1

Urban permeability:On plants and plinths

Graduation ProjectUrban DesignAmsterdam Academy of Architecture2013/2014

Veronika Kovácsová

Graduation project committee

Donald van Dansik, MSc.E vandansik[at]gmx[dot]comIndependant consultant for masterplanning and project management, Associate Space Group, tutor Academy of Architecture Amsterdam

Lisette Klok, Dr. ir. (TNO)E lisette[dot]klok[at]tno[dot]nlResearch Scientist Urban Environment, TNO

Sanda Lenzholzer, Dr. Dipl. Ing. MA(AA) (WUR)E sanda[dot]lenzholzer[at]wur[dot]nlAssistant Professor, Landscape Architecture group, Wageningen University, landscape architect and urban designer

External advisors

Erik Meinharter, Dl. E meinharter[at]plansinn[dot]atLandscape designer, partner at PlanSinn, expert on urban climate(Plansinn - Office for Planning and Communication, Vienna)

Zuzana Hudeková, Ing. PhD. E rec[at]changenet[dot]skLandscape architect and expert on (local) urban climate (Regional Environmental Centre, Bratislava)

This booklet has been published in January 2014

Student

Veronika KovacsovaMaster Urban Design Amsterdam Academy of ArchitectureGraduation project presentation: 12/2013

E: veroni.kovacs@gmail.comF: www.facebook.com/urbanclimate

4

ThIS GRADUATION PROjECT IS TACkLING

EcOLOGIcAL AnD SOcIAL PrOcESSES

ThAT AFFECT URBAN CLIMATE*

* Urban climate covers:

- influence of natural factors (sun, exchange of radiation, air, hu-midity of air, temperature, wind, precipitation (rain and snow), and electric interchange processes in their multiple combinations- modifications caused by the town (shape, height, volume, posi-tion, layout, arrangement of buildings and groups of buildings)- repercussions of human activities on the climate (in reference with ecology, management of land, water, air, water and air pollution

5

introduction

The human civilisation is becoming ever more urban. With the growing densification in our cit-ies, green and open (public) spaces are put under pressure. As the number of built, non-permeable surfaces (such as asphalt and concrete) increase, storm water absorption, biodiversity and a pleas-ant microclimate in our cities is threatened. All non-permeable materials contribute to extreme water conditions in the city (low ground water lev-el or flooding) and to the so called 'urban heat is-land' effect. Alongside with this development, the number and quality of public spaces is put under pressure. How do we provide the necessary built urban environment (housing, infrastructure) of a growing city, and at the same time enhance and offer lively, inclusive public spaces with a comfort-able microclimate?

6

INCREASING AMOUNT OF

PEOPLE LIVING IN URBAN AREAS

7

More people using less and more compact space

Growing use of (non-renewable) resources

. . .

8

INCREASING WORLD POPULATION*

* Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division,World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision (2007)

9

65%

35%

rural

urban

50%

50%

30%

70%

205020101970

10

PhYSICALGROWTh

=

hORIZONTAL

VERTICAL

11

12

problems & challenges

urban heat island effectheat stressdrought & floods

13

70%

60%

50%

40%

30% 26.7°C

29.4°C

32.2°C

35°C

37.8°C

Relative huminity Temperature

less hazardous, adaptive body temperature

caution

danger

heat stress

When it‘s over 35°C outside, I rather do not leave my apart-ment.

nausea, vomiting, headaches, and low blood pressure and the latter can lead to fainting or dizziness

heat stress / hyperther-mia - occurs when a body produces or absorbs more heat than it dis-sipates

14

33.5°C

31.5°C

31°C32°C33°C34°C35°C36°C

36.7°C

urban heat island effect

Temperature in densely built centres from 1-10 °C higher, 10% less humidity and 30% weaker wind than in surrounding countryside

36.7°C (afternoon)city centre

15km

Old Town Petržalka

Measurements: 19.08.2013 | 12:00 -14:00 | Sunny

15

stormwater infiltration

effects of materialisation: disability to filtrate water leading to droughts and floods

stormwater run-off

more extreme conditions

16

all temperatures self-measured with an infrared thermometer (see device and measurements further)

22°c

25°c

46°c

56°c

30°c

tar, bitumen

soil

greenwet/in shadow

greenin sun26°c

asphalt/concrete in the sun

asphalt/concrete in the shadow

29°cair temperature

effects of materialisation

17

VARIOUS TEMPERATURES IN ThE CITY INFLUENCING ThE hUMAN CLIMATE COMFORT*

* the acceptance of public spaces in various microclimatatic cond-tions, including sunshine, shade or wind

18

urban climate comfort

More on human comfort here:

http://urbanclimate.stadachtig.nl/humancomfort/ andhttp://urbanclimate.stadachtig.nl/the-social-life-of-small-urban-spaces/

Climatological factors such as sun, temperature, wind and humidity largely influence our behav-iour in and usage of public spaces, and they even determine why we like to stay in certain places more than others. They have an effect on how we feel, how ‘comfortable’ the circumstances of being outdoors are. human comfort is a subjec-tive concept. In a public urban environment it has to do with people’s acceptance of spaces and their conditions.

