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Creative Densification3


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ReUrbA2is an European project for urban regeneration. There are five partners: St. Pauls and St. Marks

Parochial Church Council (formerly English Heritage), Newcastle City Council, GIU Saarbrcken, Rotterdam

Development Corporation and the lead partner, the provincial authority of South Holland.

We developed an innovative method for urban regeneration, shared it with each other, tested it and made

it available to others working in European urban regeneration, for example through www.reurba.org.

The ReUrbA2method involves four strategies:

1. from supply to demand orientation, including lifestyles

2. from government to governance.

3. from demolition to creative transformation

4. from budget to value orientation

This publication provides a description of the central characteristics of creative densification on the basis

of best practices. A basic element here is the re-use of existing buildings and spatial structures in better and

more creative ways: no more plans in which demolition is decided on in advance.

Contents: ReUrbA2project team: Willemien Faling, Simon Maas,

Mark Reede and Ellen Weerman

Metropolis Architects - Reinout Crince and Winfried Jansen

Translation:Pete Thomas

Graphic Design:Bob Koning grafische vormgeving (www.bkoning.nl)

Images: See page 59

Printing:PlantijnCasparie, Den Haag

Number of copies:750


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Contents

Introduction 4

Creative Densification 5

Projects

1 Amsterdam: Western Dock Island 16

2 London: Docklands 20 3 Stockholm: Klara Zenit 24

4 Malm: Vstra Hamnen 28

5 Berlin: Paris Square 32

6 Zurich: Escher-Wyss area 36

7 Paris: Seine Rive Gauche 40

8 Lyon: Presqule 44

9 Bilbao: Abandoibarra 48

10 Barcelona: Forum 52

Conclusion 56

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Introduction

Densification is one of the most important redevelopment options for

European inner cities. Because of the location-specific context, densification

in Europe is often not possible with high-rise buildings alone. They are

often inappropriate for the old, cultural and historical city centres of

Europe. People are reluctant to infringe too much upon the established

urban patterns. This contrasts with other continents, where high-risebuildings are more the rule than the exception.

In combination with the scarcity of land and high land prices, this situation

requires a different approach to the redevelopment of the city. Creative,

custom-made solutions have to be found for each city and for each

specific location. The search for creative solutions is not straightforward.

This was already demonstrated in ReUrbA1 by the establishment of seven

types of densification index, which resulted in different location-specific

combinations for creative densification. That is the reason behind this new

study, based on ten case studies. The aim is to clarify the framework of

considerations within which various densification approaches are selected.

The next part describes the essence of creative densification. It constitutes

the introduction to the ten different case studies. This chapter describes

the context of densification and allocates the projects to four themes.

Finally, we look at the different essential components. We adopt a critical

approach to the links between the various projects in the areas of

architecture, sustainability, public space and the administrative context.

We finish with conclusions and describe building blocks for an approach

to creative densification.

The ten case studies were selected on the basis of the examination of

different development projects in a number of large European cities.The selected cases are generally prestigious and characteristic projects.

They bring together different aspects of the question. The way in which

they approach these different aspects in conjunction demonstrates the

creativity of both the process and the product. The conditions under

which creative densification is established will also be examined.

The different combinations of the planning process and the characteristics

of the master plan constitute the main themes because it is precisely this

interaction that exposes the essence of the form ultimately taken by

creative densification. The study concentrates to a lesser extent on the

architectural details of creative urban planning, since this area has already

largely been covered in the Reurba1 publication Transformation

Principles (Brandes, Van Dijk and Crince, 2001).

The case studies do bring one issue to light clearly. Most of the projects

consist of the urban restructuring of former industrial estates and

harbours. This is something that has become common in many Western


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European cities since the end of the 1980s. New technologies, the

relocation of production in low-wage countries and stricter environmental

requirements have resulted in a radical transformation of the factors

determining the location of these functions. Global developments have

had an enormous impact on local conditions. The decline of industrial

areas has generated enormous opportunities for many cities and,throughout Europe, there have been a range of creative responses.

Creative densification

Creative densification is the logical continuation of the historical

development of European cities.

Historical contextIn the Middle Ages, density within the safe walls of European cities was

extremely high. People lived and worked together in very close proximity

in relatively low buildings. This resulted in a lot of liveliness and variety,

but living conditions were far from perfect. There was hardly any structu-

ring of the public space, if any. There were no drains or clean drinking

water, so that diseases such as cholera, TBC and syphilis felled many

victims. After the demolition of city walls started in the early 18th century,

it became possible for the cities to expand. Ultimately, the result was more

space, air and light in European cities.

The cities expanded most where industrialisation, transportation and port

traffic were most intensive. Large factories located on railway lines and

shipping routes were located close to the old city centres.

The migration to the cities which followed made it impossible for housingproduction to match the number of inhabitants, resulting in the persistence

of housing shortages and poor living conditions for many.

These problems were only gradually resolved during the 20th century,

with the arrival of new urban areas built on rational lines. In this way, an

onion structure was established around the old city centres, followed later

by new satellite towns further away. A striking feature was the increasing

mono-functionality of the new residential areas. In this context, the

satellite towns became the attractive green residential areas at a respecta-

ble distance from the unhealthy city. The influence of Ebenezer Howard

and his Garden City Movement was strong at this time.

The industrial revolution and the arrival of large-scale polluting industries

was the trigger for extensive functional segregation. This was a radical

break with the mediaeval pattern of small-scale mingled functions.

Nevertheless, this was only the first step towards even stricter functional


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segregation launched by avant-garde urban planners and architects who

were disciples of the CIAM doctrine of functionalism. Under this doctrine,

the functions of housing, working, shopping, recreation and transport

were completely segregated. This philosophy had a major influence on the

structure of European cities. Not only did it signify the start of further

suburbanisation, it also ensured that monofunctional residential areaswould become the residential environment of the 20th century.

It was only at the end of the 20th century that the outlines of a shift

towards re-urbanisation became apparent. Living in lively inner cities close

to cultural facilities, and with many more functions in the vicinity, became

popular again. This trend followed upon the decline of industrial areas,

ports and redundant marshalling yards. These areas were located in the

first ring around the historical city centres and were therefore very

promising redevelopment sites.That worked out well for the city. Under the pressure of declining

populations and the associated decline in the standard of facilities, people

had started to look for new ways of using these former industrial locations.

