ENGHAVE BRYGGE. Stories of the site

Transcription

1 ENGHAVE BRYGGE Stories of the site

2 Enghave Brygge History and cultural context The first real master plan of the area was made in It has two focuses, one concerning the area around Dong energy, and the another focusing on the areas around it on both sides. One of the demands for the place where Dong is situated was that the plot ratio could not exceed 60%, and it was only Dong energy that had the right to built here. The area surrounding it, had a plot ratio on 110 %, and there could not be built higher than 20 meters above ground 0, meaning 4 stories. This area was only meant for industrial business purposes. During the last 140 years heavy waste from metal and cars has been handled from Enghave Brygge, but now this business has been moved to another place in Copenhagen, Refshaleøen, and a significantly amount of work with cleaning the soil at Enghave Brygge has started. When this is done creating a new part of the city can begin. Picture 1: The site seen from above. Picture 2+3: The H.C. Ørstedsværket, a major landmark for the whole of Copenhagen.

3 2000 Master plan by Soeter 1940 CPH rowing club to Enghave Brygge 1994 From coal fuel to natual gas Diesel house was opened 2010 CPH RC building add-on 1920 HC Ørstedsværket was opened 1982 Local Plan 1995 Super Marco was opened 1999 Evolution by Ulrik Schiødt Diagram 1: A timeline showing what has happened at Enghave Brygge for approximately the last 100 years. Also it should be mentioned that there has been a major concern about the proximity to H.C. Ørstedsværket. H.C. Ørstedsværket, which is a power station, was built in 1920, and was at that time the largest of its kind in Denmark. At that time coal as a fuel source was the most important, but currently they have switched into using natural gas. A big part of the buildings connected to Dong Energy are protected by the preservation of Copenhagen and cannot be demolished. Picture 4+5: Some of the graffiti walls in the area where artists come to practice their skills. Some are clearly more talented than others, but it is fascinating how it lights up the area.

4 The old railway is still exposed and going all the way down to the water as an evidence of the heavy industry that was once situated in the area. Trains were needed for shipping coals from the ships that docked at Enghave Brygge and up to H.C. Ørstedsværket. At the moment the area contains a large amount of graffiti walls and parts of the place seems abandoned. A lot of people, many young artists, come out there to practice their graffiti skills and to meet others with the same interest. It is clear that some of the abandoned area is being used for parties, and also for people who do not have a permanent place to live. Mattresses and used spray cans are spread all over the area. There are some houseboats out there, and it is a wish for the future that more shall come. The municipality of Copenhagen is very fond of this way of living on the water, but at the moment it is quite expensive, and the waiting list for it is long. At the moment houseboats are situated in two areas, a small group at the end of Fiskerihavnsgade next to the small chapel, which is actually a hideout for a large aqueduct going down under the harbor dock. The other place for houseboats is larger and placed at the end of Landvindsgade on the south side facing Teglholmen to the water side and old industrial area towards land. CPH Rowing Club Super Marco Houseboats Chapel Diesel house H.C. rstedv¾rket ÕEvolutionÕ mural Houseboats Diagram 2: An overview of where things are situated in the area.

5 Picture 6+7: Everyday life on the water. The houseboats where people are living, and the space nearby that they are using as their own private space. A dutch architecture company, Soeters Van Eldonk has recently in year 2000 made a new master plan for the harbor area, also including Teglholmen and Sluseholmen. The aim is to create an urban area that is shaped by canals similar to Java Island in Amsterdam. The plan is that the site shall contain apartments in varies sizes. Diagram 3: The site situated in Coenhagen Diagram 4: The site as part of the master plan made by Soeters van Eldonk Architects, showing from the top: - Enghave Brygge -Teglholmen -Sluseholmen Enghave Brygge has some special demands in the way of thinking a city because of the location next to Dong Energy.

6 Physical and geographical context Enghave Brygge is situated in the southern part of the harbor in Copenhagen surrounded by Havneholmen on the north side, Teglholmen to the south side and Vesterbro in the back. To the city center and the main station is approximately 2.5 kilometers, and busses goes all the way in there. Since 2006 when Bryggebroen opened it has been very easy to get from one side of the harbor to the other side. Now it takes only a few minutes to walk or go by bike from Havneholmen next to Enghave Brygge and over to Islands Brygge. This is of great significance to the area because of the proximity to inner Copenhagen, Christianshavn and Amager. Also to have an old and kind of historical neighborhood close by is rather important because both Havneholmen and Teglholmen are rather newly established and do not have the same kind of daily life as Islands Brygge and Vesterbro for instance. Being out there physically at the moment feels like not being in a part of the capital, but in a isolated place where you are not completely sure of whether it is legal to be there or not. It is abandoned and no one is living there. There is a lot of bare land surrounded by fence that looks wild and untamed. Grass is growing wild and small trees are coming up from the ground. It is clear that something has been going on behind the fences, but you cannot get in there and get a proper look. Picture 8: The abandoned area, not at all looking like a part of the capital of Denmark.