TEMPERATURE 22°C (when dressed)WIND SPEED 1.5M/S - 1.8M/ShUMIDITY 30% - 60%

(Lenzholzer, 2009)

19

Subjectiveness of the urban climate comfort

20

21

“This is the plaza of the Seagram building in New York in the morning. With a time lapse camera we were test-ing a hypothesis. The sun – we were pretty sure – would be the chief factor determining where people would sit or not sit. Now, just after 12, they begin to sit. Right where the sun is! I was enormously pleased with a per-fectly splendid correlation. It was quiet misleading as we’ll see later, but it was a very encouraging way to start.”

0:35 – 1:06

The very first sentence of ThE SOCIAL LIFE OF SMALL URBAN SPACES, a docu-mentary from 1980 by William h. Whyte, who was an was an American urban-ist, organizational analyst, journalist and people-watcher (Wikipedia).

“There was a very strong correlation between sitters and sun. That was in May. As the time went on: June, July, August. The correlation vanished. People sat any-where – sun or shade.”

Image left: ThE SOCIAL LIFE OF SMALL URBAN SPACES (1980)

22

23Bratislava /photos take during summer 2012/

24

location

Vienna = 66km

Budapest = 200km

Prague = 329km

EU

Bratislava

POPULAtIOn GrOwtH PrOjEctIOnS

2011 462.6032025 459.828 -0.6%Mid-sized capital

population size stagnating or slowly decreasing (low birth rate & greying)

SOURCE: http://www.infostat.sk/vdc/pdf/publikaciaproj.pdf)

25

The urban fabric (built environment), like in many other post-communist cities, has to a cer-tain extent gone through degradation. The city does not grow and develop hand-in-hand with its ecological and climatological processes. The surrounding green hills and vineyards are gradu-ally turning into housing projects of private de-velopers. The city does not have a central park, and only very few urban parks which are threat-ened to turn into asphalt squares or underground parking lots. Reduction in green permeable areas of cities is one of the main causes for the increas-ing urban temperature, poor storm water man-agement and decreasing air quality. Also, the city currently does not have any legislative regulation on the protection of green areas in urban areas, as well as a economically sustainable strategy to create and maintain existing and new green in-frastructure in the city.

26

low or no maintenance of elements in public space

low or no maintenance of green spaces (no watering)

Degrading public space in central Bratislava: Freedom Square / Namestie Slodoby

degrading materialisation non-functioning / broken public fountain

27

Only 6% of the total surface of Old Town is open and green, while the European average is 35% (de Roo, 2011) within an direct urban living environment. This dominant non-permeable surface area is supporting the development of the urban heat island effect.

Open / green space in the city

28

OPEn SPAcE

Forests and urban parks

Agriculture

Water

29

ThE CITY DOES NOT hAVE A CENTRAL PARk, AND ONLY VERY FEW URBAN PARkS WhICh ARE ThREATENED TO TURN INTO ASPhALT SqUARES OR UNDERGROUND PARkING LOTS.

30

BUILt SPAcE / Sealed land in %

>80%

50 - 80%

30 - 50%

10 - 30%

<10%

Industry

Airport

31

REDUCTION IN GREEN PERMEABLE AREAS OF CITIES IS ONE OF ThE MAIN CAUSES FOR ThE URBAN hEAT ISLAND EFFECT, POOR STORM WATER MAN-AGEMENT, DECREAS-ING AIR qUALITY AND BIODIVERSITY.

32

SOIL tyPES

loam

sandy-loam

loamy-sand

1 2

1

2

33

GrOUnD wAtEr LEVELAUGUSt - OctOBEr 2010 (MAxIMUMS)

5,8 – 8,7 m

6,5 – 7,5 m

1, 5m

1, 3 -1 ,4m

34

tO ADAPtAtIOn

FROM ADjUSTMENT

35

"WhO WANTS TO ESCAPE ThE hEAT AND TEMPERATURES BELOW 30 DEGREES, MUST GO TO ALTITUDES WELL OVER 1,200 AND 1,300 METERS. ESCAPE FROM ThE hEAT INTO ThE hILLS - SOMEThING ThAT IN ThE COURSE OF hUMAN-INDUCED CLIMATE ChANGE YOU WILL PROBABLY hAVE TO ADjUST MORE OFTEN IN FUTURE."

(Rainer Schultheis, ORF-Weatherreditorial, 17.08.2012;http://orf.at/stories/2135932/2135927/)

tO ADAPtAtIOn

36

cOLLEctIVE rISK

COOPERATIVE BEhAVIOR

COLLECTIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT

37

„The world has warmed by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) since the Industrial Revolu-tion, with most of the rise in tem-perature coming since the 1970s. Such rapid warming is unprece-dented over at least 20,000 years.“

http://www.priweb.org/globalchange/climat-echange/globalwarming/gw_05.html

may well have seen it all, but certainly have not

We have to adapt, think and apply new strategies of DEGrOwtH, ‘business as usual‘ way of production and consumption has to end

New chance to slow down and reflect, use existing ASSEtS and smartly transforming and updating them

cOLLEctIVE rISK

COOPERATIVE BEhAVIOR

COLLECTIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT

38

It seems that every year the local municipality is cutting costs in maintenance of public spaces, resulting in transformation of green open surfaces into lower maintenance paved squares or demol-ished public elements or facilities such as fountains, pavement materials, benches. With the current economic situation and lack of finances, we tend to forget that we have at hand unused, even renewable resources: climatological (such as storm water, wind or sun energy) and social (sharing tools and skills).