For the cities, these areas were golden opportunities for achieving city

branding and for attracting the creative class to the city. They were

highly accessible, they contained magnificent industrial monuments and

they were large enough to accommodate new urban areas. Many locations

had a waterfront on a river. In addition to great views, this also opened up

the possibility of good transport links.

In order to arrive at a framework for the purposes of assessment, an

approach with various density indices has been developed. These indices

were coordinated for each location to establish a picture of creative

densification. Ten case studies have yielded a number of characteristics

that allow for a good comparison of spatial implementation and of the

various approaches.

Creative densification indicesDuring the redevelopment of these areas, the idea of functional segrega-

tion was abandoned. Densification levels are high, but the usage index,

the classical ratio of developed surface area to the development area, was

far from being the only objective. Attempts were made to adopt creative

approaches to the symbiosis of the seven densification indices below, asdefined in Reurba1:

1. Intensity index

the classical index of number of people per square metre or

floor-area-ratio (FAR)

2. Usage index

indicates the usage of an area spread out over one day

3. Flexibility index

indicates the density due to flexible usage of space4. Moving index

indicates the density when a lot of movement is involved

5. Activity index

indicates urban vitality by measuring the number of lifestyles and

diversity of functions in a specific area

6. Character index

measure of the quality of the environment based on cultural standards

and the identity of an area

7. Integration index

measure of the integration of the labour force with the appropriate level

of education of the people living in the area.

Although it is far from possible to measure these indices in objective

values, they do indicate that there are more opportunities for densification

than simply development in square metres.


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7-- very poor - fair 0 reasonable + good ++ excellent n/a not applicable

Densification indices and the case studies


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The table shows that the projects each have their own scorecards and that

comparison of them is hardly feasible. Amsterdam, for example, scores

very well on the intensity index. However, this does not mean that a lot of

activities will necessarily be developed. It is very much the question

whether, despite the extremely high density, residential differentiation

and a variety of lifestyles, there will be enough homes to safeguard theliveliness and flexibility of the area. At present, this contrast is even more

striking in Canary Wharf. Here, the office complexes are located close

together, with a fantastically high density. There is hardly any inter-

mingling of functions and, as a result, there is also little variety in lifestyles,

almost no flexibility and no integration. Zurich, on the other hand, decided

not to adopt a high intensity index but to aim for a high mix of functions

and a clear character. Despite the fact that activity is still not adequate in

the evening, this project would appear to be developing into an important

centre in Zurich because of the impulse it has given to the vicinity.

The table tells a lot about the ultimate results achieved by the projects

(even though they describe only a particular point in time). This table says

nothing at all about the considerations underlying the selection of the

mixture of densification approaches. The weighting factors for the

selection of the various indices are not clear and are embedded in long

development processes. Furthermore, without a sound knowledge of the

location, the development of the location and the local factors, it is only

possible to guess at the symbiosis resulting from the various types of

densification used. A number of additional questions are therefore

required in order to establish an understanding of the processes and the

designs covered by the various case studies.

Ten case studiesThe ten case studies have been allocated to four themes that are closely

interlinked, allowing for a good comparison of the projects.

Improvement of city centre

Lyon - Presqule Berlin - Paris Square

Stockholm - Klara Zenit

Expansion of city centre

Paris - Seine Rive Gauche

Amsterdam - Western Dock Island

Zurich - Escher-Wyss area

New image for city

Bilbao - Abandoibarra

Malm - Vstra HamnenNew thematic centre

London - Canary Wharf

Barcelona - Forum 2004

In addition to the comparison on the basis of themes, the process and the

spatial solutions chosen in the end are also discussed under the heading

Characteristics of creative densification on the basis of the case studies.

Table 2 provides a more detailed picture in this respect. The discussion

deals first with the initiator of the project, the role of government and the

branding achieved. In addition, we look at the details of the urban

planning and architecture, including the role of high-rise buildings.

It emerges that there are both differences and similarities between the

case studies.


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Improvement of city centre

Lyon - Presqule

Berlin - Paris Square

Stockholm - Klara Zenit

Although the three case studies work on different scales, with Lyondealing with the centre and Stockholm with only a single block, they all

revolve around habitability and the densification of the inner city.

The new car parks in Lyon give the city the opportunity to redesign its

squares. The goals are ambitious, with different themes for each square

so that the buildings and the squares constitute unique entities in each

case. This has resulted in a considerable improvement in the quality of

urban planning in the Presqule and the public space has regained its

appeal, bringing in more public (tourism) to the city centre. In the Paris Square in Berlin, the historical ground plan and the

associated buildings were the basis for redevelopment. The room for

manoeuvre here was provided by the selection of the architecture.

It could be historicising, conservational and even very experimental.

The adoption of the old structure here ensures high density.

In Stockholm, the building of small homes on an enormous block has

resulted in the creation of a new village, complete with small streets, in

the middle of the city. The introduction of other new functions has

broken down the anonymity of the mono-functional block and

transformed it into a lively part of the city.

Expansion of city centre

Paris - Seine Rive Gauche

Amsterdam - Western Dock Island

Zurich - Escher-Wyss area

These three examples of the expansion of the city centre are characterised

by a large programme, the multiple use of space, and the search for new

links and functions in the city.

In Paris, buildings have been put up over the railway lines leading to

Austerlitz Station and the redundant marshalling yard has beenremoved. This has resulted in a city in two layers and the re-establish-

ment of accessibility to the banks of the Seine. A new pedestrian bridge

has created an excellent link to Bercy Park on the opposite bank.

In Amsterdam, a building complex is going up with the highest density

in the Netherlands. Here, buildings are piled up over each other.

There is some modest intermingling of functions but the re-establish-

ment of the link to the IJ River is an explicit objective.

In Zurich, there has been slightly less emphasis on the relationship with

the Sihl, but the links in all directions have been improved with theredevelopment of the Escher-Wyss area. The preservation of numerous

industrial buildings and the arrival of large numbers of new companies

in the Technopark and in the small Escher-Wyss area have ensured that

the area still has an industrial character. However, the combination of

new industry with the cultural functions and the mingling of homes,

offices and shops has given this part of the city a unique technological/

high-grade look.

