ANALYSIS OF PROPOSALS ERIK MØLLER ARKITEKTER KANOZI ARKITEKTER LILJEWALL ARKITEKTER

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Reynold Fields
5 years ago
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1 ANALYSIS OF PROPOSALS ARKITEKTER ARKITEKTER ARKITEKTER 1

2 CRITERIA A. CONTINUITY B. EFFICIENCY C. QUALITY D. DIVERSITY E. ACCESSIBILITY How are the connections between adjacent neighborhoods and Region City? Is Gulbergvass well connected? Are there long and clear sightlines? Is the urban fabric continuous, simple and rational? Is the viaduct integrated in the urban fabric? Does it interfere with east-west relations? Does Region City become a clear and continuous connection between the river, the existing and the future neighbourhoods? Is the use of space rational? Does it emphasize the need of higher density nearby Nils Ericsonsgatan? Does the proposal fullfi ll the living space requirements for a major, central and 24-7 vibrant city centre? Is there public space linked to every central crossing? Do spaces connect visually to each other? Can we talk about a pearl-rope of open spaces? Is it a three dimensional network? Are open spaces perceived as public? Are they comfortable and attractive? Is there a wide range of uses? Is it attractive and alive during both day and night time? Will every person fi nd a different reason to go to Region City? How are pedestrian, bike and public transport networks? Is there universal accessibility? Is it easy to orientate? Are public transport nodes well connected? Do different fl ows interfere with each other? Is there clear and direct access for transport of goods? Is the viaduct a city street? Does it create anonymous or uninhabited spaces? 2

A. CONTINUITY Connections Urban fabric Sightlines There are strong east-west sightlines which provide good east-west relation, as well as a regular and compact urban fabric for future constructions

The connection with the river aims to be clear with the extension of Nya Göta bridge in a straight street, but it lacks a main space in the core of Region City to close the strong sightline that is

The bus station doesn t contribute to unify the sightline from Nils Ericsons corridor either. The proposal lacks information on future planning and transition between 1600 and 1800 grids.

3 A. CONTINUITY Connections Urban fabric Sightlines There are strong east-west sightlines which provide good east-west relation, as well as a regular and compact urban fabric for future constructions over the railways. The connection with the river aims to be clear with the extension of Nya Göta bridge in a straight street, but it lacks a main space in the core of Region City to close the strong sightline that is now orphaned. The existing connection appears weak and the space doesn t receive and distribute the fl ow because it is very tangential. The bus station doesn t contribute to unify the sightline from Nils Ericsons corridor either. The proposal lacks information on future planning and transition between 1600 and 1800 grids. Nils Ericsons corridor, Nya Göta bridge and the main square in Region City are well connected. Also the new planning for Gullbergvass integrates the existing riverside network and the new main street of the proposal. Bergslagsgatan will become a major element so it might be interesting to defi ne its beginning. Now it is a bit diffused among a sequence of open spaces and traffi c crossings. A missing piece, or the bus station itself, could contribute to shape that anonymous corner. New development over the railways looks like an independent element, maybe too fragmented. There is also an unclear transition between 1600 and 1800 city grids, thus generating an undefi ned space that breaks the new planned urban fabric. Nils Ericsons corridor, Nya Göta bridge and the main space in Region City are quite well connected. The transition from 1800 to 1600 grid is easy and efficient and the whole new planning for Gullbergvass and over the railways works very well. Despite of the logical planning for Gulbergvass, the hinge turns into a bit of undefi ned space inside Region City. The 1800 grid extended to the new planning links this area quite well with the existing buildings by the river, but it is therefore less integrated into Nordstaden. The whole proposal seems somewhat unrelated from its western neigborhood. 3

B. EFFICIENCY Density Living Space The game of volumes, providing green and open spaces at various heights, allows living space to be widely developed.

center of the future Göteborg. The main public space in the center of Region City is directly linked with a high density area and thus this space becomes a meaningful and alive core for the city.

The higher buildings are in the eastern part and maybe some of this space and height could be better used in the desired higher density area nearby Nils Ericsons corridor, to link this skyscraper

4 B. EFFICIENCY Density Living Space The game of volumes, providing green and open spaces at various heights, allows living space to be widely developed. The increase of density towards the bus station is convenient, but we think this gradual rising of the height should be connected to a large scale space that gives meaning and articulates the busy center of the future Göteborg. The main public space in the center of Region City is directly linked with a high density area and thus this space becomes a meaningful and alive core for the city. The closest buildings to Nils Ericsonsgatan also make the best use of space increasing the density and providing a front face to the street. The higher buildings are in the eastern part and maybe some of this space and height could be better used in the desired higher density area nearby Nils Ericsons corridor, to link this skyscraper image to the business center. The tower facing Nils Ericsonsgatan increases the use of this space and provides a face for one of the main access points to Region City. Apart from that, it seems that the surroundings of the bus station have a lower density than the desirable. The main space designed for the proposal might become extremely large and out of scale. 4

C. QUALITY Green corridor Nils Ericsonsgatan Pearl-rope of open spaces Public perception of space Big city park for Gulbergvass There is a wide offer of green areas distributed in different levels

However, it lacks the concept of the pearl-rope of spaces, some spatial hierarchy that generates at least one main space to connect and distribute the different fl ows of people, a meeting point

From the main square one can be easily oriented. In our opinion the courtyards generated in the inner part of the volumes are hardly perceived as public space.

