a bookstore and an exhibition center of the biennale. After the biennale they should be turned into interactive community spaces.

Baode Square (aerial view) After Regeneration, (n.d.), digital image, URBANUS. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/ uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en 108

Baode Square (from South to North) After Regeneration, (n.d.), digital image, URBANUS. Available at: http://www.urbanus.com.cn/ uabb/uabb2017/exhibition-venue-design-concept/?lang=en 109

02 R-URBAN Colombes, France Architect: Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée (AAA) Year: 2008-present Status: On-going (reconstruction) Program: - Agrocité

What is interesting from this case is the fact that the whole project does not really focus on the aspect of architecture but the aspect of the network.

The initial three projects of R-Urban seemed to stand as medium or tool to build the network of sustainable living and to encourage people to participate the movement.

Inauguration de l’Agrocité (n.d.), digital image, AAA. Available at: https://arteplan.org/initiative/rurban/ 110

About R-URBAN

R-URBAN is a practice of urban resilience - initiated by AAA - which comprises the development of a local based ecological network system that works in various range of urban schemes and approaches: agriculture, economy, mobility, culture, residential.

In 2009, AAA has started several partnerships to develop the first Civic Resilience Units in Colombes (92) funded within the framework of the Life+ programme of Europeen Commission for environmental governance.

In 2013, the first R-URBAN building Units were finalised in Colombes: Agrocité (Urban Agriculture and Environmental Pedagogy) and Recyclab (Recycling, Social Economy and Eco-construction).

Several hundred local users regularly develop and run resilience-oriented activities (urban farming, bee keeping, poultry, recycling, eco-design, organic waste processing, etc). Amongst them, dozens of people have been working on the project or have initiated their own jobs.

In order to start the implementation of these pioneering activities in Colombes, the R-Urban Units were built on municipal land made temporarily available and designed to be relocated on a mid term basis.

These temporary locations were proposed by the Municipality of Colombes which was strongly engaged throughout the Life+ contract to guarantee

R-URBAN, Paris (n.d.), digital image, Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/252571/massdesign-group-wins-the-zumtobel-group-award-2012/5-rurbanpilotfandc 111

AgrocitĂŠ

The community-supported facility aims to introduce and sustain the dynamics of urban agriculture which also covers the cultural and educational aspects.

The program consists of: - community gardening - nature and agriculture related activities - experimental lab (AgroLab) for intensive organic agricultural production

AgrocitĂŠ (2016), digital image, Enlarge Your Paris. Available at: https://www.enlargeyourparis.fr/de-lasphalte-sur-les-salades (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 112

Recyclab

Recyclab is a platform for recycling-reusing-ecobuilding movement.

The program22 consists of: - collect and deposit materials - workshops for recycle and reuse - workshops for fabrication and assembly of elements for green buildings (vertical gardens, insulating panels, etc.)

- educational workshops (e.g. DIY sessions for repair and reuse) - local events (e.g. recycling fairs, festivals, flea market, presentation) - LabFab: knowledge sharing of advanced technology

Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée (2012), R-urban, Recyclab. Available at: http://r-urban.net/en/projects/recyclab/ (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 22

Recyclab, Colombes (n.d.), digital image, R-Urban. Available at: http://agile-city.com/community-project/r-urban-colombes-a-sustainable-network-of-agriculture-and-building-processes/ (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 113

EcoHab

EcoHab comprises of regular housing and social housing. Through the project, AAA planned to experiment with the process of construction which would include the self-construction and on-site workshops.

The aims of the project are23: - Apply ecological life into the housing (e.g., shared service areas, water recycling, renewable energy, etc.)

- Efficient usage of natural resources - Build an archive of knowledge and knowhow - Establishing a pilot project for future appli cations of other housings

The construction of EcoHab was planned to begin in 2013, however it has never started.

Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée (2012), R-urban, Ecohab. Available at: http://r-urban.net/en/projects/ecoophab/ (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 23

Recyclab, Colombes (n.d.), digital image, R-Urban. Available at: http://agile-city.com/community-project/r-urban-colombes-a-sustainable-network-of-agriculture-and-building-processes/.

(Accessed: 20 March 2018) 114

Save R-Urban

After the municipal elections and reorganization in March 2014, in June 2014 the municipatlity asked Agrocité to leave its location without reason given and with no proposal for relocation. The decommissioning of the project has been proposed for September 2015, motivated by the municipal team’s desire for the construction of a temporary car park for 2 years. As there was no new project proposed for the site in 2018, after the 2 years of car park, the site would remain again empty. In parallel, Recyclab also faced the same problem - it was decommissioned by September 2015.

In order to find a solution, AAA has mapped several available sites for the alternative parking options - allowing the social and economic development of Agrocité to continue until its relocation.

The Reconstruction

In December 2017, the reconstruction work of Agrocité in Genevielliers, France had begun. By February, approximately 70% of the main building of Agrocité has been completed and still on going.

Map of Surrounding Lots Identified by R-Urban (n.d.), digital image, Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée. Available at: http://www.makery. info/en/2015/09/15/pourquoi-la-mairie-de-colombes-transforme-laferme-r-urban-en-parking/ (Accessed: 20 March 2018) The construction of Agrocité in Genevielliers (2018), digital image, R-Urban. Available at: http://r-urban.net/en/activities/ (Accessed: 20 March 2018) 115

03 Apartments with Small Restaurants Tokyo, Japan Architect: Naka Architects’ Studio Year: 2014 Status: completed Program: - Residentials - Restaurant - Co-working space Area for Residentials: 162 sqm No. of units: 5 No. of inhabitants: 9 + 6 persons in shared office

This project demonstrates how the housing units and the small restaurant (commercial activity) merge together, not only in the overall architectural composition but also in the operational basis. The hierarchy of collectivity is interconnected by gradual transition: - the organisation of the individual housing unit - continuous common space that blends the ‘front terrace’ of each housing unit and the outdoor stair hall - the restaurant which integrates the entire project into the surrounding neighborhood through its economic activity and openness.