Ideas Money€

Progress

City administration

39

How can the vast green carpets, avoided overheated squares and street be utilized while preserving and improving the ecological structure and characteristics of the area?

40

Setting ground and establishing public-private partnership could offer a new strategy for the city as a step towards a more resil-ient and resourceful city. The city would save costs by collecting storm water (less load on the drainage system and stored water to be used for watering the parks in the hot summer months) in the maintenance and create attractive cooling urban spaces, when ex-isting resources - human capital and natural renewable resources - are smartly utilized.

Bratislava citizens

41

By letting the people adopt and re-create the green spaces between their buildings. they will feel more responsible and connected to their living environment.

42

PUBLIC

The public-private partnership between the city and citizens or lo-cal initiatives would create a platform where both parties would decide and be responsible in creating, protecting and maintaining urban open spaces (for instance proposing new permeable spaces or planting new and protecting existing trees or repairing existing public fountains and installing new drinking water taps in urban 'hot-spots').

43

PRIVATE

Partnership between the public administration and the citizens based on mutual responsibility and shared maintenance

44

concept

urban permeability

concept of urban permeability, influencing not only human comfort but also climate resilience in urban spaces. On one hand the aforementioned open, breathing, absorbing and cooling green spaces in cities, on the other hand accessible, inclusive, lively plinths and the public space formed by and in-between them acting as catalysts of social interaction.

vertical(open plinths and spaces of face-to-face interaction)

horizontal(open surface for storm water to be ab-sorbed and to cool the urban environment)

45

research & analysis research & analysis

PArt 1

Besides scientific reserach literature on ur-ban climate and geomorphological loca-tion analisys, one of the starting points of this work was setting up open online plat-forms establishing dialogue, exchange of knowledge, experience, ideas and feedback directly from those who have personal everyday experience with urban climate within the built environment - the citizens (in some questions diretly focused on Bratislavans).

BLOG http://urbanclimate.stadachtig.nlFacebook Page http://www.facebook.com/urbanclimate

46

37 unique voters total of 44 votes

WhAT DO YOU APPRECIATE IN PUBLIC SPACE ThE MOST DURING A hOT SUMMER DAY IN ThE CITY?

47

ANSWERS: importance of shadow, green spaces and presence of water & ‘beer’, ‘hot girls with mini-skirts’, ‘free Club Mate’, ‘seating’ or ‘pub’

More on: http://urbanclimate.sta-dachtig.nl/rounding-off-question-1/

48

+/- 20 PLACES22 RESPONDENTS

8 x

6 x

3 x

3 x

WhERE CAN WE FIND YOU DURING A hOT SUMMER DAY IN ThE CITY?*

mostly missed: water in city centre in form of fountains

* (focused on citizens and visitors of Bratislava)

49

More on: http://urbanclimate.stadachtig.nl/mapping-urban-comfort-bratislava/

Selection of the OPEN SOURCE MAP

50

OBc

HO

Dn

Ast

reet

FrEE

DO

M

squa

re

MA

In s

quar

e

WhICh PUBLIC PLACES IN BRATISLAVA ARE AVOIDED DURING ThE hOT SUMMER DAYS?*

12

3

* (focused on citizens and visitors of Bratislava)

51

1

2

OBChODNAstreet

FREEDOMsquare

52

Second stage of my research and data col-lection included 1) subjective experien-tial / qualitative measurement of outdoor materialsand 2) objective quantitative urban cli-mate data collection (with the help of an anemometer and infrared thermometer) and 3) qualitative demographic data col-lection

research & analysisPArt 2

53

grassfelt as the coldest element of the square

marmorused partly as the facade of the building (Tesco)

clay soilfelt some heat absorpti-on

light color plastered facadefelt very nice and refreshing, an example that light colors absorb less heat than darker colors

natural stoneused partly in the facade of a residential building. Felt surprisingly hot.

asphaltthe surface of the square felt very hot

Location: kamenne Namestie, BratislavaDate / Time: 27.04.2013 / 17:00Air temperature: 25°C

Subjective experiential / qualitative measurement of outdoor materials

54

quantitative data collection with the help of an anemometer (measuring air temperature and wind velocity)

55

quantitative data collection with the help of an infrared thermometer measuring temperature of materials

56

2010 2025

I (Old Town)0 - 14 12% 10% -2%15-64 69% 61% -8%65+ 19% 29% +10%II0 - 14 13% 12% -1%15-64 70% 66% -4%65+ 17% 22% +5%III0 - 14 12% 12% -15-64 70% 64% -6%65+ 18% 24% +6%IV0 - 14 13% 13% -15-64 73% 66% -7%65+ 14% 21% +7%V (Petrzalka) 0 - 14 12% 14% +2%15-64 81% 60,5% -20,5%65+ 7% 25,5 +18,5

qUALItAtIVE DEMOGrAPHIc DAtA cOLLEctIOnpopulation by age in 2012 and 2025

(Together with children and pregnant wo-men), I belong to the popula-tion vulnerable to urban heat.