New image for city

Bilbao - Abandoibarra

Malm - Vstra Hamnen

Creative redevelopment can give the identity of a city a major boost.

That is possible by using very special architecture as a landmark. It is very

important for this architecture to be unique. It must be present in no other

city in the world.


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In the old industrial harbour city of Bilbao, everything seemed lost in

1990. The city was bankrupt and it had its back to the wall. Retreat was

no longer an option; the only possibility was a leap forward. The city

administration made clever use of national interests. Alongside

Barcelona, Bilbao was Spains main economic motor. Furthermore, there

were strong nationalist tendencies, accompanied by ETA terrorism, sothat the region was threatening to break away. Bilbao Ria 2000 was

created to return prosperity to the region. It represented the state, the

region and the city. Bilbao Ria was given responsibility for the redeve-

lopment of Bilbao. Its first major accomplishment was to attract the

Guggenheim museum. In parallel with the development of the

Guggenheim, various area developments were initiated and a brand-

new metro system was built. Precisely because of the parallel develop-

ment approach, it was possible to use the momentum to provide the

city with a new identity.

In Malm, attempts are being made to acquire a new image by

shedding the idea of an old Hanze town, replacing it with the idea of a

dynamic hi-tech city, where science and education can find a home in a

high-grade urbane city on the water. The landmark icon is Calatravas

Turning Torso, a twisting skyscraper in the centre of this area of the city.

New centre elsewhere in the city

London - Canary Wharf

Barcelona - Forum 2004

The creation of a second centre at the edge of the city is a way of housing

large developments that can no longer be accommodated in the existing

city. Concentrating functions in a high density and providing excellent

links with a fast light-rail network allows the city to be expanded efficiently

and attractively.

In twenty years, Canary Wharf has developed into Londons second

financial centre. Although there are other businesses, shops, hotels and

restaurants in the area, its reputation is based on the presence of the

banking sector. In order to provide a special identity for the area within

London, the highest skyscrapers in the country have been built here.

There is an efficient link to the City via the Underground and theDocklands Light Railway. Tax incentives and a minimum of restrictions

made it very appealing for companies to settle here. The motto was:

To make money with money.

In Barcelona, the organisation of a new global event, Forum 2004, was

used as an opportunity to restructure the north-east side of the city.

The event grants a central role to cultural diversity, world peace and

ecology. Large centres have been built for conferences, trade fairs and

exhibitions, providing all sorts of facilities for the participants such as

hotels, a shopping mall, a yacht harbour and, of course, the beach.

At present, steps are being taken towards the inclusion of other

developments in the plan, such as homes and jobs, so that urban life

will also become a feature of this area. The relationship with the city is

expressed in the fact that the Diagonal from Cerdas 1853 master plan is

finally being extended through the area, and furnished with a new tram

line. The beach has also been replenished and an esplanade has been

built to connect it to the city.

Characteristics of creative densification on the basisof the case studiesTaking the characteristics of the case studies as a basis, we looked at the

main considerations underlying the creative densification projects.

This provides insights into both the processes and the spatial solutions.

The characteristics can be very process-based, examples being initiation

and a role for government, or object-based as in the introduction of

striking buildings and the unusual structuring of public space.


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As with the densification indices, the table with the characteristics has a

project-specific scorecard, the results of which do not lend themselves to

objective comparison. They are primarily indicative in nature.

Characteristics of redevelopment in Case Studies

-- very poor - fair 0 reasonable + good ++ excellent n/a not applicable


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Initiation and the role of governmentGovernment authorities initiate most projects. The authorities may be

national, regional, municipal or combinations of all three. Examples are:

The Semapa in Paris (Socit dconomie mixte damnagement de Paris,in

which the government - in this case the city authorities - has a majority

holding), London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) and BilbaoRia 2000 (Ria means laughs, but it also refers to the tides of the Nervin).

In these cases, national government had a lot of say. Government

involvement can vary widely from project to project. In the case of Paris, it

is very extensive. State companies such as the national library, universities

and housing corporations also purchase a large proportion of the lots sold

by Semapa. Strong steering from the national government has made it

possible to reconcile the various sub-interests of the government and

state companies.

In London, the situation with respect to government involvement is very

different. Here, the government established an Enterprise Zone in 1982 for

a period of ten years so that investors did not need to pay any tax. The

result was that private capital flowed into the area. An additional stimulus

was the absence of a detailed master plan and few building restrictions.

City brandingThe appeal of a city for investors, traders, industries, residents and tourists

is determined to a major extent by its image. City branding is a process in

which this image is developed as strongly and explicitly as possible.

The ten cases discussed show that creative densification and city branding

have a lot in common. City branding must be a continuous process.

A city should always be taking new initiatives involving a close relation-

ship between new developments and the branding of those develop-

ments. The examples show that new area developments with high-grade

prestigious architecture and the extensive intermingling of functions are

pre-eminently suitable for the development of city branding. Creative

densification as a component of branding will be particularly successful if

it is based on the image of the city. (For example, the image of the Erasmus

Bridge in Rotterdam is closely linked to the architectural culture of this

harbour city.)

Reurba project: Scotswood in NewcastleA Building Exhibition is being organised in the hope that striking

architecture and new residential typologies will boost the restructuring of

the impoverished Scotswood area. As a result of the demolition of a lot of

housing, the neighbourhood has regained air, green spaces and an

attractive view across the river. It has reacquired its status as an area on

the banks of the river. It is precisely this positive effect that could be

exploited by emphasising and communicating the sense of space and the

presence of a park-like structure when rebuilding the housing. This would

result in a higher concentration of homes in certain places or a smaller

number of rebuilt homes.

Public transport and infrastructureGood accessibility is essential for the success of new area developments.

Most of the projects described are associated with efficient underground

and light-rail systems. Often, several lines are built to link new develop-

ments to the rest of the city.

Canary Wharf in London demonstrates that the link with the city and the

presence of good public transport can make or break a project.

The development of the second phase started when the Jubilee Line was

extended from the centre to Canary Wharf. It was only then that the area

truly began to flourish. In Berlin, a metro line is being built precisely under

Paris Square in order to emphasise the central function of the location.