Apartments with Small Restaurants (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_ en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 116

The objective of this rather compact project is to develop an autonomous economic system. (Naka Architects’ Studio, 2014) It comprises of 5 SOHO units (small office-home office) on the upper levels, a restaurant on the ground level and a co-working space in the basement. All the different programs then are connected through a Terrace-system24, the continuous common space that goes around the building where the shared amenities like washing machine and barbecue grill are stored.

The restaurant is reckoned to be the core of the project: it stands as the ‘shared living room’ for the tenants of the housing above and a meeting room or a ‘break’ room for those who work at the home-office. For the non-residents of the apartment, the restaurant acts as the communal public space.

Overall, the benefits are reciprocal: the tenants get special discounts at the restaurant, a mild layer of ‘security’ and the restaurant acts as the medium to integrate with the larger community, while the restaurant gets regular customers which helps the business in the long run.

Naka Architects’ Studio (2014), Apartment with a Small Restaurant. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_ apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 24

Diagram of “Small Economy” (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_ apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) The Mixed of Different Programs (2014), digital image, Koichi Torimura. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_ apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 117

SOHO Unit Plan (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio.

Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) Studio in SOHO unit #3 on 2F: Studio facing the alley can be a space for “Small Economy” (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_ apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) Studio in SOHO Unit #5 on 3F (2014), digital image, Koichi Torimura. Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_apart_01. html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 118

The Continuous Alley (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio.

Available at:http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) Alley on 2F: the Alley Consists of a Common Hallway and a Private Terrace in Front of Each SOHO Unit (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at: http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_ en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) Alley on 1F (2014), digital image, Fuminari Yoshitsugu. Available at: http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 119

The Small Restaurant as an Intermediate Area of the Street and the Apartments (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at: http://www.nakastudio.com/works/_en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) View From the Alley to the Street: Since the Street is a Shortcut to the Station, There are Many Pedestrians (2014), digital image, Naka Architects’ Studio. Available at: http://www.nakastudio.com/ works/_en_m_apart_01.html (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 120

04 Songpa Micro-Housing Seoul, South Korea Architect: SsD Year: 2014 Status: completed Program: - Residentials - CafĂŠ - Toy Shop - Art Gallery Area for Residentials: 281 sqm No. of units: 8 No. of inhabitants: 11

Songpa Micro Housing (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/548790cbe58ecef0ed000168-portada_songpa_8570-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 121

The residential project consists of sixteen housing units with only 12sqm per unit with rather generous shared space as a compensation. The project aims for a new typology of micro-housing with social value, which is implemented through the semi-public circulation, terraces, and visual extensions that surround the units. As result, it creates a gentle transition for the tenants: from their private space to the share one, which encourage social contact to take place amongst tenants – a social fabric. The transitional space is called the Tapioca Space for its ambiguity and transparency resembles the tapioca pearl (SsD, 2014).

The micro-housing units are modular, offering flexible configuration for tenants to add a unit when they need it, for example, for when they get married or have kids. Besides the undefined spaces around the units, the project also houses commercial activities such as a cafĂŠ, a toy shop and an art gallery.

The Tapioca Space (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/ 548792dae58ecec7950001c8-songpa-tapioca_9025-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 122

The First Floor Plan (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https:// www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/548790efe58ecef0ed000169-first-floor-plan (Accessed: 13 May 2018) The Entrance (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https:// www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/548791bce58ece0cb300015e-songpa-entry_87837-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 123

The Second Floor Plan (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/54879133e58ecef0ed00016a-second-floor-plan (Accessed: 13 May 2018) The Tapioca Space (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/54879305e58ecef0ed000170-songpa-tapioca_9273-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 124

Mini Auditorium (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/54879354e58ece0cb3000160-songpa-theater_8348-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) Rational Fixed Furniture (2014), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/576302/songpa-micro-housing-ssd/54879210e58ecec7950001c5-songpa-micro-living_9055-02-jpg (Accessed: 13 May 2018) 125

Defining Program:

Urban Commons as Overall Concept

In 2014 the city of Bologna as a first city introduced the concept of Urban Commons, soon to be adopted by many other cities in both Italy and Europe. The concept is rooted within the commons movement, proposing a framework for shared use, management and ownership of public space in the face of community building. Urban Commons give public space back to the citizens to use for the communal good under a form of self-governance. In most cases a governing body like the municipality offers the use/management of a building or public space to its citizens, mostly for free and on the condition the users would use it for the common good and community building. The system does not work with a fixed tenancy but rather with and open structure bringing all stakeholders and engaged citizens together (Powell, 2015).

The proposed ‘ásty and khôra’ poject could also be considered an Urban Commons project, connecting both the outdoor public space with indoor spaces. The Urban Commons as a model matches well with both the theory of social interaction of Jan Gehl as well as Pimlott’s public interior, encouraging social interaction in undefined public space with the purpose of community building.

Campo de Cebada (urban commons project - Madrid), digital image, SsD. Available at: https://www.smart-magazine.com/content/ uploads/2015/02/El-campo-de-cebada-smart-magazine-5.jpg 126

One should consider the ásty and khôra sites as one urban commons project with two locations. The ásty is the central location buzzing with activity, reflecting and catalysing the urban activity surrounding it. The co-housing part will also be inhabited by a diverse mix of people that show a willingness or interest to help build the community. The inhabitants will become the primordial users of the ground floor spaces alongside citymakers, non-profit associations and engaged citizens under an urban commons agreement with the municipality/owner.

The urban commons pool of users remains flexible and open at all times to allow for constant change and adaptability to new challenges or opportunities.

It remains an open house that functions as an activator/incubator for the surrounding area.

At the same time the khôra is offered within this same urban commons project. Like the ancient khôra it provides a space outside the center for other activities that are harder to do at the ásty or for activities that simply suit the open environment there better. This space will reflect its green surroundings, the leisure activities in the park and the events organized in the area. There will be an inherent entanglement between the khôra and ásty, both serving as a community building freespace reflecting its surroundings and each other. There will be a constant dialogue between what happens at the khôra and what happens at the ásty, as they will share programming, users and philosophy. They are meant to inspire and enrich each other as well as the city and community.