57

% 65+ (2025)% 65+ (2012)

<15

20.1 - 2515.1 - 20

15.1 - 20

58

Sensitive areas: built and population

V (Petrzalka)

I (Old Town)

qUALItAtIVE DEMOGrAPHIc DAtA cOLLEctIOn

>3500

1500 - 3500500 - 1500

<500

V (Petrzalka)

I (Old Town)

population density 2012 (people per km2)

59

dense built mass = lively street life, but insufficient green space for a healthy microclimate and uninviting environment for fauna & flora

socially deteriorating area, where anonimity rules. There's lots of green, open spaces - lots of potential for a inviting microclimate and potential for a development of a better social life on a community level.

Old Town

Petržalka

Sensitive areas: built and population

60

OLD TOWN

PETRŽALkA

Two totally different areas in Bratislava are studied and compared. On one hand, a dense historical centre (Old Town) with scarce porous spaces and a vibrant social citylife; on the other hand a 1970s prefab mass-housing neigh-bourhood (Petržalka) with an excess of unused greenery, but a limited offer of vibrant public spaces for its inhabitants. Both neighbourhoods have approxi-mately the same density of inhabit-ants (around 4000/km2), however their urban fabric is totally different. Only 6% of the total surface of Old Town is open and green, while the European average is 35% (de Roo, 2011) within an direct urban living environment. This dominant non-permeable surface area is supporting the development of the urban heat island effect. Density of functions (shops, cafes, ...) on ground floors is highest in the whole Bratislava and is a foundation of a vibrant urban life. Petržalka, on contrary, has a high amount of ground vegetation (about 66%), open corridors for fresh air to en-ter, but a deteriorating public life due to large distances between buildings, diso-rientated planning and marginal social functions on ground level for people to pass by and meet.

WhAT CAN A hISTORICAL CENTRE AND A MASS-hOUSING NEIGhBOURhOOD LEARN FROM EAChOThER?

61

According to ‘The Green City Guidelines’, a pocket park (10-1000m2) should be reachable within 200m (4minutes walking) and a neighbour-hood park (1000-6000m2) within 400m (6minutes walking).

500mradius

62

PEtrŽALKA

19

Number of floors

12

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

BUILt/ SEALED SUrFAcE OLD tOwn

94%

63

PEtrŽALKA

49%

64

OPEn/ POrOUS SUrFAcE OLD tOwn

1.35m2 ofgreen space per inhabitant

6%

65

OPEn/ POrOUS SUrFAcEPEtrŽALKA

39m2 of green space

per inhabitant

51%

66

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

OUtDOOr SPAcES tO MEEt, SIt AnD StAy & FUnctIOnS

functions also open at night time (cafes, restau-rants, hotels)public functions (schools, libraries, doctors’s office, po-lice, cultur-al institu-tions, ...)

functions open dur-ing the day (cafes, res-taurants, hotels)

outdoor public space to meet, sit and stay

PEtrŽALKAOLD tOwn

67

OUtDOOr SPAcES tO MEEt, SIt AnD StAy & FUnctIOnS

PEtrŽALKA

functions also open at night time (cafes, restau-rants, hotels)public functions (schools, libraries, doctors’s office, po-lice, cultur-al institu-tions, ...)

functions open dur-ing the day (cafes, res-taurants, hotels)

outdoor public space to meet, sit and stay

68

Plinths as catalysators of social interaction in public space

A study and book by the dutch office Stipo, The City at Eye Level, suggests that public functions in plinths on a 15m distance (approximately 6-8 timer per 100m) contribute to a livable, socially interac-tive environment. Petržalka as a neighbourhood built in the 1970s – 1980s, is based on the princi-ple of functional segregation. Although density of public functions within the plinth varies, a shop, restaurant or a school pop up every 30 – 70m on a main street.

69

sites

Petržalka

Petrzalka’s dead plinths as garage units

Old Town

70

Green, permeable surfaces form spaces in Petržalka do not only collect storm water (runoff storm water can be held up to 80%), but also cool off the sur-rounding urban spaces. Because the Old Town lacks these kinds of open spaces, a new strategy is needed to improve the (micro)climatological comfort of the city, but also to reconnect urban life with nature.