Bilbao has just built two parallel metro lines on either side of the Nervin

as far as the sea harbour. Lyon extended the metro to the Presqle and

introduced a new tram service. There are two new fully automatic metro


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lines from Seine Rive Gauche in Paris. In Barcelona, there is a new tram

service to the Forum area and the metro has been extended. Additional

shuttle coaches are also used for special events.

In all these cases, public transport is not just a necessary facility but also

an integral part of the quality goals. Often, it is in itself a quality impulse(take the Bilbao metro line with small metro stations designed by Norman

Foster, the Fosteritos).

Urban master planA master plan translates ideas into a coherent and structured plan,

including the outlines of a spatial design. The status of master plans

fluctuates between blueprint master planning, in which an unswerving

presentation of future structures is stated in normative terms, and urban

engineering, which grants a central role to making the complexity of

urban processes manageable through strategic planning. Master plans re

extremely important in terms of opportunities for creative densification.

The case studies vary widely in terms of plan flexibility. In Canary Wharf,

for example, there was no detailed master plan at all. It was deliberately

decided not to introduce detailed lot descriptions with an associated

programme. The project included a limited description of the existing

situation, with the new infrastructural plans and a few civil-engineering

works. It was precisely this almost complete absence of rules and

regulations that provided developers with a lot of latitude for the

realisation of their plans. Of course, this has had an effect on the ultimate

quality of the buildings and public space, which varies considerably. This

was not the case in Zurich. There, the master plan described the lots, with

meticulous records of everything that had to be preserved. The parts of

the plan involving new development, including the measures for public

space and a fairly detailed programme, were included in the master plan.

The approach to Forum 2004 in Barcelona was even stricter. Here, a highly

elaborated plan, including models, served as the basis for all subsequent

plans. For example, by providing precise plans for the integration of the

existing water treatment and power plants in the master plan for Forum

2004, Barcelona ensured that they need not be moved and that a new

peripheral area of large-scale plants would not be created.

Reurba project: Spaanse Polder in RotterdamThe Spaanse Polder industrial estate was once located in the middle of the

polder and is now surrounded by an urban area. It is now being restructu-

red on thematic lines. The restructuring work effectively disregards the

fact that the location is part of a highly varied urban area. It is therefore

questionable whether the interaction with the vicinity will be optimally

exploited. Links may not be established and certain non-economic

functions will be moved and/or kept out.

Architecture and reuseGiven the fact that creative densification almost always takes place in

existing urban areas, the challenge is often to establish a positive role for

existing buildings in the redevelopment. Changes of function, and the

integration of old and new, will enrich the plan. This is almost always the

case. In order to establish a unique identity, several buildings have been

left standing in almost every location. Generally, these buildings are

reused in very creative ways as shopping centres, theatres, offices or

homes. For example, in the Seine Rive Gauche in Paris, the old bread

factory has been transformed into a university building and Austerlitz

Station has undergone a wonderful restoration. In the Forum area of

Barcelona, power and water-treatment plants have been integrated

wonderfully and attempts are being made to preserve a number of

beautiful industrial buildings. There is a regulation requiring the preserva-

tion of all tall brick chimneys. These things alone make the Forum area a

special experience. The Paris Square in Berlin is a very special example of


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reuse. The historical landmark of the Brandenburg Gate was restored again

not long ago. The rebuilding of the Reichstag as the home of the German

parliament, with its new glass dome, has been so successful that visitors

queue up to see it every day. Hotel Adlon has been rebuilt using the old

plans, but of course with modern facilities on the inside of the building.

The buildings on either side of the Brandenburg Gate look very much likethe historical buildings but they are slightly different. The facades will

ultimately be returned to the square along the historical street lines,

despite fierce protests from the Americans, who wanted to move back

their embassy and place enormous concrete blocks on the line of the

street for security reasons.

Reurba project: City on the River in SaarbrckenThe city authorities of Saarbrcken are trying to improve the identity of

the city by overhauling the public space on the banks of the river.

A deliberate decision has been taken not to implement any programmes on

the banks of the river in order to optimise views of the water and to limit

flooding. The result is that, despite the clear structure and stylish design of

the banks, there is no recognisable landmark for the transformation.

To counter this objection, attempts could be made to revitalise the centre

area. In that case, a direct relationship with the plans for the banks will

have to be established.

High-rise buildings

High-rise buildings can play an important role in creative densification.

The densification of the urban fabric can go a long way in this respect.

There are clear restrictions; for example, road capacity and public transport

must be adequate, and the historic scale of the surroundings may preclude

high-rise buildings. Often, high-rise is used as an icon for the redevelop-

ment of a location. Towers are therefore often examples of architectural

skill. Clear examples are the four towers of the Grande Bibliothque in

Seine Rive Gauche, the turning torso in Malm and Pellis tower in Canary

Wharf. The other locations also have their landmarks, but not always in

high-rise form, an example being the Guggenheim in Bilbao.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a factor that has a major future in creative densification.It only really plays an important role in the latest projects, such as those in

Barcelona, Malm and, to a lesser extent, Zurich (the central square only).

In the case of city branding for Malm and Barcelona (the design of solar

panels), it is an important aspect with an effect on the sustainability index.


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T h e P r o j e c t s


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Amsterdam: Western Dock Island

The Western Dock Island is on the south bank ofthe IJ River close to the centre of Amsterdam.The development of this site fits in with the broaderdevelopment of the waterfront on the banks of theIJ, which includes IJburg, the Java and KNSM

islands, and Borneo/Sporenburg. The plan providesfor the extension of the centre and includesnumerous facilities. One of the characteristicfeatures of the project is an extremely high densityof 150 to 170 homes per hectare.

HistoryThe Western and Eastern Docks were built in about 1843, together with

the North Holland Canal, a new sea route to the north. At the end of the

nineteenth century, the increase in rail traffic made it necessary to fill inpart of the Western Dock for use as a marshalling yard.

The construction of the railway line and a large number of marshalling

yards along the banks of the IJ River altered the relationship between the

city and the water. Amsterdam no longer had an open waterfront, and was

separated from the river by a high railway embankment. The reallocation


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of the site only became possible at the end of the twentieth century with

the digging away of the abandoned marshalling yard.