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Ă sty The schematic drawings show the aspects that are considered in defining the programs for each site.

quiet residentials

busy city center

The site and its surrounding

128

Ground Floor: social space with prospect of indeterminancy

Continue the green element into the site

common = public private

?

private; amongst tenants

public; everybody

Bring out the physical element that generates social interaction as a transition and introduction of the public space - integrating public space to the surrounding

Upper floors: other functions, realistic densification for maximum usage of the site

Collective housing.

But what?

It could start and develop a community.

Based on the survey conducted by IKEA and SPACE10 (Stevens, 2018) on co-living, a significant number of people find the idea to share the living spaces appealing not because of the financial issue but simply because of the sense of community and social life.

Currently a housing project is being developed on site by the city of Lille, which means that there is the demand for such function. In parallel with the city, one decides to also propose housing as the program of densification.

Why?

It creates another degree of collectivity - a hierarchy of community towards the overall progam.

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Portrayed Performance What are the possible scenarios that one would like to project to happen on each sites?

About the collective housing: - Collective housing takes place on the upper levels of the public space.

- Residents could still have their individual moment, apart from their private space (i.e., bedroom) whenever they need it.

- Residents could have the generous shared space (e.g., kitchen, living room, or terrace) and good quality of housing’s facilities (e.g., workspace, cafÊ, laundry, or daycare) with additional benefits (e.g., discounts for tenants) as the compensation of having the space shared with other people.

- Social interaction amongst residents happens in daily basis. The arrangement of sharing a living space with other people (in many cases, strangers) encourages social contact to occur. It could start with passive contact (meet, see, and hear), then grow to greetings in the hallway, or having meals together, or even doing certain activities together such as sports.

- By sharing the living space, residents could start their own smaller community (shared living space as the common interest). Not only sharing the space, but they would also share the responsibility for example, there would be an organized meeting every month where every tenants could discuss anything within the urban commons framework.

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About the public space with prospect of indeterminancy: - The public space with prospect of indeterminancy means that the space could house any kind of events or circumstances.

- It comprises of an indoor and an outdoor area. The indoor area would consist of one large room, that could be divided with partition so that users could have the flexibility in deciding of how ‘much space is necessary for the activity. The opening of the indoor area would also include the folding partition which can be opened in the summer – blurring the indoor and outdoor setting. In the outdoor area, every furniture element would be movable – giving the possibilities for other events to happen (e.g., workshops, lectures, exhibition, fashion show, etc) - The public space overlaps with the housing’s facilities; it can be used by everybody.

- The public space takes place in the ground floor. It is ‘open’ and it displays the activities – people who walk pass by this project would be intrigued about what is going on in this space and the curiosity would bring them into the space. The presence of these people, based on Gehl’s hierarchy of social interaction, is classified as the passive contact, but a social contact nevertheless. The passive contact always has the chance to grow. The same thing would happen with the activities which are displayed: they would inspire other people to do other activities – creating an endless stimulation of experience.

- After a while, the users of the public space – which could be the residents of the collective housing on the upper floors, local inhabitants of the neighborhood or citymakers and engaged people from the city center in general would develop a bigger community – public space or activities as the common interest (urban commons).

- There is a constant synergy between the ásty and khôra (users/events/communication) 131

KhĂ´ra

citadel

zoo

P+R

city center

The site and its surrounding

132

The pedestrian traffic flow

The activities in the area: leisure

P+R add: physical element to generate social interaction

?

ind

oo

r+

existing

ou

tdo

or

?

activities

existing

Public space with prospect of indeterminancy

A space that shelters the disperse existing activities which might inspire and stimulate various and unpredicted activities to take place.

As season seems to be a key factor for the occurance of these activities, the social space consists of indoor and outdoor space where the boundary set between two can be blurred according to usage.

133

Portrayed Performances About the public space with prospect of indeterminancy: Bearing the similarities with the Ásty, it comprises of an indoor and an outdoor area. The indoor area holds a rather important role because in the Khôra, activities are quite dependent towards weather. So when the weather is not very welcoming, activities could still be held in the indoor area which has the same flexibility as in the Ásty. The outdoor area consists of a sheltered space that houses the disperse existing activities (e.g., resting area, food truck). The display of these activities would inspire other people who are either on their way to the citadel or have a walk/ jog at the area to slow down and stop by, curious with what is happening on the space. They would inspire other activities to occur, for example currently there is only one food truck open for business nearby the site, but there is the possibility for the public space as a venue for weekly market where other food trucks and merchants could participate.

The khôra is also seen as one whole together with the ásty, providing an alternate space for projects and initiatives within the urban commons program.

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05 THE FINAL INTERVENTIONS

The Ásty The Khôra

The Ásty

The Ásty intervention mainly consists of 2 parts. The first is the public space of prospect indeterminancy. In order to encourage the unexpected appropriation to take place, the space must be open and transparent. Open, so that it has the flexibility to house different activities and transparent, so that it can display the activities happening there and initiate curiosity of the passers-by.

The public space is comprised of an indoor and outdoor public space. The application of folding partitions is crucial. They do not only stand as the boundary of indoor-outdoor space but also give the freedom in spatial usage. To encourge the unexpected appropriation, one would like to propose a set of modular and compact furnitures that can be freely moved by users according to use. The furnitures include small pantry, hammock, single-seat sofa and bench.

The extensions of the public space take place on the green space at Avenue du Peuple Belge and the secluded park behind the Ásty site. The benefits of these extensions are reciprocal. For the Ásty intervention, these extensions act as a transition and introduction of the intervention itself. For the neighborhood, they bring improvements on the green spaces. On the green space at Avenue du Peuple Belge, it encourages people to stay instead of just pass by. The addition of speed humps highlights the pedestrians amongst the heavy presence of motor vehicles. For the secluded park, the extension gives the chance for people to discover the hidden park itself. It also functions as a place for social interaction apart from being a pathway/ shortcut.

By showcasing the unexpected appropriation, one would like to give people ideas on how to appropriate the empty green space and encourage them to do so on the other parts of the green space.

136

The second part of the intervention is the collective housing which is comprised of the front and back buildings. The concept for this part is to apply different degree of collectivitiy in the housing area.

