Architecture design theory; Vastra Hamnen in reference to"New Urbanism movement"

SUMMERY OF

VÄSTRA HAMNEN ś GOALS AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES

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This text is meant to serve as a guideline for the continued

development and construction of the Västra Hamnen (Wes-

tern Harbour) area in Malmö. The program summarizes the

planning principles that are already being utilized in Västra

Hamnen and is meant to serve as a basis for the area’s future

municipal planning.

The planning of the Västra Hamnen area began in 1997. The

initiation of the project began with the decision to hold a

housing exhibit called Bo01 in Malmö’s west harbour in the

spring of 2001. The area Bo01 is a climate neutral city deve-

lopment. It is a demonstration project and recieved financial

support fram the EU.

100 locally produced renewable energy is the concept.

Windturbines, solar panels and a geoenergy system provi-

des all the energy needed on a one-year basis. Read more on

www.malmo.se

When developing the rest of the Western Harbour there has

henceforth not been any opportunities to provide for an en-

ergy system equally climate neutral.

Along with the construction of a new residential area, plans

were also made to build a university in Västra Hamnen. Bo01

was successfully held in 2001 but the area continues to de-

velop and evolve with new residential and commercial buil-

dings gradually being added. As the development of Västra

Hamnen has unfolded a number of city-planning principles

have been established and applied to the area. Many of the-

se strategies were not written down, and this text is therefo-

re an attempt to compile and manifest this silent knowled-

ge into text.

Introduction Background

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A NATIONAL EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABLE CITY-PLANNING.

Västra Hamnen has already attracted international atten-

tion for its sustainable development principles. This profile

should continue and coming projects in the area should de-

velop it even further.

KNOWLEDGE CITY. Västra Hamnen is to become an im-

portant tool in Malmö’s development as a knowledge city.

Mix functions, people and ideas and the interaction and the

meetings that are so crucial to the knowledge city will occur.

MEETING PLACES. We should build even more inspiratio-

nal places where people with different experiences, know-

ledge and ideas can meet and interact.

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Five Goals for a Sustainable Västra Hamnen

THE MIXED CITY. Västra Hamnen’s planning should be

characterized by a mixed functioning where residences, offi-

ces, cafés and recreational activities can all coexist within the

same building.

SURPRISES AND ATTRACTIVENESS. The public space in

Västra Hamnen should contain surprising elements. While bi-

king or walking around, one should feel encouraged to keep

delving into the area to discover more of its qualities.

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1500 m

1000 m

500 m

Viktiga stråk

Framtida stråk

Framtida mötesplatser

Viktiga mötesplatser

When Malmö expands into the harbour areas it is important that the future

developments enhance the existing thoroughfares from the central parts of town.

New areas are connected to the city center of today through working thoroughfares

and streets which connect and link the old and new meeting places and hot spots.

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Västra Hamnen should serve as a national - and international

- example of sustainable city development. Here are some

of the guiding principles of sustainable development in Väs-

tra Hamnen

Social Sustainability

Västra Hamnen should offer a city life full of meetings

and exchanges between people with different back-

grounds and lifestyles. To achieve this there should be

variety in the architecture and physical planning as well

as the form of tenure.

Meeting places formed around interesting activities and

ideas should be created

The planning should contribute to a safe city environ-

ment by creating interesting neighbourhoods which att-

ract people to visit and stay in the area.

The planning should be suited for all citizens including

those with functional disabilities. Since the young and el-

derly tend to spend a lot of time around their area of re-

sidence, special attention should be paid to their plan-

ning needs.

The bottom floors of the buildings on the larger streets

should contain commercial or organizational activity in

order to maintain a lively and stimulating environment.

Concrete Goals for a Sustainable City Development

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Ecological Sustainability

At least 60 percent of the energy use in the upcoming

building projects should be renewable. We aspire to in-

crease this number even more in the future, for example

by using solar energy.

The energy use in the buildings should not exceed 110

kilowatt-hours per square meter and year. (Total usage,

including electricity for home appliances.)

The construction of the houses should be executed with

the least possible amount of non-renewable materials.

Toxic substances should be avoided and moisture con-

trol should be used.

The amount of waste – including during the construc-

tion - should be decreased. The waste from the con-

struction should also be sorted for recycling. Every build-

ing should have sorting facilities in close proximity.

Pollutions in the stormwater should, if possible, be avoid-

ed. The pollutions that do make their way into the storm-

water should be separated on the water’s path to the re-

cipient.

The area should serve as an example of how biodiversity

can be created in inner city landscapes through the cre-

ation of different biotopes. There should also be a varie-

ty of parks and green areas to provide a good breeding

ground for a varied flora and fauna.

Polluted land areas should be decontaminated before

they are built upon in order to prevent health risks for

the inhabitants and environment.

The area should have an environmentally adapted trans-

port system which is based on collective, bicycle and pe-

destrian traffic.

Economic Sustainability

Västra Hamnen should, in all aspects be characterized

by variety since variety provides robustness. By offering

many different kinds of housing, office sizes, retail loca-

tions and possibilities of small-scale industries, economic

sustainability is maintained.