RedevelopmentIn 1999, a Master Programme of Requirements was adopted for this area,

thereby definitively launching the redevelopment process. The new

buildings on the Western Dock Island consist of three units: La Grande

Cour, VOC Cour and Western Cape. The Western Dock Island development

will result in a mixed urban environment, the cour structure and very high

density. This density is unprecedented in the Netherlands. Different

development conglomerates have been appointed for each unit.By introducing differentiation in the homes within the different units, a

high level of diversity has been achieved in terms of housing typology.

FACTS

Launch: 1999

Principal:City of Amsterdam

Developers:La Grande Cour:City Cour Combination (Bouwfonds MAB Ontwikkeling

and Smits Bouwbedrijf). VOC Cour:Wodan CV (Kondor Wessels, Ontwikkelingsmaat-

schappij Apeldoorn, de Dageraad, Nijhuis Bouw). Westerkaap:De Hofmakerij(Amvest and Ymere).

Master plan:Peter Defesche, OD205

Architects:La Grande Cour:Coordinating architects: Meyer and Van Schooten,

assisted by Architecten Cie, Heren 5. VOC Cour:Coordinating architects: MVRDV,

assisted by Jeroen Skipper, Art Zaaier and Bosch Architects. Westerkaap:Coordina-

ting architects: DKV and Architecten Werkgroep, assisted by Baneke van der Hoeven.


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Creative densificationThe Western Dock Island constitutes a new step in the extension of the

urban centre and the linking of the various areas of Amsterdam. Not only

are the buildings characterised by very high density and a considerable

intermingling of functions, the area also links the different areas in the

zone around the IJ River, among other things because of the stronger

relationship with Central Station.

The extreme densification of this area is possible because of the favourablelocation on the waterfront, which provides extensive views without

blocking the sun. In La Grande Cour, which was developed by the architects

Meyer and Van Schooten, the density was achieved by folding high, slim

towers over the other parts of the building and by providing underground

parking.

Programme:930 homes (social/middle/high-cost in 30:40:30 ratio),

54 moorings for houseboats.

80,000 m non-residential functions, including new buildings

for water police and a hotel.

Renovation of railway bridge with a new restaurant

La Grande Cour:250 homes

- 79 social homes (3 to 5 rooms)

- 24 medium-range rented homes (3 and 4 rooms)

- 99 high-cost rented homes (3 to 5 rooms),- 30 medium-range owner-occupier homes (2 and 3 rooms)

- 20 high-cost owner-occupier homes (3 to 5 rooms)

The size of the homes varies from 55 to 268 m.

2300m commercial property

Two-storey car park with 269 parking spaces


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Canary Wharf, which is part of Docklands, was thelargest real-estate development in Europe in the1980s, with more than one million square metres ofoffice space, shops and hotels. In a short space oftime, Canary Wharf has developed into Londons

second financial centre.

HistoryThe Docklands were built over the course of the entire 19th century and

constituted the trading centre of the British Empire. Despite suffering

severe damage during the Second World War, the Docklands flourished

until the early 1960s. After that, all the docks closed down within less than

20 years. Modern techniques and container handling required deep-water

ports, so that more than 20 km of old ports became derelict, resulting in

high levels of poverty, unemployment and social problems.

RedevelopmentTo turn the tide, Michael Heseltine established the London Docklands

Development Corporation (LDDC), granting it extensive powers for the

redevelopment of the Docklands as a whole. Reginald Ward was appoin-

ted director of the LDDC and asked to pull in as much private investment

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as possible. Building on Canary Wharf, the most prestigious project in the

Docklands, started in 1988 and the first phase was completed in 1991.

As a result of the recession in the early 1990s, and the delay in the

construction of the underground line, the second phase of Canary Wharf

only got underway in 1997. This phase was completed in 2002, four years

after the demise of the LDDC because of the transformation of most of the

Docklands into a mixed urban area.

Creative densificationUsing a combination of measures, it has been possible to encourage

developers to make enormous investments. First of all, it had been

promised that the Jubilee Line would be extended and that the Docklands

Light Railway would be built in order to ameliorate the link to the centre.

Another instrument was the creation of an Enterprise Zone (for Canary

Wharf) with tax exemptions and other incentives. The third instrument

was the simplification of planning requirements, with a broad planconfined to the new infrastructure and a few important lines of sight and

open areas.

The development of Canary Wharf saw the construction of One Canada

Square, the highest building in the United Kingdom and the symbol of the

FACTS

Launch:1982

Principal:London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC)

Developer:Olympia & York and International Property Corporation Ltd.

Master plan:no single entity, a deliberate choice

Architects:Cesar Pelli, Foster and Partners, SOM/London, Kohn Pedersen Fox

Associates PC, Pei Cobb Freed and Partners, and others.


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redevelopment of the Docklands. In the second phase, the offices of HSBC

and Citigroup were built, so that the three highest buildings in the UnitedKingdom are now grouped together. Because almost 90,000 people live

there, and because the links with the city centre are excellent, Canary

Wharf has developed into a financial centre where the number of jobs will

double in the period leading up to 2020.

Programme:Docklands surface area: 22 km, 8% of which is water

Canary Wharf surface area: 29 hectares

Developed surface area: 1.3 million m

33 office buildings

200 shops, bars and restaurants in 3 shopping malls

8 hectares of parking space

High-rise: One Canada Square (Canary Wharf Tower): 235 m high, 114,000 m

8 Canada Square (HSBC Tower), 200 m, 102,000 m

25 Canada Square (Citigroup Centre), 200 m, 111,000 m

One Canada Square (commonly known as the Canary Wharf Tower or simply Canary Wharf )

at 235.1 m; and the HSBC Tower and the Citigroup Centre, joint second tallest at 199.5 m. [1]

Number of jobs: 78,000 (2006)

Investments: 6.6 billion

Public transport: Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway


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Klara Zenit is located in the centre of Stockholm.It was originally a gloomy building from the 1970s,but it has been transformed into a colourful multi-functional complex with flats, shops and offices.A new residential area has been built on the roof of

the former post distribution centre, complete withstreets, small gardens and a great view over therest of the city.