Each unit consists of 3 to 4 bedrooms where the inhabitants share the spacious living space, kitchen and bathroom as the compensation of the slightly-small bedrooms. Amenities such as washing machines, cleaning devices, barbecue grills and storages are strategically located on the circulation corridor to stimulate social interaction between the two units of apartment.

In relation towards the surrounding neighborhood, Ásty intervention attempts to be conscious. First, by preserving the existing brick wall on the outdoor area for the aesthetic reason. Second, by leaving the back part of the main intervention unbuilt with the consideration of the air circulation for the enclosed perforated metal facade of the neighbour building.

Third, the flooring material of the bridge and ramp that connect the main intervention and the secluded public greenery are perforated metal panel so that they would not block the natural lighting. In addition, the color theme used in the intervention (also applied in the Khôra intervention) is white that explores the concept of transparency and translucency. The reason is so that the interventions would not ‘interfere’ the rich texture and context of the surrounding;

2

4

5

6

5

4

3

1

The Ă sty Intervention 1. Outdoor Public Space 2. Extension of Outdoor Public Space 3. Bridge 4. Green space 5. Co-Housing 6. Circulation

2

01

5

10 m

137

Backyard of Notre Dame de la Treille

Section Ă sty 138

Avenue du Peuple Belge

Busy shopping street Museum L’hospice Comtesse

The intervention: Undetermined public space extended into the empty greenery as transition towards the project

Closed metal perforated facade

Bridge to integrate the public greenery The flow of the ground floor’s undetermined space: indoor and outdoor

Private garage Secluded public greenery

Quiet residential buildings

0 1

5

10 m

139

Co-housing Organisation 0 1

140

5

10 m

Projections The view of the extension of outdoor public space with the main Ă sty intervention on the background 141

The relation of the open ground floor towards the sidewalk. The columns are set back and floor material is mimicking the pavement material to create the illusion of ‘being pulled in’ to the project - blurred boundaries.

142

The corner of the intervention shows the entrance towards the courtyard and the long ramp towards the secluded park on the back.

143

The projection illustrates the spatial quality between the indoor public space and the street.

144

The view of the courtyard with the layers of collectivity.

145

The projection illustrates the spatial quality between the indoor public space and the street.

146

Due to the contour condition, the second entrance on the back of the site is on an elevated level. The outdoor staircase is disguised as seating benches that are visible from the sidewalk. From the outside of the intervention, these details seem like they are part of the public domain, but from the inside, the level difference creates a certain degree of intimacy for users.

147

The relation between the outdoor and indoor public space. In the corner is an ‘inserted’ green space for natural light atmosphere.

148

The roof terrace with the back building of the co-housing.

149

The view from the living room of the co-housing unit on the 2nd floor: the lively situation on the ground floor.

150

fixed framed glasses

1500

2850

perforated stainless steel panel steel plate handrail

I beam to support the fixed framed glasses

folding partition

The folding partitions and the set-backed columns

2500

1200

The long ramp and bridge

Principles of the Technical Details

(to be also applied on the KhĂ´ra intervention) 151

The Khôra

Mirroring the Ásty, the Khôra intervention consists of a two-storey public space of prospect indeterminancy. It is a sheltered space that houses the disperse existing activities nearby the intersection of pathway that goes towards the Citadel and the jogging track along the canal. The activities include the food truck, dining/ resting area and seating benches. Through the showcase of activities, one is convinced that it might inspire and stimulate other unpredicted activities to take place. In the future, the intervention might even be one of the attractive reason for people to visit the Citadel area.

In general, the Khôra intervention bears the same concept with the Ásty. The ground floor of the intervention includes an indoor and outdoor space where folding partitions are also applied for flexible usage of space. The second floor is an outdoor terrace overlooking the natural surrounding of Bois de Bologne with a ramp for the vertical accessibility.

The same modular and compact furnitures are also applied here in order to stimulate the unexpected appropriation.

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3

4

1

2

1

The KhĂ´ra Intervention 1. Outdoor Public Space 2. Indoor Public Space 3. Roof: Transluscent Polycarbonat 4. Toilet

0 1

5

10 m

153

Jardin Rives de la Vauban Haute-DeĂťle

The intervention: Sheltered outdoor space houses disperse existing activities and unexpected appropriation

Bois de Boulogne (Citadel park)

0 1

Section KhĂ´ra 154

5

10 m

Projections The view from of the intervention as people are crossing the Rives de la Haute-Deรปle, entering the citadel area.

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The openness of the KhĂ´ra intervention. The flooring material on the ground floor is the continuation of the pavement to integrating the intervention into the surrounding and guide visitors towards the direction of the intervention.

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The view from the opposite side of the bridge showing the scale of the KhĂ´ra intervention towards the forest-like environment.

157

The projection of the sheltered outdoor space featuring the existing food truck. In the future, the dynamic atmosphere of the intervention could attract other food trucks or other events to take place here.

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The outdoor public space on the second floor. The idea of the seating detail with the view of the ground floor’s festivity came from Gehl’s theory of social interaction that highlights how people tend to attract other people. The detail not only stands to generate social contact, but also to give ‘idea’ to users that the floor surface can also take part in the unexpected appropriation.

159

structures are hidden on top of roof cover

steel plate handrail

transluscent polycarbonat

400 100

cement wood board

300

The structure of roof and columns

Principles of the Technical Details

160

The seating detail on the second floor

06

CONCLUSION

While researching the urban development of Lille it was determined that the city’s development has always been related to the filling of voids (both extra large ones as smaller ones). A study of the methodologies used for this urban redevelopment over the past 3 decades showed that it evolved from randomly patching ‘holes’ to an approach that embodies full awareness of the development sites. They are parts of the city’s urban fabric and involve a process of public participation in the urban regeneration. Whereas the majority of Lille’s urban regeneration projects were very large in scale, this research project also showed that there are also quite a lot of small (and extra small) voids in the center of Lille. If addressed well, these could enhance the urban fabric as a whole.

It was decided that this actual project for these XS voids wants to build upon and deepen the participative and integrated urban planning approach/methodologies that Lille used for their most recent projects.