7 Somewhere parts from buildings are lying as part of evidence that once something was happening there, something that has now been torn down. Also big bulldozers and containers are placed out there so it is clearly that new things are happening and about to happen at the location. The long massive wall with graffiti gives the impression that the site has been taken over by this underground force that needs a place to express itself, and also show the world that it exists and cannot be suppressed by common laws and rules. The infrastructure at Enghave Brygge consists of varies of wide asphalt paved roads and the old railways that are not used anymore. Also there are some sidewalks out there and no heavy traffic, so it is easy to get around. The area is separated from Vesterbro by one of the major arteries surrounding Copenhagen, called Vasbygade, or just O2 and also by the railways leading towards the main station or out of Copenhagen. Diagram 5: The site and distances to central places nearby Rådhuspladsen: 3 km Dybbelsbro St.: 1.2 km Bryggebroen: 1 km Fisketorvet: 0.8 km Picture 9+10: The steets are wide and in part of the area sidewalks are made for pedestrians. There are no bikelanes out there. When it comes to the materials out there, most of the building are made in brick. The Copenhagen rowing club is buildt in red bricks with a red tiled roof. Also one of the big trademarks for the city, H.C. Ørstedsværket is mainly built up in bricks somewhere covered with dark red plaster. One of the protected buildings the timbered one next to the old chunk yard are also in brick and of cource wood.

8 Another common material on the site is concrete. The Italian supermarked is made in concrete and also the long concrete wall for graffiti takes up a big spot in the landscape together with the rest of the factory buildings. Picture 11+12: Common used materials out there are bricks and concrete. Protected buildings Worth preserving Diagram 6: The area contains a lot of buildings worth protection.

9 Social roles and expectations At the moment people at Enghave Brygge only come there if they have a purpose of a business matter out there. There are some storage facilities and an Italian supermarket, SuperMarco, one of the largest Italian supermarkets in Copenhagen at Enghave brygge. Also in the beginning of the area towards Havneholmen Copenhagen rowing club is situated in a fine red brick building from the beginning of the 1940s. The club has roots going all the way back to the 1860s and has founded members who are today Olympic medal winners. Picture 13+14: The rowing club and the closeness to the water. As mentioned a very few amount of people live out there, only the ones living on the water in houseboats. Some are families with children and a middle income. They like to be close to the possibilities the big city offers, but still from a certain distance. They like the quiet urban way of living, and do not have the need to feel the pulse of the city 24-7, but like to have to opportunity to be in it within a short matter of time. Others live alone, and have chosen a more hermit way of living, in some cases together with others who feel the same way. They are often limited in their income and have nothing else but the boat and maybe a scooter or a bike, some of them are even homeless and have been eliminated from society and have here found a place. There were a few trailers out there where you could see that people were staying, some permanently others for a shorter period, and properly not under completely legal circumstances.

10 Picture 15: A small trailer park by the water at Enghave Brygge. It was super interesting to se how they had sort of claimed the space out there by putting up a green carpet and garden furniture, and in that way occupied the space and made it private, almost saying no access to unauthorized. Processes of production and patterns of use As previously mentioned, Enghave Brygge is the site of HC Ørstedsværket, a Combined heat and power plant. It was built in by architect Andreas Fussing. Coal was the main fuel until 1994, when the plant was converted to burn natural gas. Today the plant is a modern power plant, whose primary responsibility is to provide district heating to the greater Copenhagen district heating network. In addition, in 1994 a part of the plant was transformed into a public museum in which a giant diesel engine far 1932 is exhibited. This museum tells the story about the technological evolution of the technology of diesel from the end of the 1800 s until today as well at the future. It is also a place to learn more about the history of the power supply in Copenhagen, the transportation of goods across the seas and the use of diesel technology worldwide. In addition to the production of power at HC Ørstedsværket, the area has a lot of other occupants. In 1866 Copenhagen Rowing Club was founded at the corner of Tømmergravsgade and Fiskerihavnsgade. It was the second rowing club in Denmark and in 2010 a large building add-on to the club house, made it the largest rowing club house in Denmark. The closest neighbor has since 1995 been the 2000 m2 warehouse containing both a Italian supermarket Super Marco and wholesale business Ello Food.