The most obvious method to introduce permeability is by opening sealed, non-porous surfaces in the city and adding new vegetation to support storm water collection, absorption, and contribute to a cooling effect during the hot summer periods. In the Old Town, the open plac-es with a permeable potential are the unused empty plots, parking lots, tram tracks and roofs of buildings. During the last two years, the first community gar-dens have been set up in Bratislava, on both public and private grounds. Many of them have been initiated by active citizens who have decided to take things into their own hands and transformed empty, unused voids in the city into a new public space for the people, a per-meable space allowing water absorp-

Old Town

LEARNING FROM PETRŽALkA: RECONNECTING URBAN WITh NATURE

71

tion and a green space offering shade and a cooling microclimate.The city administration and the citizens have to realize that it is never too late to improve their urban environment, and the scale of the interventions into the existing urban fabric does not have to exceed a couple of m2. Where there is no space for larger green areas, a solution of let storm water run-off or to be stored would be a simple tree-bed instead of a parking place (Benepe, 2013). Such a green pockets can store about 10.000 litres of storm water. Also, a fountain or public drinking water tap can improve the human comfort during hot summer days in the city. Many of the fountains in the Old Town of Bratislava are out of order due to lack of finances for their

fountains

roofs

maintenance. So is since 2007 the larg-est fountain called “Unity” on the Free-dom Square, which is considered in the hot summer days as one of the most unpleasant public spaces to be in the in the city. This square went through a number of transformations in the last two centuries, covering up 64% of its surface with heat-radiating and non-permeable asphalt and concrete. With small scale interventions like collecting storm water into smartly enlargened existing green surfaces, forming volun-teering groups for park management, maintenance and repairing the foun-tain with the help of local volunteering plumbers and engineers, the park will become not only more lively, but also a cooler public space

7249

69

49

69

H

H

49

69

H

streetscape as anurban heat canyon

Obchodna street

6m4m 6m

summer sun

winter sun

49

69

49

69

H

H

49

69

H

proposed situationexisting situation

6m4m 6m

73

Linen sails for shade(overhead tram wires)PhASE 1:

SUN SAILS

New bike path

74

Phase 1: Sun sails

75

Phase 2: Grapevine / Visualisation

PhASE 2: GRAPEVINE

Grapevines offering shade and drainage (wireless tram with inductive power transfer)

76

WATER DRAINAGE AND COLLECTION:= 4500m3 of volume = about 1500L of water capacity

3m (D)

1.5m (L)

1m (W)

GRAPEVINEheight/length till 35m

77

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF A VINE OR TREE

shade/shelter

regulation of climate

flood protection

roots of trees are cap-turing storm water and

helping to stabilize ground water level

clean water

soil fertility, stability and health

pollination

habitat

78

Many of the fountains in the Old Town of Bratislava are out

of order due to lack of finances for their maintenance.

The fountain on Freedom Square out of order since 2007

Freedom square

792020+Freedom square

80

DEVELOPMENT OF ThE FREEDOM SqUARE

Built

are

a /

Impe

rmea

ble

surf

ace

1600Vineyard

100% 80%

1873Archbishop’s palace built

Ope

n ar

ea /

Perm

eabl

e su

rfac

e

8157% 32% 36% 45%

1940-1960’sModernism

1970’sParking place

1980-2014Square with large fountain, since 2007 out of order

2015+Enlargement of green open surface

82

2-5°

8-9mground water

angle terrain

PROFILE 1 / OVERVIEW

83Profile 1

84

Profile 1 / Detail 1 water collection throught unused urban assets: roofs

85

Profile 1 / Detail 2 water collection throught the concrete multi-use and -functional drainage

86

Profile 1 / Detail 3 Refreshment effect of the combination wind & fountain

87

FREEDOM SqUARE ELEVATION

2-5°terrainangle

88

PROFILE 2 / OVERVIEW

89Profile 2

90

Profile 2 / Detail 1 Use of the concrete water drainage pool during ‚dry‘ day as a skating and sitting public area

91

Use of the concrete water drainage pool during ‚wet‘ day as a water storage or ice-skating rink (with temperatures below 0°C)

Profile 2 / Detail 2

92

Profile 2 / Detail 3 Movable chairs in de-elevated grass area give users the freedom and flexibility to position itself comfortably for sun, shade, shelter, meetings and events.

93

Water collected by drainage is stored in the central fountain of the square and is recycled.

Profile 2 / Detail 4

94

Profile 2 / Detail 5 Movable chairs in front of the cafe give users the freedom and flexibility to position itself comfortably for sun, shade, meetings and events.

95

Use of the concrete water drainage pool during ‚wet‘ day as a water storage

Seasonal multi-functional use of the loop around the fountain on freedom square

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

january February

March

April

96

Use of the concrete water drainage pool during ‚dry‘ day as a skating and sitting public area

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

january February

March

April

Seasonal multi-functional use of the loop around the fountain on freedom square

97

Loose chairs instead of fixed existing benched gives users the freedom to position itself best suited for sun / shade and events.

98

Use of the concrete water drainage pool during ‚wet‘ day as an ice-skating rink (with temperatures below 0°C)

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

january February

March

April

Seasonal multi-functional use of the loop around the fountain on freedom square

99

LEARNING FROM OLD TOWN: URBANITY ThROUGh SOCIAL ACTION

A study and book by the Dutch office Stipo, The City at Eye Level (karssenberg 2013), suggests that public functions in plinths on a 15m distance (approxi-mately 6-8 timer per 100m) contribute to a liveable, socially interactive envi-ronment. Petržalka as a neighbourhood built in the 1970s – 1980s, is based on the principle of functional segregation. Although density of public functions within the plinth varies, a shop, restau-rant or a school pop up every 30 – 70m on a main street.