Both in the planning/research phase as in the designed projects neighbourhood consultation and involvement was/is key.

The two sites are both conceived with a vision that merges public and private space, indoor and outdoor space. Its design and the portrayed performance embody the connection of the space and its users and its context, it views the project as a catalyst to neighbourhood change and community building. Both in the open layout design and through the ideas of co-living and the urban commons these spaces are prototypes of what Jan Gehl calls the conducive space as at one hand it ‘assembles’ people and activities, it ‘integrates’ these various activities in the program, it ‘invites’ people to join in and ‘opens up’ the space far beyond the physical limits.

The question remains what the significance of these two XS voids in the whole of Lille’s urban fabric is. At one hand, there will be a connection between the activity in the ásty and khôra sites and the mobility of its activities (also literally through the mobile furniture units). This could also inspire or trigger urban action and community building in other so called small and extra small voids in the city (cfr. The Entanglement Map). As mentioned earlier thesxe two sites could be seen as pilots in a growing network of small sites providing a medium/catalyst to Derrida’s notion of ‘khôra’ within the urban context, where these extra small voids become open and free structures for reflection of and upon themselves and upon the city.

162

07

TIMELINE OF PRODUCTION

This chapter contains of the documents that were produced and presented throughout the course. They show one’s evolving comprehension of the study and the ways to represent the study itself.

164

“It is neither city nor landscape, but a mixture of villages, small towns, cities, bits of landscape adulterated by much ribbon development,...”

Ásty and Khôra: In the Case of Lille The Feasibility of A Communal Placemaking Master Dissertation Architectural Concept, Materiality and Detail

By Vina Lestari 12 February 2018

- René Boomkens Field, Places, Urbanity: A Quest for Field Urbanism

“... In wildness is the preservation of the world... when many places are no more,... in human culture is the preservation of wildness...”

ONE DAY IN LILLE

“Beauty always takes places in particular” “...The more thorough our control of nature is, the sooner natural selection overthrow it”

Master Dissertation Architectural Concept, Materiality and Detail

by Vina Lestari

Defining Ásty and Khôra In the Ancient Greek, khôra is the boundaries which defined the borders of Polis, the term for city-states at that time.

(Pivetta, 2015) Based on the land-use, Polis was divided into two: ​the ásty ​and ​the khôra1. ​The ásty usually consisted of a small urban centre where most of the Polis’ inhabitants lived and participated in political and social activities (Cartwright, 2013). The fact that many political buildings were strategically positioned in the ásty made this part of the city simply more important than the khôra. Not just functioned as a center of administration, the ásty also contained of religious buildings (although sometimes they were also located in the khôra for the natural context), public space for social interaction (the agora), and leisure purpose facilities (theater and gymnasium).

Meanwhile, the khôra comprised of a large rural area dominated by agriculture activity which provided food and economic resource. The word khôra was briefly used by Plato in his philosophical work, ​Timaeus, where he introduced the ​receptacle as the third kind (triton genos)2 - an enduring substratum, neutral in itself but temporarily taking on the various characterizations3. (Zeyl, 2014) Timaeus specifically used the word khôra (space) to strongly describe the receptacle’s function which is to provide a spatial location for anything that enters and disappears from it4.

Even though both ásty and khôra seemed to have different characteristic, there was always the physical and social relationship - e ​ ntanglements​- between the two as they were constituted as an integrated whole.

Lille Lille had been well known for its agriculture sector, which complimented the commerce, particularly in food (e.g., flax) and textile (e.g., cotton). The industrial revolution bloomed Lille’s industrial sector even more and it reached its peak before the 1929’s Great Depression (Kuklowsky and Provan, 2015). It resulted in the drop of Lille’s industrial sector in the 1960s (Kuklowsky and Provan, 2015) due to the decline in machine investment. Since then, Lille’s economy had been shifted towards the service industry.

The opening of the EuroStar TGV station in 1993 established Lille as an important intersection between Brussels, Paris and London and Euralille. In addition, a large scale of mixed use business district and the title of European Capital of Culture in the 2004 granted Lille new image of a post-industrial city5.

- Michael Pollan The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World

Recognising Ásty and Khôra in Lille Looking at the common features of an ásty, I have identified the city center of Lille as ​the ​ásty - a rather dense urban setting where the important administrative offices take place together with other facilities such as health, religious, educational and recreational functions.

In recognizing khôra of modern days, however, I agree to Boomkens’ (2003) venture in ending the traditional division of what is city and what is rural, that is always the ‘patchwork of different forms and programmes’.

In the case of Lille, a concept of rural simply can not be associated with a peripheral (khôra). To prove my point is (Hakbart and Servillo, 2012) Lille (French region Nord-Pas de Calais) being grouped in Eurometropole with Kortrijk (the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen) and Tournai (the Belgian province of Hainaut). The border of the 1 2 3

4 5

MY LITLLE LILLE INVESTIGATION

M. Pivetta, ​The City and the Countryside,​ Pesquisa FAPESP, July 2015, http://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/en/2015/07/15/the-city-and-the-countryside/ (Accessed: 12 November 2017) Plato, ​Timaeus and Critias ​(London: Penguin Books Ltd), ​48e4 Ibid., ​51b4–6

​Ibid.,, ​49e7–8, 50c4–5, 52a4–6 C. Kuklowsky and B. Provan, ​Lille City Story, CASEreport: May 2015, ​http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cr/casereport104.pdf (Accessed: 13 November 2017)

Section I-I ásty

part 01

scale 1: 250

by Vina Lestari

I

ásty I

Section II-II khôra scale 1: 250 900

m.

II private properties public properties religious facility cultural administrative public greeneries

khôra II

Site Plan Location Indicator scale 1:4000

Review 1 14/02/2018 The first A0 165

Urban development

Review 2 28/03/2018

166

Entanglement & Investigation

Sites & Surrounding

References & Experiment

167

Ramp road Carpark

2-way street with parking space on each sides 29

entrance of Sainte-Marie Madeleine Church

28 21

C

ásty

B

07

L

06

/rad 1500m 05

30 Spotting a tent at a park in front of the Palais des Beaux Arts

XL

/rad 2000m Another tent at such a formal place?

