SUBURB OF 100 COMMUNITIES
Type Invited project competition
Team Everyday Studio, Lendager Group, Julie Holck, Lars Lundbye, Morten Birk Jørgensen and Morten Foli.
Role Responsible for urban space and landscape design
Client Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune
Size 48 ha
Status Completed
How do you create a new town with a strong identity and connection with the surrounding landscape and at the same time relate to the two existing towns?
Årslev and Sdr. Nærå are two suburbian cities situated 20 km from Odense in a very characteristic landscape with a great variety of nature. A decade ago, in a lack of local identity and social life, the two cities were unattractive for new residents. But a fabric, also called Polymeren, turned this situation.
The Polymeren has an open structure which offers a variety of cultural happenings, sports activities, food gatherings, and festivals. We wanted to prolong this story and learn from the Polymeren and the already existing identity, the enthusiasts of Årslev had created. We wanted to build a new town grown from the idea of a community-based structure founded in the nature and biodiversity of Årslev, a decentralized structure where the citizens live with and in nature and the city and the landscape are woven together.
How to grow a community – a radical way of thinking Surburbia
We believe in the possibilities which lie in the social, cultural and aesthetic capital. With the Polymeren, Årslev shows the significance of how the cultural and social life creates an identity for the city. Therefore the strategy is to reinforce the meaning of communities. The development of the city isn’t driven by a central systematic subdivision, nor decisions made by the municipality, it is growing organically where it makes sense and driven by a diversity of small communities, which exists and grows on their own grounds.
A viable society is a complex network of relations, where small societies and communities can manifest themselves around resources and different tasks. Connecting the new neighborhood with the existing, build organic from culture drivers and creates a network-based town as opposed to the centralized city. Each area is community-based and derived from existing resources and opportunities. Each area is located around a cultural driver, which functions as the social foundation.
This new housing area cultivates an agricultural and self-sufficient- way of living. Each area has it’s own interest and passion for a life style with nature-based activities.
In coherence with nature
Three new housing areas will be connected to the existing structure, divided by green areas to maintain the connection to the landscape. New formations of landscape elements will connect to the old town and establish new territories in the new. The new lakes, forests, alleys, and dikes will emphasize the existing landscape and simultaneously make it more vital and inviting. The formation of the landscape elements will communicate the transition
in scale from the town and into the great open field and at the same time establish a relationship between the old and the new town. The existing microclimate and biodiversity will be reinforced and more viable. The rainwater management will be visible in the landscape and together with the new landscape formations elements create attractions and new territories close to the housing.
Three new housing areas growing from the existing town. The landscape divides the areas
The landscape formation elements; lakes, forests, dikes, alleys and meadows
The cultural drivers located in each housing area.
The network of existing and new cultural drivers
The built areas
The new cultural drivers are founded in a ecological lifestyle and informs and tributes each other.
The new area doesn’t reproduce the homogenous structure of housing from the existing town. It offers a variety of types of housing, which reflects the modern family and way of living. The structure is flexible with room for many generations.
The great network of drivers which connects the new city with the old.
1. Driver for cultural life, creativity, sports, active life. 2. Driver for the life at Vidinge Å, nature experiences. 3.Driver for nature and scout life. 4. Driver for agricultural lifestyle. 5. Driver for health care. 6. Driver for shared economy. 7. Driver for religion and spirituality. 8. Driver for creativity and active life. 9. Driver for trade with local goods.
