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Urban permeability:On plants and plinths

Graduation ProjectUrban DesignAmsterdam Academy of Architecture2013/2014

Veronika Kovácsová

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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)

Student

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

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

This booklet has been published in January 2014

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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

6 7

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?

introduction

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INCREASING AMOUNT OF

PEOPLE LIVING IN URBAN AREAS

More people using less and more compact space

Growing use of (non-renewable) resources

. . .

10 11

INCREASING WORLD POPULATION*

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

65%

35%

rural

urban

50%

50%

30%

70%

205020101970

12 13

PhYSICALGROWTh

=

hORIZONTAL

VERTICAL

14 15

problems & challenges

37.8°C (afternoon)

urban heat island effectheat stressmore extreme conditions: drought, floods, ...

16 17

70%

60%

50%

40%

30% 26.7°C

29.4°C

32.2°C

35°C

37.8°C

Relative huminity Temperature

less hazard-ous, adaptive body tem-perature

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

33.5°C

31.5°C

31°C

32°C

33°C

34°C35°C

36°C36.7°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

18 19

effects of materialisation

stormwater infiltration

disability to filtratewater leading to droughts and floods

stormwater run-off

effects of materialisation

20 21

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

VARIOUS TEMPERATURES IN ThE CITY INFLUENCING ThE hUMAN CLIMATE COMFORT*

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

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

22 23

urban climate comfort

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

(Lenzholzer, 2009)

Climatological factors such as sun, temperature, wind and humidity largely influence our behaviour 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 cir-cumstances of being outdoors are. human comfort is a subjective concept. In a public urban environ-ment it has to do with people’s ac-ceptance of spaces and their condi-tions.

More on human comfort here:

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

Man enjoy the breeze in MadeiraPhoto by Leen Vanthuyne

People walking in the shadow in Bratislava

24 25

“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 documentary from 1980 by William h. Whyte, who was an was an American urbanist, 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.”

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28 29

30 31

location

Vienna = 66km

Budapest = 200km

Prague = 329km

EU

Bratislava

POPULAtIOn GrOwtH PrOjEctIOnS

2011 462.6032025 459.828 -0.6%

Mid-sized capitalpopulation size stagnating or slowly decreasing (low birth rate & greying) SOURCE: http://www.infostat.sk/vdc/pdf/pub-likaciaproj.pdf)

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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 grad-ually 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 under-ground parking lots. Reduction in green perme-able areas of cities is one of the main causes for the increasing urban temperature, poor storm water management and decreasing air quality. Also, the city currently does not have any legisla-tive regulation on the protection of green areas in urban areas, as well as a economically sus-tainable strategy to create and maintain exist-ing and new green infrastructure in the city.

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

34 35

OPEn SPAcE

Forests and urban parks

Agriculture

Water

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.

36 37

reduction in green per-meable areas of cities is one of the main causes for the urban heat island effect, poor storm water management, decreas-ing air quality and biodi-versity.

BUILt SPAcE / Sealed land in %

>80%

50 - 80%

30 - 50%

10 - 30%

<10%

Industry

Airport

38 39

Measurements:19.08.201312:00 -14:00Sunny

UrBAn HEAt ISLAnD EffEct In BrAtISLAVA

33.5°C

15km

31.5°C

31°C

32°C

33°C

34°C35°C

36°C36.7°C

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

Old Town Petrzalka

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SOIL tyPES

loam

sandy-loam

loamy-sand

1 2

1

2

GrOUnD wAtEr LEVELAUGUSt - OctOBEr 2010 (MAxIMUMS)

5,8 – 8,7 m

6,5 – 7,5 m

1, 5m

1, 3 -1 ,4m

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tO ADAPtAtIOn

FROM ADjUSTMENT

"who wants to escape the heat and temperatures be-low 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/)

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cOLLEctIVE rISK

COOPERATIVE BEhAVIOR

COLLECTIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT

„The world has warmed by 1.4 de-grees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) since the Industrial Revolution, with most of the rise in temperature co-ming since the 1970s. Such rapid war-ming is unprecedented 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

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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 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 re-sources: climatological (such as storm water, wind or sun energy) and social (sharing tools and skills).

Ideas Money

€Progress

City administration

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

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Setting ground and establishing public-private partnership could offer a new strategy for the city as a step towards a more resilient and re-sourceful 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 at-tractive cooling urban spaces, when existing resources - human capital and natural renewable resources - are smartly utilized.