31 Improvisation in public use

32 Very active Jean-Baptiste Lebas park

02

A

03 04

01

l’hospice Comtesse

14

13th-century hospital building turned into museum

19

D

50

0m

15

/ra

d

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille

S 20

18

khôra 10

13

11

M

12

24 Empty square with no benches.

‘Commercial seating opportunity’ is provided by restaurants and bars.

25 Public furniture surrounded by vehicles and tables (storage)

26 Empty passage way

00 d

F

cultural

/ra

24

public properties religious facility

23

25

17

27

administrative

Landmark

public greeneries

16

23 Enjoying the view from the stairs/ terrace of the Opera building

m

/rad 1000m

08

G

M

private properties

09

10

E

XS /rad 250m

Potential Rives Haute-D 22

Unused little shop

31

26

S

/rad 500m Àsty

L Proximity

Commercial

d

/ra

S

/rad 500m

14 Other function of the car park: space for temporary event Oct ‘17- Dec ‘18: circus Feb ‘18: empty

19 Pathway behind the Cathedral is worth reroute for

It displays rows of architectural buildings with inaccessible backyards

09 Abandoned building by the canal

11 The only ‘approachable attraction’

11 Unexpected use of space: camping site

12 Potential site: Children train track playground which is closed (during winter)

04 Large slab of stones laid down around the grass where people sat down having a drawing open class or just enjoy the sun

05 People who walk passby: -the one cross the street -the one who goes in/out of the underground carpark -’walk’ the dog

06 Limitation of urban furnitures only puts safety as consideration not for engaging social interaction

07 an empty public park on top

Khôra

15 Newly paved car park with minimum greenery

m

00

15

of

Activity

XL

30

d

/ra

m

XS

00

20

/rad 250m Khôra

The Entanglement Map scale 1:4000

32

XS

/rad 250m Àsty

Approach of Urban Development: Change of Direction

LILLE:

The Chronicle and Context

1950-1965

Present

Euralille I / OMA 120 ha

1989-1994

Euralille II / François Leclercq Architectes Urbanistes (Delphine Baldé); Agence TER; Egis Aménagement 120 ha

1999-2012

Saint Sauveur / Gehl Architects 23 ha

2013 - present

Fives-Cail / Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) 24,8 ha

Ásty and Khôra / Vina Lestari 0,0690 ha and 0,0296 ha

Design Approach

Design Approach

Programs will be developed through a bottom-up system where public participation plays an important role in the process of redefining users’ own neighborhood

Full awareness of the site as part of the city’s urban fabric and public participation

2014 - present

Future...

06 //13.50

Name: Anonymous Sex: Male Age: 30-35 yo Occupation: Real Estate Agent Situation: Standing in front of an office building

The now covered canalisations of the ‘Asty’ are circled in red

A masterplan of a complex program consists of more than 800,000 square meters of urban activities - a new TGV station, shopping, offices, parking, hotels, housing, a concert hall, congress

The growth of conscience towards the city: programs must belong to the city; dialogue towards the physical setting of the surrounding; generated from users’ aspect of consideration

How do you use the space?

What do you usually do in this space?

Well, usually just walk and cross by.

I live nearby, on that area (pointing out).

Now, I am just waiting for my boyfriend.

About the neighborhood...

It’s a nice area for just walking, there are several bars for meeting and drinking with friends.

How often do you visit/ use the space?

Twice a month

Urban Development

168

04 //13.12 prostitution Avenue du Peuple Belge: - was a river - too many cars

In your opinion, what is lacking in the space?

Safety, I guess, if you’re aware that there are prostitutes hanging out along the avenue when it’s late - it’s bad for tourism.

programs were generated by a full awareness towards the site (and the city): physical & social setting of surroundings; approach was done inside-out; they aim to generate positive impact towards the neighborhood

Design Approach Programs are abstract: they were suddenly ‘landed’, they were not generated by the city; and they were not connected to the city as a ‘place’.

Final jury 20/06/2018

06 //13.50

Do you know that way before, Avenue du Peuple Belge was once a canal? There was a bridge that connected both sides of the canal but they closed it.

Now that it’s closed, when it rains, there is flood.

Design Approach Design Approach

What do you think of the space?

I think it has a beautiful surrounding, nice architectural buildings except for Palais du Justice - it’s ‘too modern’ and awful, the government should have destroy it and build something better. It doesn’t suit the area.

Investigation

nice cafe and bars

Too many cars.

What would you like to change/ add in the space?

The previously existing canal instead of the car parks, I think it would be nicer - reducing the traffic.

Activities in the space itself. In every summer, there is the fete de la music (music festival) and it has been always nice that it uses the grass part of the space.

Palais du Justice active in the summer

Name: Alban Sex: Male Age: 20 yo Occupation: Student Situation: Walking with a friend from the direction the zoo

Potential Site

Ramp road Carpark

entrance of Sainte-Marie Madeleine Church

Potential Site

under construction: under construction: collective housing and activity space collective housing and activity space

by Ville de Lille

by Ville de Lille

Ramp road Carpark

2-way street with parking space on each sides

Underground Carpark

2-way street with parking space on each sides

covered in grass

Underground Carpark covered in grass

entrance of Sainte-Marie Madeleine Church

tiste Lebas park

Palais de Justice built in the 1960s

l’hospice Comtesse

13th-century hospital building turned into museum

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille

Palais de Justice built in the 1960s

possibility of deactivation as OMApossibility of deactivation as OMA just won the competition of the new just won the competition of the new Palais de Justice in the Vauban Palais de Justice in the Vauban district (scheduled to be completed district (scheduled to be completed in 2023) in 2023)

l’hospice Comtesse

13th-century hospital building turned into museum

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille

children train track (1952)

children train track (1952)

possibility of deactivation as the same possibility of deactivation as the same playing facility is being constructed playing at facility is being constructed at the amusement park area the amusement park area

Potential Site Rives de la Haute-Deûle Unused little shop

Potential Site Rives de la Haute-Deûle

“... you ric hol

Unused little shop

It is thr fab

k with minimum greenery

Champ de Mars

ion

du Peuple a river many cars

flexibility in being a temporary event flexibility in being a temporary event space space recently renovated: recently renovated: - pavement - pavement - street furniture along the esplanade - street furniture along the esplanade

Food truck

04 //13.12 prostitution Avenue du Peuple Belge: - was a river - too many cars

nice cafe and bars

nice cafe and bars

04 //13.12

Name: Name: How do you use the space?

