Cultivating the in-betweenness
Over the last decades, a concept for the city has changed a lot - from mono-functional residential area to productive districts. The degree to which a city becomes more alive is measured by how much it is allowed to evolve like a living organism; to reach its natural organized complexity.
We propose a dynamic city with “multi-use buildings” able to host different attractive functions while integrating their management to make them compatible with the different use rhythms. A productive quarter that creates the opportunity for research, innovation, growth amid recycling, social interactions and urbanity is vital to create an urban arena so the young people will stay in Narvik. (solve the problem)
To reach at an integrated public realm, sensitivity to the existing historic environment is required along with an interdisciplinary dialogue of all agents and stakeholders. ln Narvik Technical Quarter, success is to be measured by how busy this place is with people, both local and from elsewhere and whether a spirit of place can be perceived.
PRESERVATION
The starting point for the project is a radical preservation of the existing buildings, both for their historic value as for their material worth.
The historic protected building- Astrupgården, as requested by the brief is kept untouched, Narvik Fire department will make room for the public space, while the in other buildings are treated in the most respectful manner to reintroduce important elements for the program and composition.
The reuse of the existing is a basic criterion of sustainability. The "gray energy" (energy used for the production of something) is often discarded or simply ignored. If we demolish an existing structure and build again, we will use more energy and resources than the most efficient of buildings can save in its life span.
All constructions will be adapted and updated with the strictest set of criteria for sustainability, leading to different approaches. In most of the buildings, the adaptations will be invisible. In fewconstructions, the adaptation will transform lightly the image of the building, using an added skin as a thermodynamic improvement but also as a device to integrate its volume visually in the surrounding.
IN-BETWEENNESS
In betweenspaces are to reinvent and infuse identity in to a place characterized by a holistic approach to a site associated with an inclusive planning. Places have the capacity to flourish and reinvent themselves if they are able to reflect their true spirit of the place.
This proposal explores the notion of ‘in-betweenness’ as a ‘third space’ that have been developed on the Technical Quarter. This new spatial form has emerged and has been continuously generated on space between the workshops and garages building, administration of Narvik School of Culture, Astrupgården , Sentrumsgården, Narvik Fire department, the Technical Town Hall, OT-gården and the Bromsgårds Park.
Analyzing the in-between area, proposal seeks to depict the peculiar conditions and features of these urban piazza that can be referred to as the ‘zone of common differences’. It portrays the formation of ‘In-betweenness’ as the consequence of public space transformation process within the area and it defines the characteristics of ‘In-betweenness’ through the physical or spatial elements of this space in order to understand how the in-betweenness can be generated, evolved, transformed and continuously take form. The proposal ultimately unfolds the ‘In-betweenness’ as a continuous, boundariless spaces composed of different nubs evolved mostly as an output of planned joint decisions. Uniqueness of the place, the notion of this new spatial arrangement and its characteristics is traced by defining it as an area which can be neither anonymous, nor autonomous.
DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION
TOPOGRAM
The functions and services are arranged according to a topogram, a graphic depiction of the flow in relation to space. The topogram is a reading of the brief, but it is proposed here only as a first step. In the event of winning the competition, we would propose a series of workshops with all the future users of the building, to fine tune this arrangement, leading to a fully functional version to be used in the development of the final design. This competition proposal is a starting point, not a closed design.
IN-BETWEENNESS SHADE
In the new constructions between the existing buildings, vegetation cover is proposed. The heat island effect is reduced, helping to "refresh" the air around the main building, which receives substantial radiation. This will also help to create a natural transition from the quarter to the Bromsgårds Park.
Similarly, light colors will be used in the rest of the development above ground, also reducing heat island effect.
INTEGRATED ADDITIONS
We propose two possible levels of intervention on buildings, a set of minimum measures to improve the energy balance (level 1), and a deeper intervention (level 2) with the aim of achieving a “near zero energy” buildings.
The existing constructions are mainly built with solid, thick loadbearing walls with an outstanding thermal inertia. If this mass is managed adequately, hydrothermal levels of comfort can be reached with minimum use of resources, and very low running costs.
In the warm months, the thermal mass of the thick walls can absorb the heat produced by people and machines, dissipating it during the night.
In the cold months, the mass can absorb the solar radiation during the day, transferring it to the internal space, and keeping it inside the envelope overnight.
A strategic intervention in the envelope adding insulation, sealing windows, adding thermal buffers, while at the same time controlling solar paths to minimize solar gains in summer and maximize them in winter, harvesting natural light while controlling glare, can result in an optimum balance.
LEVEL 1
Fitting sunscreen film in windows (significantly reducing solar radiation entering the building in addition to avoiding glare and heat gains and losses)
Reducing infiltration by weather sealing.
Use of the thermal inertia of buildings for night cooling: the average temperature swing in summer is 14ºC. The minimum outside temperature reaches 17ºC in August. This requires the thermal mass to be exposed to the outside air, which can be achieved with natural night ventilation, controlled entrances and air extraction.