Bratislava citizens

By letting the people adopt and re-create the green spaces between their buildings. they will feel more respon-sible and connected to their living environ-ment.

50 51

The public-private partnership between the city and citizens or local ini-tiatives 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').

PUBLIC PRIVATE

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

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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)

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research & analysis

research & analysisPArt 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

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37 unique voters total of 44 votes

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

what do you appreciate in public space the most during a hot summer day in the city?

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

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+/- 20 PLACES22 RESPONDENTS

8 x

6 x

3 x

3 x

where can we find you during a hot summer day in the city?*

* (focused on citizens and visitors of Bratislava)More on: http://urbanclimate.stadachtig.nl/mapping-urban-comfort-bratislava/

Selection of the OPEN SOURCE MAP

mostly missed: water in city centre in form of fountains

60 61

OBc

HO

Dn

Ast

reet

frEE

DO

M

squa

re

MA

In s

quar

e

* (focused on citizens and visitors of Bratislava)* (focused on citizens and visitors of Bratislava)

which public places in Bratislava are avoided during the hot summer days?*

12

3

1

2

OBChODNAstreet

FREEDOMsquare

62 63

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

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

Subjective experiential / qualitative measurement of outdoor materials

research & analysisPArt 2

64 65

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

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

66 67

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

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.

<15

20.1 - 2515.1 - 20

15.1 - 20

68 69

Sensitive areas: built and population

V (Petrzalka)

I (Old Town)

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.

Qualitative demographic data collection

>3500

1500 - 3500500 - 1500

<500

V (Petrzalka)

I (Old Town)

population density 2012 (people per km2)

Old Town

Petrzalka

70 71

OLD tOwn

PEtrZALKA

Two totally different areas in Bratislava are studied and compared (Image 1). 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 (Image 2). Both neighbourhoods have approximately the same density of in-habitants (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 func-tions (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 enter, but a de-teriorating public life due to large dis-tances between buildings, disorientated planning and marginal social functions on ground level for people to pass by and meet.

what can a dense historical centre and a mass-housing neighbourhood learn from eachother?

72 73

Old Town Old Town

Freedom Square

Obchodnastreet

Petrzalka’s grass spaces

Petrzalka’s dead plinths as garage units

Petrzalka Petrzalka

SELEctIOn Of PUBLIc SPAcES

74 75

Many of the fountains in the Old town of Bratislava are out of order due to lack of finances for their maintenance. fountain on Freedom Square out of order since 2007

76 77

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

undemocratic street-scape Petrzalka’s

dead plinths as garage units

78 79

excess of green surface / little shade / no maintenance

surface vegetation in Petrzalka, Bratislava

80 81

One of the most im-portant ingredients of urbanity, besides den-sity, is active participa-tion of the inhabitants in a community.

the need to meet in public spaces is slow-ly increasing, with the right and responsibility for public spaces. appropriation of public

green in Petrzalka (photographed in 2012)

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

82 83

19

Number of floors

12

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Built/sealed surface OLD tOwn

94%PEtrZALKA

49%

84 85

PEtrZALKA

Open/poroussurface OLD tOwn

6%(1.35m2 of green space per inhabitant)

51%39m2 of green space per inhabitant

86 87

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

PEtrZALKAOLD tOwn

88 89

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

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.

90 91

sites Old TownPerzalka

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Learning from Petržalka: reconnecting urban with nature

Green, permeable surfaces form spaces in Petržalka do not only collect storm wa-ter (runoff storm water can be held up to 80%), but also cool off the surrounding urban spaces. Because the Old Town lacks these kinds of open spaces, a new strat-egy is needed to improve the (micro)cli-matological 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 sum-mer periods. In the Old Town, the open places 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 citi-zens 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 permeable space allowing water absorption and a green space offering shade and a cooling mi-croclimate.