How do you use the space?

Alban Alban What do you usually do in What thisdo space? you usually do in this space?

Sex: Sex: Well, a friend took me hereWell, for aawalk friend and took a me here for a walk and a Male Male visit to the citadel. visit to the citadel.

Age: Age: 20 yo 20 yo How often do you visit/ use Howthe often space? do you visit/ use the space?

Occupation: Occupation: This is actually my first time This being is actually here, not my first time being here, not Student Student my first in Lille, though. I study my first in Douai, in Lille,30 though. I study in Douai, 30 Situation: Situation: km from Versailles. km from Versailles.

Walking with a friend fromWalking the direction with aoffriend from the direction of the zoo the zoo What do you think of theWhat space? do you think of the space?

It’s really nice. You could be It’s in really the city nice.but You could be in the city but it’s like you’re in the countryside it’s likeor you’re the forest. in the countryside or the forest.

The ancient architecture with Thethe ancient big walls architecture with the big walls (referring to the citadel) is(referring quiet impressive to the citadel) is quiet impressive as it is very much related to asFrench it is very history. much related to French history.

04 //13.12

Food truck

04 //13.12

In your opinion, what is lacking In your opinion, in the what is lacking in the space? space?

Smaller tracks for walking,Smaller perhaps? tracks Be- for walking, perhaps? Because right now it’s like a big cause avenue. right now I think it’s like a big avenue. I think that’s it. I find the car parkthat’s not disturbing. it. I find the car park not disturbing.

bus stop

Palais de Justice

bus stop

Underground Ave. du Carpark Peuple covered in grass PalaisBelge de Justice

Ave. du Peuple Belge

Underground Carpark covered in grass

Ave. du Peuple Belge

Ave. du Potential Peuple Belge Site

Potential Site

Children train track Residentials

Residentials

Children train track

Site Bois de Boulogne Potential Bois de Boulogne Potential Site 60-ha of Citadel park

Rives de la Haute-Deûle 60-ha of Citadel park

Rives de la Haute-Deûle

Jardin Vauban

Jardin Vauban

What would you like to change/ What would add in you thelike to change/ add in the space? space?

- Adding those tracks, I think - Adding it would those be tracks, I think it would be nicer if you don’t know where nicertoifgo. youItdon’t wouldknow where to go. It would be intriguing, to fell deeper beinintriguing, the forest.to fell deeper in the forest.

Palais ustice

n the mmer

The Regeneration Th of Baode Square Ba

Champ de Mars

A park & ride: A park & ride: parking ticket purchase is equal to parking ticket purchase is equal to free bus ride to the city center free bus ride to the city center

ch is closed

active in the summer

- Renovate the big walls (of - Renovate the citadel), the big walls (of the citadel), I think they are very dark now, I think I guess they are very dark now, I guess compared to the time when compared they weretobuilt. the time I when they were built. I think it was more beautifulthink then.it was more beautiful then.

SECTION ÁSTYSECTION ÁSTY scale 1: 400

scale 1: 400

SECTION KHÔRA SECTION KHÔRA

scale 1: 400

scale 1: 400

169

Architect: URBANUS

Ar UR

Year: 2017

Ye 20

Status: Completed

Sta Co

Program: - Exhibition Venue - Public Space

Pr -E -P

“...the big challenge, that brings the craft for urbanists is how do you fill a hole. The railyard of Saint Sauveur amongst the fabric of the city, with its patterns of streets and buildings, is a big hole.

It is not enough just to patch that, you really need to find the threads of all the streets and the structures that recreate the fabric of the city - to really connect everything together.”

- David Sim (Gehl Architects, creative director) Lille - Saint Sauveur Winning Idea! (2013)

The Regeneration of Baode Square

R-Urban

Architect: URBANUS

Architect: Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée (AAA)

Year: 2017 Status: Completed Program: - Exhibition Venue - Public Space

Apartments with Small Restaurants

Songpa Micro-Housing Seoul, South Korea

Architect: Naka Architects’ Studio

Architect: SsD

Year: 2008-2015

Year: 2014

Year: 2014

Status: Completed/ demolished

Status: Completed

Status: Completed

Program: - Agrocité - Recyclab - Ecohab

Program: - Residentials - Restaurant - Co-working space

Program: - Residentials - Café - Toy Shop - Art Gallery

Area for Residentials: 162 sqm

Area for Residentials: 281 sqm

No. of units: 5

No. of units: 8

No. of inhabitants: 9 + 6 persons in shared office

No. of inhabitants: 11

AAA (n.d.), Inauguration de l’Agrocité , digital image. Available at: https://arteplan.org/initiative/rurban/

Bois de Boulogne Potential Site 60-ha of Citadel park

Rives de la Haute-Deûle

Jardin Vauban

Pre-experiment What if... Ásty comprises of an urban garden and an agora 07/03/18

References & Experiments

170

Ásty The Garden

Khôra The Palace

Khôra The Ruin

19/03/18

19/03/18

19/03/18

+4 Section A-A

+3 Section B-B

THE FUTURE OF A NETWORK

In reviewing both the history of urban change in Lille as The Entanglement Map and its role in demonstrating the investigation of the sites within the public space network of Lille, one then discovers that the public spaces displayed by the illustrations are also empty spaces – voids.

So one starts to question, what if as voids, ásty and khôra do not possess any non-physical entanglement as such but they are parts of the extra small voids network in the city? Can ásty and khôra be the first two projects in a network that deal with the issue? Also, adopting Derrida’s reflective concept of khôra, is there any chance for the development or interventions of these extra small voids to reflect on each other?