Insulation on the envelope: façades. When possible they are insulated from the outside, keeping the thermal mass inside for direct exchange. In summer, the heat generated inside is transferred to the thermal mass, which gives back to the indoor environment when it cools at night.
Reduce internal heat sources: avoid excessive artificial lighting, implement natural light harvesting, use luminaires with lower heat dissipation.
LEVEL 2
New windows: Double window system For winter, thermal insulation and thermal buffer. For summer, exterior window must be open to avoid overheating.
Geothermal ventilation via basement. Pretreatment of air system with impulsion through the interior space or basement on north side.
System that favors the extraction of hot air from the top of the building (solar chimney).
CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS
Energy loss grows exponentially with temperature difference. It is much more efficient to have several layers of climate control, than to attempt to heat or cool the whole building homogeneously up to the door.
The climate control system is also configured to create a "thermal onion" creating a transition between outer space and inner space, and adapted to the specific use of each space.
It is also more comfortable when you enter a building, to find that the temperature in the hall area is only a little different to the outside, so that you do not have to take your coat off immediately, reaching comfort temperature gradually as you reach the inner areas. This is particularly true for a building where thermal layers may correspond to access controls.
Two systems are proposed: constant regime and quick response. The areas of classrooms and offices have a continued occupation, and the thermal inertia is an appropriate strategy, maintaining a constant temperature. However, there are other areas where occupation is not constant, with large fluctuations, and do not need to be climatised most of the time. The latter require a quick response to any event or planned activity.
LIGHTING
Use of electricity for lighting can be one of the most significant in service buildings. First we will try to reduce demand, providing enough natural light in all areas, especially in workspaces: offices, classrooms. The interior spaces are illuminated by skylights and light harvesting systems are incorporated by interior mirrors in the most remote areas.
Several light discrimination systems are also incorporated into the scheme, with sensor activated circuits, to make sure that only the darker areas are lit, and only when occupied
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar energy is an excellent opportunity as a renewable energy in Norway.
There is a clearer opportunity in the use of biomass from the maintenance of the surrounding park. This locally obtained biomass would save transportation emissions and costs, reducing the risk of forest fires while creating opportunities for employment for unskilled workers.
MATERIAL RESOURCES
Being a rehabilitation, we will take advantage of all demolition materials performing selective demolition.
Materials to maintain:
Structure
envelopes.
Materials to reuse:
broken floors, mosaic fragments, reusing materials and regularizing the surface.
Asphalt or concrete of urbanized areas, crushed and used in drains
New materials: Materials with lower energy impact (or recycled materials with low environmental impact), plus VOC-free interior materials.
concrete retaining walls with recycled aggregates from demolition.
Glass made from recycled glass
Metal structure is will be recycled steel
Recycled aluminum joinery with thermal break, and/or wood
insulation made of wood fibers, recycled cellulose
furniture boards for baths with pressed recycled polyethylene
street furniture from recycled plastic profiles
Interior partitions and furniture with boards from recycled carpet and/or wood
WATER RESOURCES
Water scarcity and pollution of hydrological systems are the main environmental impacts caused by heavy consumption of water and insufficient wastewater treatment.
The objective here is to reduce the demand for potable water, reducing water demand and use other sources to meet the needs.
The abundant rainfall makes it ideal for the use of harvested water for specific applications such as toilet flushing or gardening.
LEVEL 1
Reduce consumption by installing systems to reduce the discharge of toilets, aerators on faucets.
LEVEL 2
Fitting harvested water dual-flush toilets, waterless urinals, taps with presence detector. (rainwater on roof: 1200mm)
The need of water for irrigation is avoided completely.
The green roof will be a micro-cistern system accumulating the water needed for irrigation. Plant species with less need for irrigation will be prioritized, those especially adapted to the place and its climatic conditions.
We propose a list of Mediterranean plants resistant to frost in winter climates and periods of more or less long drought and calcareous soils.
Taking advantage of rain water, accumulating it on the green roofs, we avoid the use of drinking water. Also, the irrigation system is solved by wetting the substrate by capillary action.
RUNOFF MANAGEMENT
Promoting natural infiltration to ground prevents channeling rainwater thus reducing the need of sewerage and treatment systems.
For this reason, we propose permeable pavements that allow the natural infiltration of water into the ground.
The slope at the south edge of plot, designed to ensure safety, will also serve as retention system for runoff and filtering into the ground.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Reserve of space outside for recycling containers.
Reserve of space inside for separated waste, to facilitate recycling.
TRANSPORT
Our main target is to promote sustainable means of transportation. Private transport produces much more pollution and carbon emissions, and unnecessarily increases the need for infrastructure.
Our proposal considers the following options (in order of priority): pedestrian transport, cycling, public transport or car sharing. To this aim, the following steps are proposed:
Create or condition the pedestrian routes to enter the quarter. Signaling points of interest with walking times.)
Bicycle paths and secure parking (closed and covered) and signaling travel time to points of interest.