One can also experience a very undem-ocratic street-scape, where cars domi-nate on every sidewalk, and sometimes hinder any connection of the pedestrian with the ground floor. As mentioned above, the area is characterized by an excess of green public spaces, which the planners originally intended to be used for recreation. however, today this ex-cessive grass land is mostly used only for taking ones pet out for a wee . hence, in this case, quantity of green open spac-es does not correspond with an equal-ly high quality. On the other hand, the green is the most valued characteristic by the inhabitants of Petržalka, and pro-

Petržalka

100

tect it for instance against a top-down development of a highway1. The question remains: how can the vast green carpets be utilized by the inhabitants? And could nature possibly act as a catalyst of so-cial change? Urbanity of the Old Town in Bratislava is achieved through density of the build environment and the number of public functions which bring people not only socially but also physically together. But when buildings in a mass-housing neighbourhood like Petržalka are some-times tens of meters apart from another, it creates spaces difficult for social inter-action - to see and hear one another from such distances. What could be done to form these spaces between buildings into a motor of social interaction while pre-serving the beloved ecological structure and pleasant climatological characteris-tics of the area?

One of the most important ingredients of urbanity, besides density, is active par-ticipation of the inhabitants in a commu-nity. During the socialist times in Slovakia, the notion of the „empowered“ citizen was not common, as it resembled more

1 http://petrzalka.otvorene.sk (Website only in Slovak, last accessed on july 24, 2013)

someone’s private interest than the inter-est of a community. however, more and more people today are not only showing their increasing need to go out and meet in public spaces, but also demonstrating right and responsibility for public spaces.2

What does this have to do with climate re-silience? By letting the people adopt and re-create the green spaces between their buildings, they will feel more responsible and connected to their living environ-ment. Why not to plant an urban (food) forest into the vast green lands (slowing down but not blocking the air circulation coming into the city), tree nurseries or playgrounds and sport facilities (with per-meable pavement and bioswales to cap-ture storm water)? When programmed well, the vast grass areas can act as incu-bators of social action: form a network of green infrastructure and attract people to access by foot or bicycle. The built en-

2 Approximately since 2011, Bratislava has experienced a growing number of engaging civic communities based on volunteering such as ‘ Zelena hliadka’ (a well-networked, active group of citizens cleanig up specific locations in Bratislava on a daily basis; http://www.zelenahliadka.blog.sme.sk) or ‘Bratislavske dobrovolnicke centrum’ (a community around the newly reopened Old Markethall, offering ‘donation’ of people’s helping hands and skills; http://www.dobrovolnictvoba.sk).

101

cars dominate on sidewalks, and sometimes hinder connection of pedestrians with the ground floor

undemocratic street-scape

102

surface vegetation in Petrzalka, Bratislava

103

excess of green surface / little shade / no maintenance

104

appropriation of public green in Petrzalka (photographed in 2012)

privatisation of the ground floor (plinth) in Petrzalka(photographed in 2012)

the need to meet in public spaces is slowly increasing, with the right and responsibility for public spaces.

105

vironment would reconnect with the ecological and climatological processes of the city. Besides environmental devel-opment, green urban areas offer health and social benefits and are considered as community builders, strengthening the social ties between the citizens.

Together with the development of a new green infrastructure, the current car-sidewalk-parking would gain back its role as pedestrian zone, along more open and accessible plinths. Permeabil-ity of facades is made possible through letting local entrepreneurs settle, al-lowing partial integration of the public (square, street, sidewalk) with the pri-vate (shop). This kind of development creates interaction, broadens our under-standing and experiencing of our urban environment. In Petržalka, the currently weak layer of semi-public spaces can be strengthened through supporting small neighbourhood shops. Some of these already exist, but because of strict regu-lations of a monofunctional zoning plan, private initiatives and local, small scale entrepreneurship are imposed with reg-ulative barriers.

empty grassfields

dead plinths

Peržalka Pioneers

1 € / m2

1 € / year

106

MANIFEsTO plAy PETRŽALKA!

107

MANIFEsTO plAy PETRŽALKA!

MANIFEsTO plAy PETRŽALKA!1. PARTICIPATORY DESIGN Inhabitants have a say and can influ-ence and co-create the new meaning of the empty spaces.

2. OPENNESS, PUBLICNESS, ACCESS Applicants may propose anything that will be 'open': (e.g. an office, but should remain open to the public and encourage 'inside-outside' interaction)- if they decide to 'seal' a piece of land, it should be a) temporary or b) offer a compensation, solution that the building will add 'good' and give something back to the environment (collect and reuse storm water, col-lect and reuse waste, ...)

3. DIVERSTY The projects / new-use proposals should aim at needs and wants of all inhabitants of Petrzalka and be as varied and diverse as possible target group. Projects that include a variety of users and func-tions are prioritized.

4. PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 1-year contract with the city and the citizens. Both parties have responsibilities and a list of minimal 'deliverables' to ensure stability and fairness of the project during the process.

5. SEASONALITY AND ALL YEAR-ROUNDNESS Find and assign all season use (so not only summer, but also winter when it's cold and snow outside).

6. COLLABORATION Priority goes to projects that work together, where collaborations are created. (For instance to reduce costs and re-sources)

7. RESPONSIBILITY Applicants have to take responsibility, be pre-sent to build a community.

8. ZERO-CENT URBANISM There is NO BUDGET. However, there is a lot of freedom for urban pioneers (artists, cooks, …) to experiment outdoors or young architects to build and start their own studio.

108

DESIRE PAThS 2013

109

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTPRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

SOIL TYPES

loam

sandy-loam

110

fruit trees for shade and jams

hammocks and slacklines

new business: grow-ing vegetables for the supermarket

offices for start-upslibrary

neighbourhood vegetable gardens

movies and pop-up bistro

flower garden for elderly

local marketplace for barbeque

playground

local shopsoutdoor gym

urban meadow

PLOT DIVISION

111

urbanfruit forest

collective food production gardens

outdoor market

multi-functional playfield area

outdoor cinema

urban meadows

PETRŽALkA 2020+ACTIVATING ThE PUBLIC SPACE AND GRASS FIELDS

112

TREES220 new trees

Amount of trees in urban fruit forest

Walnut

61 64

220280

320

Cherry Apple PeachFig

113

PETRŽALkA‘S URBAN FOREST

SIZE (meters)

0

10

20

30

Walnut Cherry Apple PeachFig

LIFE ExPECTANCY (years)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

W C A PF

Cherrya

FigsFigb

Peach

c

Apple

d

Walnute

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

januaryFebruary

March

April

SEASONALISATION

114

WATER NETWORk

ditches around the commer-cial and community gardens serving as a water source and boarder(detail on p. 125 & 128)

115

UPGRADED DESIRE PAThS

Central car traffic axis becomes a slow traffic space(detail on p. 126)

Emancipation of cyclists and pedestrians

116

UPDATED CAR TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE

circular motorized traffic creates a car-free zone between the blocks

117

63 pp

96 pp

282 pp

PARkING

from undefined to assigned

cars will be assigned official parking places, which wil diminish parking on sidewalks and grassfields

from undefined to assigned

118

new assigned parking plac-es will be made into flexible, permeable spaces, allowing infiltration and growth into grassland once less parking places are needed in the future (lower car ownership, more car sharing, ...)

new assigned parking plac-es will be made into flexible, permeable spaces, allowing infiltration and growth into grassland once less parking places are needed in the future (lower car ownership, more car sharing, ...)

flexible permeable spaces

PERMEABLE PARkING

119

PERMEABLE PARkING

PhASE 1

PhASE 2

PhASE 3

120

PROFILE 1 / OVERALL

121

122

Profile 1 / Detail 1 Livable plinth and first floor (start-ups, shared offices, ...)

123

Profile 1 / Detail 2 Water gutter and a groundwater well with solar powered pump

124

Profile 1 / Detail 3 Multi-functional playfields

125

Multi-functional playfields Profile 1 / Detail 4 Raised beds (for elderly and disabled) to join the collective food production

126

Profile 1 / Detail 5 Central car traffic axis becomes a slow traffic space (cyclists, pedestrians)

127

Profile 1 / Detail 6 Outdoor market (where the locally grown vege-tables and fruits are being sold) and a cafe

128

ground water well with solar powered pump

9m

4m

1m

ditches around the commercial and community gardens serving as a water source and boarder

2m

0.8m

4m

PROFILE 1 / ELEMENTS

129

semi-permeable surface terrace / market area

6m10cm

Surface will be partly kept free to assure permeability of water.

130

PROFILE 2 / OVERALL

131

132

Profile 2 / Detail 1 Livable plinth and first floor (start-ups, shared offices, ...)

133

Profile 2 / Detail 2 Outdoor market and cafe (where the locally grown vegetables and fruits are being sold) and playing / bbq area

134

LIFE ALONG ThE PLINTh

shared private space - main entrance to section, staircase

existing centre - supermartet, fitness centre, offices of small entreprices

new functions

GROUND FLOOR: mostly public functions open till late in the evening, bigger spaces available- shared bicycle storage and bicycle kitchen- kindergarten (connected to the playground or sport field outdoor)- bar, cinema, ...