URBAN COMMONS AS OVERALL CONCEPT

“…the goods, tangible, intangible and digital, that citizens and the Administration, also through participative and deliberative procedures, recognize to be functional to the individual and collective wellbeing , activating consequently towards them,……, to share the responsibility with the Administration of their care or regeneration in order to improve the collective enjoyment.”1 In 2014 the city of Bologna as a first city introduced the concept of Urban Commons, soon to be adopted by many other cities in both Italy and Europe. The concept is rooted within the commons movement, proposing a framework for shared use, management and ownership of public space in the face of community building. Urban Commons give public space back to the citizens to use for the communal good under a form of self-governance. In most cases a governing body like the municipality offers the use/ management of a building or public space to its citizens, mostly for free and on the condition the users would use it for the common good and community building. The system does not work with a fixed tenancy but rather with en open structure bringing all stakeholders and engaged citizens together (Powell, 2015).

The proposed ‘ásty and khôra’ poject could also be considered an Urban Commons project, connecting both the outdoor public space with indoor spaces.

The Urban Commons as a model matches well with both the theory of social interaction of Jan Gehl as well as Pimlott’s public interior, encouraging social interaction in undefined public space with the purpose of community building.

J. Powell (2015) What Makes a Commons? Cities and the Concept of ‘Urban Commons’. Available at: http://www.ccri.ac.uk/whatmakes-a-commons-cities-and-the-concept-of-urban-commons/ (Accessed: 25 May 2018)

1

DEFINING PROGRAM: ÁSTY

Section C-C +2

The Bologna Regulation defines the Urban Commons as:

?

Section D-D public green space

public green space

site

+1

D

Color Codes Site Existing Green Space Outdoor Public Space

C

(Undetermined Program)

Indoor Public Space (Undetermined Program)

B

Circulation Collective Housing

1.

The site and its surrounding

A

3.

Continue the green element into the site

5.

Upper floors: other functions, realistic densification for maximum usage of the site

Green Space

But what?

Public Rooftop

Currently a housing project is being developed on site by the city of Lille, which means that there is the demand for such function. In parallel with the city, one decides to also propose housing as the program of densification.

D

SPATIAL SCHEME: ÁSTY

DEFINING PROGRAM: KHÔRA

P+R add physical element to generate social interaction existing

+1

Section A-A

?

activities existing

1.

The site and its surrounding +1

3.

The activities in the area: leisure

5.

A space that shelters the disperse existing activities which might inspire and stimulate various and unpredicted activities to take place.

As weather seems to be a key factor for the occurance of these activities, the social space consists of indoor and outdoor space where the boundary set between two can be blurred according to usage.

A

A

SPATIAL SCHEME: KHÔRA

Future of Network

Schemes & Defining Programs

171

Extension of Outdoor Public Space

Co-housing Co-housing

Green Space

Circulation

Green Space

Speed hump Extension of Outdoor Public Space

Avenue du Peuple Belge Backyard of Notre Dame Busy shopping de la Treille street

XS Project: Undetermined public space extended into the empty greenery as transition towards the project

Museum L’hospice Comtesse

Speed hump

Closed metal perforated facade

The flow of the ground floor’s undetermined space: indoor and outdoor

bridge to integrate the public greenery

Private Garage

the public greenery

Quiet residential buildings

Speed hump

ÁSTY

Site area: 690 sqm

ÁSTY

SECTION ÁSTY 0 1

5

0

10 m

1500

2850

fixed framed glasses

perforated stainless steel panel steel plate handrail

I beam to support the fixed framed glasses

Folding partition

Same principle to be applied in both XS Projects

The Ásty Intervention

172

2500

1200

folding partition

Ramp

Same principle to be applied in both XS Projects

1

5

10m

Roof: Translucent Polycarbonat

Toilet

Roof Terrace Indoor Public Space

Outdoor Public Space

Jardin Rives de la Vauban Haute-Deûle

KHÔRA

Site area: 296 sqm

KHÔRA

XS Project: Sheltered outdoor space houses disperse existing activities and unexpected appropriation

Bois de Boulogne (Citadel park)

SECTION KHÔRA 0

1

5

0

1

5

10 m

10 m

steel plate handrail

structures are hidden on top of roof cover transluscent polycarbonat 400 100

cement wood board

300

The Roof

Seating bench

The Khôra Intervention

173

08

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boomkens, R. (2003) ‘Field, Places, Urbanity: A Quest for Field Urbanism!’ Interview with R. Boomkens. Interview by Declerk, J. and Delbere, D. for the ‘Studio Open City’, 29 March. Available at: http://www.urbain-ac.be/files/a+u_fpu.pdf (Accessed: 15 November 2017)

Kalantaridis, C. and Labrianidis, L. (1997) ‘Globalization and local industrial development in the European periphery: Enterprise strategies in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace’, European Planning Studies, 5(4), pp. 477- 494. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ abs/10.1080/09654319708720413 (Accessed: 30 January 2018)

Caputo, J.D. (ed.) (1997) Deconstruction in a Nutshell: A Conversation with Jacques Derrida. New York: Fordham University Press

Koolhas, R. and Mau, B. (1995) S,M,L,XL. New York: The Monacelli Press

Cartwright, M. (2013) ‘Polis’, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 6 June. Available at: https://www.ancient.eu/Polis/ (Accessed: 12 November 2017)

Kuklowsky, C. and Provan, B. (2015) ‘Lille City Story, CASEreport: May 2015’. Available at: http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cr/casereport104.pdf (Accessed: 13 November 2017)

Derrida, J. and Eisenman, P. and Kipnis, J, (1997), Chora L Works, New York: The Monacelli Press

Lille Métropole, Ville de Lille, and SPL Euralille (2014) ‘Le Projet en Dates’, Les Échos de la Concertation Saint-So, October, p. 2-3.

Duhamel, J.M. (2004) Lille, Traces d’histoire: Les Patrimoines. (n.p.).

Mahieu, P. (n.d.) ‘Aggrandissements et Enceintes (1050-1858)’, Lille d’Antan. Available at: http://www.lilledantan.com/agrandissements.htm (Accessed: 27 November 2017)

Fouret, C. (n.d.) ‘La Reconstruction de Lille’, Nord Pas des Calais.

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