HistoryIn the 1950s and 1960s, large parts of the lively Klara Parish were cleared

to make way for offices and shops. The city authorities thought demolition

was needed to separate functions. When this process was finished in 1971,

the national post office - Klara Zenit - was built. It was the last project in

which the picturesque heart of the city was to be demolished for the sakeof anonymous office molochs. As a result of protests from rebellious

residents, 1971 saw the end of the neglect of the citys cultural heritage.

This was the beginning of a period of stagnation in the Klara district.

Stockholm: Klara Zenit


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FACTS

Launch:1999

Principal/developer:Wihlborgs Fastigheter

Master plan:not applicable

Architects:Equator Stockholm

RedevelopmentSince the late 1990s, the city authorities have again started to get involved

in the revitalisation of the Klara district. The objective now, by contrast

with 40 years ago, is to encourage liveliness and community safety on the

streets. Functional multiplicity is the approach and so every new project

has to include at least a few flats. In 2003, Klara Zenit was transformed on

these lines into an area with offices, shops and 100 flats.

Creative densificationThe oversized construction, which was necessary because the post office

also had to continue operating in times of war, made it possible to

implement the requirements relating to functional multiplicity in practice;

it was possible to add a new programme by building on the rooftop.

The spectacular transformation consists of a completely new village of six

rows of flats in diagonal lines across the roof. More than 100 two-storey

flats are grouped around narrow alleyways and they have a great viewover the city. From the ground level too, the transformation of Klara Zenit

is clear because of the presence of shops, offices and a few flats located in

a single corner of the building in order to link it to the street at this point.

In order to provide the offices with enough daylight, large light-wells were

introduced into the building.


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Programme:Total area: 65,000 m

Office area: 34,000 m

Retail area: 16,000 m

Housing area: 6,500 m

Number of flats: 100

Storage and delivery area: 8,500 mTotal investment: 223 million

Purchase price: 115 million

Redevelopment: 98 miljoen


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Vstra Hamnen, the western harbour of Malm, isbeing redeveloped into a new, modern urban areawith housing, offices, shops and local services.The area is the calling card for the new high-techimage of Malm in the resund region. The drivers

behind the redevelopment are the Bo01 exhibitionand the spectacular Turning Torso of the architectSantiago Calatrava.

HistoryIn the 19th century, the western harbour was created by land reclamation.

The last phase, which resulted in the area acquiring its present form, dates

from 1987. The Kockums yard was the areas main employer after 1909.

When the yard went bust in 1986, a new industrial future seemed to be

beckoning as a result of the arrival of the new Saab factories on the site.But after the merger with General Motors and the subsequent restructuring

operations at the company, the new state-of-the-art factories were closed

again and a new function had to be found for the area.

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RedevelopmentIn 1996, the municipal authorities of Malm bought the factory and the

surrounding land. This provided an ideal opportunity to redevelop this

large-scale location close to the city centre as a part of the resund region.This region was established with the construction of the bridge between

Sweden and Denmark that was completed in 2000. By creating new,

favourable conditions, Malm and Copenhagen are trying to benefit from

each other. A new university, a new rail tunnel under the city and the

development of the Western Harbour are creating an entirely new identity

for Malm. This former industrial town is changing into a high-tech

knowledge centre.

FACTS

Launch:1985 for plans, opening of the Bo01 housing exhibition in 2001

Principal:the National Committee for Housing, Residential Building and Urban

Planning, the Swedish Association of Municipal Housing Associations of local

authorities and fifteen collaborating municipalities.

Developer:Project development was in the hands of eighteen different project

developers.

Master plan:Ewa Eklind Blomqvist

Architects: 22 architectural firms, including: Santiago Calatrava, Christer Larsson,

Greger Dahlstrm, FOJAB architects.


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Creative densificationThe redevelopment of Vstra Hamnen is the instrument adopted by

Malm to shake off its old industrial image. The international Bo01

exhibition was the driver behind the transformation of Vstra Hamnen into

a prime example of sustainable urban development with an adventurous,

hi-tech, living and working environment. The area owes its special

character to the combination of sustainable development and the reuse of

monumental, industrial buildings. In the new urban centre, people want

to demonstrate that working, studying and living with first-class architec-

ture creates better conditions in the long term for buildings and cities.

The architectural centrepiece of the whole development is Calatravas

Turning Torso that, reaching a height of 190 metres, sticks out above the

rest of Malm and emphasises the central nature of the location.

In the next 30 years, the rest of Vstra Hamnen will be developed so that

the city centre will extend as far as the Baltic Sea.

Programme:Surface area: approximately 160 hectares

Planned number of residents: 10,000

Study facilities: 20,000 students

Facilities: restaurants, shops, schools and cultural facilities

Bo01: 350 flats at the time of the exhibition, with plans for1300 homes upon completion

Turning Torso

Height: 190 metres, 54 storeys

Number of homes: 152 flats

Office space: 4200 m (the bottom 12 floors)

Investments: 1200 million SEK ( 130 million)

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Berlin: Paris Square

Paris Square is thought of as the centre of Berlinand the monument to the reunited Germany.After the wall fell, it was decided to reconstructParis Square in its historical form.

HistoryThe square was built and surrounded by palaces between 1732 and 1734

as a part of the third baroque expansion of the city under Friedrich

Wilhelm I. In 1788, the present Brandenburg Gate was added to the square

as the border to the city. It was given its present name in 1814 when the

Prussian army conquered Paris in the fight against Napoleon. About 45

years later, all the buildings around the square were restyled on classical

lines. During World War II, the buildings around the square were largely

devastated. Because the Berlin Wall went up to the Branderburg Gate after

the war, the redevelopment of the square only became possible after thereunification of Germany in 1993.

RedevelopmentIn 1978, there was a major shift in the approach to urban planning in

Berlin with the establishment of the Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA).

The Critical Reconstruction of the City advocated by this group of


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international architects led by Kleihues opposed the idea of the anti-city

implemented on a wide scale in Berlin after the war. Instead of pavilion-

style buildings in a park-like setting, in which functional segregation and

the non-relationship with the street play a central role, the idea was to

build further on the basis of old street patterns. In this block structure, theemphasis is much more on the mingling of functions. Urban planning

therefore becomes traditional and historicising; architecture, on the other

hand, is free and can be either traditional or experimental. The Paris

Square was developed in this way. The buildings were once again situated

along the old lines and designed by a range of renowned architects.