11 SuperMarco Copenhagen Rowing club Houseboats Dong Energy Houseboats and other boats Diagram 7: The site marked with the main places for movement and action in the area. At the corner of the harbor, there is a small church which is surrounded by 2-3 houseboats which are quite obviously inhabited. The large site to the east of the site was originally used as base for handling waste, but has lately been cleaned up and some buildings demolished. The main part of this area is now closed up and abandoned in order to wait for future development. The some of rest of the buildings and sheds at the site are used as workshops and storagebuildings. Picture 16+17: A housboat and a protected building.

12 Stops Move Diagram 8: The site marked with our movement in the area, and the stops we did on the way. Picture 18+19: The small chapel and an example of public space being turned into private space.

13 Picture 20: Empty space The large amount of dominating concrete walls and barriers scattered around the site are mainly covered with temporary graffiti. However one wall has during the last 12 years been covered with a 170 meter graffitipainting called Evolution. This piece was done by Ulrik Schiødt and sponsored by Dong Energy. It communicates the history if the Earth, from the Big Bang and microorganisms until the giant squids and mammoths take over. There has been a discussion about the future of the painting, whether it should been protected and/or moved to a different location in order to make space for the future plans of development. Picture 21+22: Abandoned area at Enghave Brygge, but still with some sign of human presence in the area.

14 Picture 23: The giant concrete wall decorated by Ulrik Schiødt on one side and industrial buildings on the other side. Organizational relationships Enghave Brygge is, as previously mentioned, a part of Soeters masterplan of Sydhavnen. This masterplan is an urban process in order to create a new area in copenhagen where the canals are the leading principle in the development. These processes allows the current and future inhabitants in the area of the masterplan, to either have a direct view to the main canal or if not at least a view to the newly created smaller canals. In the area Because of these new criterias, as well as the new bridges being built, Sydhavnen is going to be a innovative and diverse neighborhood. In addition to this new way of thinking about a neighborhood, Soeters also provides a traditional characteristic that gives the area a protective aspect and relates to the history of Copenhagen. Diagram 9: The housing types for the area -blocks -rowhousing -single houses Some of them mixed together to create a dynamic environment.

15 This aspect is the courtyardhouses, surrounded by streets and containing an inner space for practical as well as recreational purposes. This buildingtype had its big break in At this moment a lot of big courtyard buildings were built, like the wellknown Hornbækhus ( ) in Nørrebro, by Kay Fisker. This idea of courtyardhouses and channels is introduced in order to create a fundamental principle in the development where the area is coherent, but also allows each building to have it s own identity. Diagram 10: The way the traditional way of living changes out there from garden house to harbour house. At this moment, a relationship between the buildings in the area is nonexcisting. Every lot seems to have the ability to build only keeping in mind its own interest and needs. The masterplan of 1982 suggested that the program and intent of the area was to be of industrial purposes. Its clear to see that the economical and cultural value of the space has changed quite significally from the 1980 s and to this date. The result of the early masterplan is today a variety of individual buildings and their separate and closed-of yards. Most of lots have tall fences, either metal-mesh, horizontal timber fences or concrete walls. Since these barriers often are more than 2 meters high, it s also impossible to see what is going on at the inside and to separate one lot from another, which contributes to the feeling of abandonment. The metal-mesh fences around the site close to the eastern waterfront, give a view to a place where a lot of older industrial buildings have been torn down and the waste management has been cleaned up, leaving a huge empty and inaccessible area with a large obvious potential. Looking through the openings in the graffiti-covered concrete walls at the southern part of the site reveals an additional empty space. The master plan for Sydhavnen consists of a series of parts of plans for the area regarding urban spaces, the way of building blocks, bike lanes, and relation to the water. A hierarchy for the spaces is demanded. The plan is by creating a block structure related to the one in the inner city (a historic way of building) a main street will rise and play a central part for the evolving of this part of the city. It is from here cafes, small shops and urban public places will occur.

16 The relationship in scale between the buildings is quite interesting and creates different identities and atmospheres. It varies between the majestic main building of H.C Ørstedsværket, with it s industrial scale of large diesel engines and massive footprint and numerous slightly smaller buildings connected both physically and programmatically, to the small charming chapel at the harbour side, and the large amount of both industrial, administrational and commercial buildings inbetween the extremes. The hope for the furture is that Enghave Brygge will evolve as well as Sluseholmen has done it. The quality of living in the city without being in the middle of it, is to many couples with small children a great quality. And the fact that a master plan has been made is the first step towards making a new part of the city happen. Picture 24: Enghave Brygge and Dong Energy seen from Islands Brygge.