220m

52m 52m

135

fragmented flat divided into 4 sections on the ground level to create a more human scale

GALLERY: - start up offices (cheap rent)- working ateliers for students- design and crafts- library (for the neighbourhood, not only the building)- cafe- specialized small shops (toys, knitting, books, flowers) - possible due to cheap rents

49m 47m

136

SHArED BIcycLE StOrAGE AnD BIKE KItcHEn

StArt-UP OFFIcES AnD AtELIErS

137

LIBrAry

138

PETRŽALkARESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST/ GROUND FLOOR

139

PETRŽALkARESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST/GROUND FLOOR DETAIL

140

PETRŽALkARESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST /1ST FLOOR

141

PETRŽALkARESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST /1ST FLOORDETAIL

142

water gutters for1. better infiltration of storm water2. as a natural water source3. as a natural boarder between public pedestrian paths and semi-public collective gardens

1.3m ground level

VISUALISATION PETRŽALkA 2020+URBAN FOOD PRODUCTION IN COLLECTIVE GARDENS

143

more planted trees and plants will keep the water closer to the grass and vegetables and will prevent it from drying

144

Local products are brought and sold in the local supermatket, establishing and strenghtening the local micro economy

145

Citizens picking up fruit from food forest to make their own jams, pies, sirup or schnaps

Fruits from the food forest directy to the kitchens of locals!

Newly opened café in the plinth buys many of the local produces for their cakes and home-made fruitshakes

The local supermar-ket buys produce from the local market

The local vegetables get directly into the homes of the people

Local farmers harvest and take theirproduce home

LOCAL FOOD PROxIMITY

200m

146

VISUALISATION PETRŽALkA 2020+URBAN MEADOWS

147

“Flower meadows in cities to im-prove understanding of urbanisa-tion on insect pollinators. All of the crops in the community gardens will need pollinating, so urban pol-linators are important.”

148

TOWARDS A RESOURCEFUL AND RESPONSIBLE CITY

A paradigm shift does not mean less care from the city administration's side, but a partnership based on mutual re-sponsibility and shared maintenance. It seems that every year the local munici-pality is cutting costs in maintenance of public spaces, resulting in transfor-mation of green open surfaces into lower maintenance paved squares1 or demolished public elements or facilities such as fountains, pavement materials, benches. With the current economic situation and lack of finances, we tend to forget that we have at hand unused, even renewable resources: climatologi-cal (such as storm water, wind or sun energy) and social (sharing tools and skills). Setting ground and establishing public-private partnership could of-fer a new strategy for the city as a step towards a more resilient and resource-ful city. The city would save costs by collecting storm water (less load on the drainage system and stored water to be used for watering the parks in the hot summer months) in the maintenance and create attractive cooling urban spaces, when existing resources - hu-man capital and natural renewable re-sources - are smartly utilized. The pub-

conclusion

149

Karol (dog) seems happier with all the sniffing and digging in our new mead-ow. And I bump into more friends. Last time on our walk I even applied for volunteering at the beekeeping station!

150

lic-private partnership between the city and citizens or local initiatives would create a platform where both parties would decide and be responsible in creating, protecting and maintaining urban open spaces (for instance propos-ing new permeable spaces or planting new and protecting existing trees or repairing existing public fountains and installing new drinking water taps in urban 'hot-spots').

In both cases, Old Town and Petržalka, the notion of rediscovering and creat-ing a relationship with the city is strong. The Old Town has the potential to be-come more resourceful with its clima-tological processes such as storm water and to create a cooler and more attrac-tive urban environment to its citizens. It can also become more cost-effective by putting less load on the drainage sys-tem and mobilizing and letting people maintain and re-establish a relationship with their parks. Petržalka is a home to one third of Bratislava’s population, offering an anonymous city-scape to anonymous city-dwellers. Through re-creating, rediscovering and recon-necting with the social and natural

components of the city, the living con-ditions of us city-dwellers will improve. All ideas of citizens, not interfering with the permeable character and ecological processes of the area, are welcome and allowed. A tree nursery becoming an ur-ban forest, food growing or a sport area for children and adults.

In the beginning of this paper, both of case study locations were presented with their strengths and weaknesses. With simple and smart environmental and social injections, both can benefit enormously and move towards a more resilient city. This, however, is not in the hands of „someone“ or a centrally re-sponsible institution, but in the hands of all of us who want to live in a healthy and attractive urban environment.

151

REFERENCES:Benepe, Adrian; Parks as Green Infrastructure, Green Infrastructure as Parks: how Need, Design and Technology Are Coming Together to Make Better Cities, April 17, 2013 <http://www.thenatureofcities.com/2013/04/17/parks-as-green-infrastructure-green-infrastructure-as-parks-how-need-de-sign-and-technology-are-coming-together-to-make-better-cities> (last accessed on july 24, 2013)

de Carlo, Giancarlo; Architecture's public: the revolt and the frustration of the school of ar-chitecture (1969), ARCh+ 211/212 Think Global Build Social, summer 2013, p. 86 – 96

de Roo, Michelle; Roozen, Niek; The Green City GuidelinesTechniques for a healthy liveable city, Septem-ber 2011 <www.degroenestad.nl/Media/down-load/7074/Green+City+Guidelines.pdf> (last accessed on july 24, 2013)

karssenberg, hans ed., The City at Eye Level, Eburon, 2012 <http://www.thecityateyelevel.com> (last accessed on july 24, 2013)

152

Urban permeability:On plants and plinths

A graduation urban design project by

Veronika Kovácsová

Amsterdam Academy of ArchitectureJanuary 2014