5 C. QUALITY Green corridor Nils Ericsonsgatan Pearl-rope of open spaces Public perception of space Big city park for Gulbergvass There is a wide offer of green areas distributed in different levels due to the volume game proposed. However, it lacks the concept of the pearl-rope of spaces, some spatial hierarchy that generates at least one main space to connect and distribute the different fl ows of people, a meeting point linked to other minor spaces with different grades of privacy. Here we can appreciate the sequence of spaces that gradually link the green corridor in Nils Ericsonsgatan with Gullbergvass. From the main square one can be easily oriented. In our opinion the courtyards generated in the inner part of the volumes are hardly perceived as public space. Connections between different levels most frequently take place within them, so the pedestrian won t perceive a three dimensional network of public space from the outside. The main terraced space seems for us somewhat out of scale. We believe in a hierarchy and sequence of spaces as main ideas for a new city centre, so would like a sequence of different, human scaled, attractive and interconnected spaces rather than only one which is too big to be perceived as a whole. 5

D. DIVERSITY Mixture of uses 24H vibrant city The living space is more related to the eastern part which can be understood as an

24H life in the center relies on a lot of space reserved for hotels, but it might be necessary to consider the actual needs of

Despite this, we think that most of them will be seen as private passages for workers or residents in the city, deterring the

This means that business in higher fl oors have more diffi culty to succeed, thus creating levels that could be quite uninhabited.

6 D. DIVERSITY Mixture of uses 24H vibrant city The living space is more related to the eastern part which can be understood as an extension of the living area of Gulbergvass. 24H life in the center relies on a lot of space reserved for hotels, but it might be necessary to consider the actual needs of lodging for the future city to ensure life after offi ce hours. The higher levels have plenty of connections between buildings. Despite this, we think that most of them will be seen as private passages for workers or residents in the city, deterring the major fl ow of visitors from moving upwards. This means that business in higher fl oors have more diffi culty to succeed, thus creating levels that could be quite uninhabited. Housing and lodging could maybe be spread throughout the whole area as well. The connections between levels are random and sparse. There is not a clear three dimensional crust with links that invite visitors to use higher levels. There is not enough information concerning the distribution of living space. 6

D. ACCESSIBILITY Pedestrians Travellers Bikes Public transport Cars Goods There are plenty of connections in the lower commercial fl oors.

The lack of open nodes to distribute the fl ow doesn t allow connections between levels to be easily perceived. This means that orientation is more diffi cult.

Also the crossing on level 0 is complicated for vehicles and it might need traffi c lights, a bad solution.

The public and open space decreases the perception of a large traffi c road. The viaduct is not accessible for bikes, except from the vehicular point of entry.

Connections occur in the courtyards, based on the questionable idea that they are perceived as public spaces.

There is no place for bikes within Region City, just around it.

7 D. ACCESSIBILITY Pedestrians Travellers Bikes Public transport Cars Goods There are plenty of connections in the lower commercial fl oors. Pedestrians and bikes can move safely throughout the whole area. The lack of open nodes to distribute the fl ow doesn t allow connections between levels to be easily perceived. This means that orientation is more diffi cult. The viaduct is poorly connected to the city. There are no major spaces linked to it so it is not perceived as a city street but as a traffi c road. Also the crossing on level 0 is complicated for vehicles and it might need traffi c lights, a bad solution. The viaduct is well integrated in the city and it functions as a major city street. Connections for pedestrians are easy and related to main spaces. The public and open space decreases the perception of a large traffi c road. The viaduct is not accessible for bikes, except from the vehicular point of entry. Universal accessibility is also poor, relegated to a few narrow and steep ramps. The different levels of the city are quite independent. Connections occur in the courtyards, based on the questionable idea that they are perceived as public spaces. Vehicular traffi c is widely allowed on inner city streets. Specially the main axis would gain quality if free of cars. There is no place for bikes within Region City, just around it. We think that use of bike should be promoted by making it easy to access and park as close as possible to working and leisure centers. There are some public spaces attached to the viaduct but access is tangential and from minor spaces, so we wonder how attractive and alive it would be. The split ramp lacks visibility and the traffi c diagram shows that the main branch is designated to cars (orange) instead of buses (green). Anyway we now think it is more effi cient and logical to have just one ramp. Also the fl ow diagram for goods (purple) doesn t seem very realistic with a 180 degrees turning point for trucks. 7

8 SUMMARY REIULF RAMSTAD ARKITEKTER North. Nya Göta Connections East. Gullbergvass West. Kanaltorsgatan / Spannmålsgatan South. New planning over railways Urban Fabric Long sightlines High density around Nils Ericsonsgatan Living space Green corridor Nils Ericsonsgatan Pearl-rope of open spaces Public perception of space Big city park for Gulbergvass Mixture of uses 24H vibrant city (3D network, inviting to higher levels) The viaduct is one of the most delicate parts of the planning. We think that just one ramp is much better than splitting it for different flows as proposed earlier, to create a better use of the space and avoiding a complex high crossing. Viaduct connection Plus Average Minus 8

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REGION CITY ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE OTHER THREE PROJECTS

REGION CITY ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE OTHER THREE PROJECTS 1 REIULF RAMSTAD SIGHT LINES AND DIRECTIONS IN THE PLAN To integrate an entirely new neighborhood in an existing urban