Buildings, parks and infrastructure should be built for

long term sustainability since this reduces the use of re-

sources. This can mean a higher investment cost but in

return it can yield lower maintenance and upkeep costs

and a longer lifespan. Lifecycle analyses are useful tools

in this context.

Low maintenance and upkeep costs should be aimed at

and achieved through low resource use and choosing

materials and technical solutions which provide a long li-

fespan.

Existing buildings should, as far as possible, be recycled.

If they are demolished, building parts and material from

them should be reused.

Both small and large companies should be given the

opportunity to participate in the development of Västra

Hamnen.

Historically valuable buildings and structures should be

preserved.

A reasonable cost of living should be strived for when

planning and building the area.

The planning of the area should contribute to economic

growth.

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Västra Hamnen should become at least as interesting to visit

as central Malmö. The variety of the area should make it mot-

ley and difficult to pin down. The area should exhibit exciting

and surprising elements. How will this be achieved?

By building on what already exists: Sundspromenaden’s

(the walking area by the sea) lively social life and urbanity,

the attractiveness of the swimming area and the vitality of

Stapelbädd Parken (the Skate Park).

By preventing Västra Hamnen’s new city environments

from becoming too anonymous and similar to all other

new buildings and cityscapes. The area has a worldwide

reputation for being unique – let us keep it that way and

build on it.

By demanding high standards from the architectural de-

sign.

By continuing to mix businesses, residential areas, sports

venues, services and education and research facilities in

the same spaces - only even more and everywhere.

By striving for many different forms of tenure and housing:

rental, private, collective living and so on. Size wise the-

re should be both small and large houses and apartments

and the planning should be innovative.

By encouraging many different construction companies,

architects and other actors to become involved in the

building process.

By allowing for great variation and diversity in the projects

and detail plans.

By designing the infrastructure for a variety of transporta-

tion types so they can function as spaces for human inte-

raction.

City life, diversity and intensity

By dedicating the bottom floors on the larger streets to

commercial activity, services and organisations.

By fulfilling the area’s need of municipal services.

By keeping a dense building structure.

2009 - 2010

2009 - 2010

2010

2010

2009

2009 - 2013

2008

2007

2009 - 2012

2008 - 2009

2007 2008

2008

2012 2008

2014 2016

2016

2011

2008 - 2009

2009

Preliminary plan for coming detail planning. The years show

estimated times for finished detail plans.

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Meeting places for Malmö’s

inhabitants: swimming areas,

thematic playgrounds, town squares.

Local meeting places, presented sche-

matically: playgrounds, green areas etc.

Event spots for the whole region:

concerts, theatre, sports, exhibitions.

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Examples of strategies for biological diversity used

in Västra Hamnen

1. A part of the courtyard is designed like a dry field

with for example Common Birds, Greater Knapweeds

and Bloody Crane’s-Bills. Meagre soil with mixed in

sand and, ideally, some lime.

2. A part of the courtyard is designed like a field with

for example Bluebells, Brown Knapweeds and Mea-

dow Crane’s Bills. Fairly meagre soil - ideally mixed

with some lime.

3. A part of the courtyard is designed like a grove with

for example Norway Maples, Spindles, Yellow Archan-

gels and Ladyferns.

4. The courtyard’s stormwater pond is designed like a

marsh with marsh vegetation such as Marsh-Marigold,

Glaucous Sedge and Yellow Iris. The flat pond edges

and bottoms are covered in dirt or gravel.

5. A roof or part of a courtyard is designed like a seashore

biotope with sand, gravel and seashore-vegetation such

as Thrift, Sea Aster and Silverweed.

6. The walls or stone laid paths of the courtyard are de-

signed like cliff biotopes with for example Common

Rock-Roses, and Breckland Thyme.

7. The courtyard has a stony part with nectar giving

plants.

8. A part of the courtyard can be a growth of wild bus-

hes such as Hawthorne, Honeysuckle and Wild Rose and

perhaps a pile of branches and straw for a hedgehog to

live in.

9. There are potential bees nests all around the area, for

example bunches of bamboo sticks or walls with little

holes in them

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Green areas

Green connection areas

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On a street where two city-areas meet, the façades on

both sides of the houses should be designed so they inte-

ract. This does not, however, mean that they necessarily have

to look like each other

Having small building plots for each building and using

small architectural firms to design every block.

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1 The different city-areas should be linked together by con- necting thoroughfares and sightlines. However, within the

city areas it is just as important to show that the streets do

not align.

Nine Design-Principles for Västra Hamnen

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The height of the houses should generally be kept

around five to six stories. The area should however also

contain building structures of other heights.

4. Short and distinguishable façade lengths – around 25 meters

is a good rule of thumb. The length of one block should be

limited to 100 meters.

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6 Västra Hamnen’s architecture is inspired by the old 19th century Quarter City. The buildings should be placed in the

street-line.

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Mixed use. Every building facing a main street or ave-

nue should contain at least two of the following: residen-

ces, services or commercial activity.

Passageway entries from the public area into the cour-

tyard.

The bottom floors facing streets should be given a

height which makes it possible for both residential and

commercial activity to take place there.

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Malmö 2008, City of Malmö Planning Office

Translator: Philip Tanimura