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 ex-isting urban fabric does not have to ex-ceed 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 (Image 11) . Also, a fountain or public drinking water tap can improve the human comfort during hot summer days in the city. Many of the foun-tains in the Old Town of Bratislava are out of order due to lack of finances for their maintenance. So is since 2007 the largest fountain called “Unity” on the Freedom

fountains

roofs

Old Town Square (Image 12), which is considered in the hot summer days as one of the most unpleasant public spaces to be in the in the city1. 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 volunteering groups for park management, maintenance and repairing the fountain with the help of lo-cal volunteering plumbers and engineers, the park will become not only more lively, but also a cooler public space

94 95

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69

49

69

H

H

49

69

H

streetscape as anurban heat canyon

existing situation

Obchodna street

proposed situation

Old Town

6m4m 6m

summer sun winter sun

49

69

49

69

H

H

49

69

H

6m4m 6m

96 97

Phase 1: Sun sails

Linen sails for shade(overhead tram wires)

98 99

Phase 1: Sun sails / Visualisation

100 101

New bike path

Phase 2: Grapevine

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

102 103

Phase 2: Grapevine / Visualisation

104 105

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

3m (D)

1.5m (L)

1m (W)

Grapevine

height uptill 35m

106 107

Old Town

2013

Freedom square

2020+Freedom square

108 109

freedom square elevation

110 111

2-5°

8-9mground water

angle terrain

Profile 1 / Overview

Profile 1

112 113

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

water collection throught unused urban assets: roofs

114 115

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

116 117

Profile 2 / Overview

Profile 2

118 119

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

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

120 121

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

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

Profile 2 / Detail 4

122 123

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

124 125

Development of freedom square

Built

are

a /

Impe

rmea

ble

surf

ace

1600Vineyard

100% 80% 57% 32% 36% 45%

1873Archbishop’s palace built

1940-1960’sModernism

1970’sParking place

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

2015+Enlargement of green open surface

Ope

n ar

ea /

Perm

eabl

e su

rfac

e

126 127

Viualisation 1 /freedom square

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

December

May

junejuly

August

October

january

February

March

April

September

November

Storm water retention / Water storage basin

128 129

Viualisation 2 /freedom square

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

Sport acties / Skatepark, jogging, events, ...

130 131

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

132 133

Viualisation 3 /freedom square

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

Sport activities / Ice rink

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

january

February

March

April

134 135

Learning from Old town: ur-banity 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 (approximately 6-8 timer per 100m) contribute to a live-able, socially interactive environment. 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 var-ies, a shop, restaurant or a school pop up every 30 – 70m on a main street.

One can also experience a very undemo-cratic street-scape, where cars dominate on every sidewalk, and sometimes hinder any connection of the pedestrian with the ground floor (Image 6). As mentioned above, the area is characterized by an ex-cess of green public spaces, which the planners originally intended to be used for recreation. however, today this exces-sive grass land is mostly used only for tak-ing ones pet out for a wee . hence, in this case, quantity of green open spaces does not correspond with an equally high qual-ity. On the other hand, the green is the most valued characteristic by the inhab-itants of Petržalka, and protect it for in-stance 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 pos-sibly act as a catalyst of social change? Urbanity of the Old Town in Bratislava is achieved through density of the build en-vironment and the number of public func-tions which bring people not only socially but also physically together. But when buildings in a mass-housing neighbour-hood like Petržalka are sometimes tens of meters apart from another, it creates spaces difficult for social interaction - to see and hear one another from such dis-tances. What could be done to form these spaces between buildings into a motor of social interaction while preserving the beloved ecological structure and pleasant climatological characteristics 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 someone’s private interest than the inter-est of a community. however, more and more people today are not only showing

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

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 resilience? By letting the people adopt and re-create the green spaces between their buildings, they will feel more re-sponsible and connected to their living environment (Image 8). 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) (Im-age 9), tree nurseries or playgrounds and sport facilities (with permeable pavement and bioswales to capture storm water)? When programmed well, the vast grass areas can act as incubators of social ac-tion: form a network of green infrastruc-ture and attract people to access by foot or bicycle. The built environment would reconnect with the ecological and clima-tological processes of the city. Besides 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).

Petržalka

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Peržalka 2013 vironmental development, 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. Permeability of facades is made possible through let-ting local entrepreneurs settle, allowing partial integration of the public (square, street, sidewalk) with the private (shop). This kind of development creates inter-action, broadens our understanding and experiencing of our urban environment. In Petržalka, the currently weak layer of semi-public spaces can be strengthened through supporting small neighbour-hood shops. Some of these already exist (Image 10), but because of strict regula-tions of a monofunctional zoning plan, private initiatives and local, small scale entrepreneurship are imposed with regu-lative barriers.

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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.