We now see historically built buildings such as the Adlon hotel alongside

modern buildings.

FACTS

Launch:1989

Principal:Internationale Bauaustellung (IBA)

Original plan:Johann Arnold Nering, Johann Heinrich Behr and Martin Grnberg

Master plan: Josef Paul Kleihues

Developer:a different principal for each lot

Architects: Frank O. Gehry, Behnisch & Partner, Hans Kohlhof, Peichl & Partner,Hans Kollhoff, Wilford Schupp Architekten GmbH, Josef Paul Kleihues, Franz Harder

and others.


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Creative densificationThe critical reconstruction of the city allowed for the use of modern

architecture to imbue the old public space with new expressive power.

In the buildings themselves, localised densification and the addition of

new functions became possible. And so the square has regained its centralposition in Berlin, in part because of new developments in the vicinity,

such as the renovation of the Reichstag and the Holocaust memorial of

Peter Eisenman. A new metro line has also been built to improve access to

the area around Paris Square. The U55 runs under Paris Square, where the

new metro station, Brandenburger Tor, provides a direct link to the

Hauptbahnhof.

Programme:Surface area of square: 1.5 hectares

Developed surface area: approximately 200,000 m

Functions: hotels, library, offices, embassies, art academy and housing

Residential surface area: approximately 20,000 m

Investments in buildings: approximately 0.5 billion


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The Escher-Wyss area in Zurich is an abandonedindustrial estate developed into a high-gradebusiness estate in a city-centre context. Homes,offices, shops and cultural facilities have beenintroduced alongside new business and industry.

HistoryThe Esscher-Wyss machine factory moved onto the site in 1889, after

which it was expanded systematically. Because of its position alongside

the river, the railway line to the south, and its proximity to the centre, the

location was very appealing for industry. Many factories were therefore

built in the Industry Quarter. After the factory was taken over by Sulzer,

there was a brief period of growth before the first signs of decline became

apparent in the 1970s. Sulzer Immobilien, which is a part of the Sulzer

group, has been involved in the redevelopment of the area since the endof the 1980s.

RedevelopmentThe Esscher-Wyss area has not been redeveloped on the basis of a strictly

designed master plan; development has taken place lot by lot.

This was the result of the relationship between Sulzer Immobilien and the

Zurich: Escher-Wyss area


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city authorities, who only reached agreement about the use of the area

after a difficult start. Sulzer then sold the land lot by lot and the buyers

developed each lot individually. The Turbinenplatz was the only part of

the area to be developed by Sulzer itself. It was transferred to the city

authorities after its completion in 2003. The first development was the

Technopark in 1990, but most buildings in the area were only completedafter 2000.

Creative densificationThe Technopark was, in 1990, the first new building to be built and it links

the industrial past with the technological future of the area. The building

provides space for young innovative companies from the ICT sector.

Six hectares of the area have even been given over entirely to industrial

use, accommodating the new factories of MAN Turbo and VA Tech.

Alongside this high-grade activity, housing, offices, shops and entertain-ment facilities have been developed. Together with the Schiffbau, Zurichs

large theatre, this all makes the Escher-Wyss area a very dynamic location.

FACTS

Launch:1990

Principal: Sulzer Immobilien, who sold the site to a range of developers, including

Technopark Immobilien AG for the Technopark.

Master plan:The master plan was drawn up in collaboration between the city

authorities and Sulzer.

Architects: ADR Sarl, Tobias Eugster, Ortner& Ortner, Rolf Lauppi, HeinzZimmermann, Itten and Brechbuhl


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Programme:West Zurich

Number of inhabitants: 3,500 (6,000 residents planned for 2010)

Number of jobs: 20,000 (25,000 planned for 2010)

Surface area of Ess cher-Wyss: 17 hectares

Functions: housing, offices, square, cultural institutions and business

Largest square in Zurich: 14,000 mTechnopark: approximately 200 companies

Puls5: 18,000 m for offices, 10,000 m for businesses and shops, 102 homes

Escher-Wyss area: 52,000 m business estate

Schiffbau: theatre, restaurants and workshops

Investments:

Technopark 150 million C HF ( 100 million)

Schiffbau 80 million CHF

Puls5 160 million CHF (18,000 m offices, 10,000 m businesses, 102 homes)

Accor 19 million CHFTurbinenplatz 8 million CHF


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P i S i Ri G h


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Seine Rive Gauche is the largest redevelopmentproject in the city. By means of double land use,the old barrier of the railway has been overcomeand the waterfront of the Seine is once againaccessible from this area and linked to the oppo-site bank. In this way, the project has become animportant extension of the centre, with cultural anduniversity functions alongside offices and housing.

HistorySince the 19th century, most of the Seine Rive Gauche site had been used

by the SNCF (the French railways) as a marshalling yard serving Austerlitz

Station. There was also a lot of industry along the banks of the Seine, such

as the SUDAC brickworks, with the last high chimney (70 m) to be used in

Paris dating from 1890, and the Grands Moulins de Paris, a former flourfactory. When, in 1987, the SNCF found it no longer needed the marshal-

ling yard, people started making plans for the area.

Paris: Seine Rive Gauche


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RedevelopmentIn 1985, the Paris city authorities took the lead and founded the Societ

dEconomie Mixte dAmnagement de Paris (SEMAPA). This is a joint body

bringing together the city authorities, the SNCF and RIVP, a housingcorporation. SEMAPA organises the infrastructure, splits up the area into

lots and sells the lots by auction to developers. In 1987, SEMAPA launched

a competition for the design of the new National Library. In 1991, the ZAC

(Zone dAmnagement Concert) was established for the Seine Rive

Gauche with the approval of the detailed zoning scheme (plan

dAmnagement de Zone). This plan set out the street plan, including the

zones, together with the heights of the buildings and the functions.

The area was then split up into five zones, each with its own ground plan.

Building on the projects started in the early 1990s with the NationalLibrary, and various projects will all be implemented in the years to come.