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empty grassfields

1 € / year

dead plinths

1€ / m2

Peržalka Pioneers Desire paths 2013

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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 Soil types

loam

sandy-loam

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Petržalka 2020+ Petržalka

ACTIVATING ThE PUBLIC SPACE AND GRASS FIELDS

multifunctional playfield areaa

urban fruit forest

outdoor cinema

collective food production gardens

urban meadows

outdoor market

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LIFE ExPECTANCY (years)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

W C A PF

Petržalka‘s urban forest

SIZE (meters)

AMOUNT (of trees)

0

0

10

10

20

20

30

30

Walnut

W

61 64

220280

320

Cherry

C

Apple

A

Peach

P

Fig

F

Seasonalisation of tree fruiting

December

May

junejuly

August

September

October

November

january

February

March

April

Cherry

a

Figs

Figb

Peach

c

Apple

d

Walnut

e

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trees

220 new trees

Ecosystem services of a tree

shade/shelter

regulation of climate

flood protection

roots of trees are capturing storm water and helping to stabilize ground water level

clean watersoil fertility, stability and health

pollination habitat

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Upgraded desire pathswater network

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63 pp

96 pp

282 pp

ParkingUpdated car traffic infrastructure

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parking phase 1

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parking phase 2parking phase 2

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parking phase 3

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Profile 1 / Overall

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

Water gutter and a groundwater well with solar powered pump

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Profile 1 / Detail 3 Multi-functional playfields Profile 1 / Detail 4 Raised beds (for elderly and disabled) to join the collective food production

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

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

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ground water well with solar powered pump

9m

4m

1m

ditches around the commercial and community gardens serving as a water source and boarder2m

0.8m

4msemi-permeable surface terrace / market area

6m10cm

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

Profile 1 / Elements

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Profile 2 / Overall

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Profile 2 / Detail 1 Profile 2 / Detail 2 Outdoor market and cafe (where the locally grown vegetables and fruits are being sold) and playing / bbq area

Livable plinth and first floor (start-ups, shared offices, ...)

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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, ...

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

220m

52m 52m 49m 47m

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SHArED BIcycLE StOrAGE AnD BIKE KItcHEn

StArt-UP OffIcES AnD AtELIErS LIBrAry

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PetržalkaRESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST/ GROUND FLOOR

PetržalkaRESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST/GROUND FLOOR DETAIL

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PetržalkaRESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST /1ST FLOOR

PetržalkaRESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST /1ST FLOOR

PetržalkaRESIDENTIAL BUILDING EAST /1ST FLOORDETAIL

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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

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

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

Visualisation Petržalka 2020+Urban meadows

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“Flower meadows in cities to improve understanding of urbanisation on insect pollinators.

All of the crops in the community gardens will need pollinating, so urban pollinators are important.”

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

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towards a re-sourceful and responsible city

A paradigm shift does not mean less care from the city administration's side, but a partnership based on mutual responsi-bility and shared maintenance. 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 mainte-nance 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 renew-able resources: climatological (such as storm water, wind or sun energy) and social (sharing tools and skills). 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 main-tenance and create attractive cooling urban spaces, when existing resources - human capital and natural renew-able resources - are smartly utilized. The public-private partnership between the city and citizens or local initiatives would

conclusion create a platform where both parties would decide and be responsible in cre-ating, protecting and maintaining urban open spaces (for instance proposing new permeable spaces or planting new and protecting existing trees or repairing ex-isting public fountains and installing new drinking water taps in urban 'hot-spots').

In both cases, Old Town and Petržalka, the notion of rediscovering and creating a relationship with the city is strong. The Old Town has the potential to become more resourceful with its climatologi-cal processes such as storm water and to create a cooler and more attractive urban environment to its citizens. It can also become more cost-effective by put-ting less load on the drainage system and mobilizing and letting people main-tain 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, redis-covering and reconnecting with the so-cial and natural components of the city, the living conditions 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 be-coming an urban 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 injec-tions, both can benefit enormously and move towards a more resilient city. This, however, is not in the hands of „someone“ or a centrally responsible institution, but in the hands of all of us who want to live in a healthy and attractive urban environment.

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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-in-frastructure-green-infrastructure-as-parks-how-need-design-and-technolo-gy-are-coming-together-to-make-bet-ter-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, September 2011 <www.degroen-estad.nl/Media/download/7074/Green+City+Guidelines.pdf> (last ac-cessed on july 24, 2013)

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

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Urban permeability:On plants and plinths

A graduation urban design project by

Veronika Kovácsová

Amsterdam Academy of ArchitectureJanuary 2014