Creative densificationThe Seine Rive Gauche site was completely isolated from the city by the

railway lines on one side and the Seine on the other. The redevelopment of

the Seine Rive Gauche as an extension of the centre has resulted not only

FACTS

Launch:1985, building started in 1991

Principal:SEMAPA

Developer:various developers for the different lots

Master plan:APUR (Atelier Parisien dUrbanisme)

Coordinating architects:Aust erli tz: Christian Devillers, Pierre Mends-France,

Reichen and Robert and the landscape architect, Jacqueline OstyMas sn a:Yves Lion and Bruno Fortier Tolbiac:Pierre Gangnet and the landscape

architects Empreinte

Architects:Among others, Domique Perrault, National Library


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in an enormous area with mixed functions but also restored the visual link

with the Seine. The links have been re-established without adverse effects

on Austerlitz Station, which is located to the north of the site. This was

possible by building some of the area over the top of the railway. Double

land use has allowed the area to become an integral part of the city and

resulted in the creation of an area in two layers.

Important cultural functions have also been added alongside the housingand offices in order to establish the best mix of functions, as is appropriate

for the central part of a metropolis.

Programme:Surface area: 130 hectares, including 26 hectares of railway

Developed surface area:

Housing: 153,500 m

Offices: 448,300 m

Shops and facilities: 83,200 m

Planned surface area450,000m housing for 15,000 residents,

700,000 m offices, approximately 60,000 jobs

405,000 m shops,

662,000 m public facilities

Number of homes: 5,000, including 4,000 for families (2,000 i n the social sector) and

1,000 rooms for students

Investments: approximately 3.8 billion


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Lyon: Presqule


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Traffic congestion and parking difficulties aremaking the city centre of Lyon less and less appea-ling for residents and visitors. In order to tackle thetraffic problems in this part of the city centre (thePresqule), an integral strategic plan has beendrawn up. It involves providing parking spaces in

garages, refurbishing squares and returning themto the people. This has transformed Lyon from acity that is avoided by tourists into a tourist attrac-tion with an appealing city centre.

HistoryThe Presqule peninsula is located between the Rhne and Sane rivers,

and the Fourvire and Croix-Rousse hills. It forms the centre of Lyon. Lyon

was founded in the first century before Christ by the Romans and the city

has since developed into one of Frances main traffic hubs. The city was not

only known for the enormous traffic queues on the route du Soleil, which

are now a thing of the past because of the new ring road. It is also Frances

largest railway hub after Paris. The city also has a metro network, a tram

network and a trolley bus network. Because the city centre could no

Lyon: Presqule

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longer cope with the enormous amount of traffic and demand for parking

space, it became virtually inaccessible in the 1980s.

RedevelopmentIn order to tackle the traffic chaos, the Communaut Urbaine de Lyon

(COURLY), which has considerable powers in the area of housing, waste

disposal and traffic, drew up an integral regional plan, the Plan de

Dplacements Urbains. In addition to the traffic and transport policy for

the Grand Lyon agglomeration, this plan provides for improvements in the

habitability and perceived quality of the city. The plan drawn up by the

Agence dUrbanisme de la Communaut Urbaine de Lyon was broken

down into a number of sub-plans, including the green plan, the blue plan

and the light and colours plan.

The green plan deals with the restructuring of public space and returning

it to pedestrians. The blue plan covers the development of the banks of

the Rhne and Sane Rivers. Against this background, it was decided to

ban the cars parked on the banks to underground garages. The light and

colours plan makes effective use of the possibilities provided by lighting.

This is not only a functional issue but also an artistic way of creating a

special atmosphere in the city at night.

Creative densificationAs result of the construction of no fewer than 12,000 underground parking

spaces, the car, which was once the dominant feature of the city centre,

has been forced to give way to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

This has made the city centre more attractive for tourists and shoppers,

and the retail trade has started to expand again after years of declining

turnover. The city is more relaxed and has gained a number of special

squares, reinforcing its identity. This is emphasised still further by the same

approach to public space throughout the city and individual themes for

each of the car parks, as well as a standardised signposting system.

FACTS

Launch:1989

Principal:Henri Chabert, councillor for spatial planning

Developer:The public/private company SEM Lyon Parc Auto was responsible for

the rehabilitation of existing parking facilities and for building new car parks.

Master plan:Jean-Pierre Charbonneau

Architects:among others, Jean Nouvel, Ingrid & Michel Bourne, Daniel Buren,Christian Drevet, Alain Sarfati, Alexandre Chemetoff, Michel Desvignes and Christine

Dalnoky, Michel Boyer and Sylvie Maniaque, Michel Desvignes and Christine Dalnoky

Design of urban furniture:Jean-Michel Wilmotte


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Programme:Redevelopment with 120 projects in public space

Number of underground parking spaces created: 12,000

Public transport: 2 tram lines

Refurbished squares: Place des Clestins, Place de la Bourse and Place des Terraux

Investments: approximately 20 million a year spread throughout the region as a whole

Surface area: approximately 100 hectares


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Bilbao: Abandoibarra


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Abandoibarra is in the heart of Bilbao but it wasinaccessible to the public for a long time. The cityis now trying to return the area to the public space.The Guggenheim museum has put Bilbao on theworld map. The Abandoibarra project is intendedto position the new business and cultural centre of

Bilbao even more emphatically at the global level.

HistoryFor a long time, Bilbao was one of the main industrial cities of Spain, with

the Nervin River as one of the main natural access routes. Trading

activities and, later, industry moved out from the city centre to the banks

of the Nervin. With the decline of the once-prosperous steel industry in

the 1980s, the city entered a downward spiral and a large number of

industrial estates in the city, such as Abandoibarra, were abandoned.

As a result, Bilbao acquired a very negative image as a dirty, impoverished

industrial city with high crime levels.

RedevelopmentIn 1992, the Spanish government established Bilbao Ria 2000, an

organisation for the development and coordination of plans. The aim was

Bilbao: Abandoibarra

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to transform Bilbao from an industrial city to a city for technology and

services that would generate more prosperity and improve the quality of

life of all its inhabitants.

Since then, Bilbao Ria 2000 has been working on numerous small-scale

and larger projects in the area of housing, infrastructure and public space.

During that time, the city has made enormous investments in prestigiousprojects, infrastructure and public space. The arrival of the renowned

Guggenheim Museum gave a major boost to the formation of Bilbaos new

identity. After a period of economic crisis, Bilbao has become a flourishing

city where both trade and tourism play an important role.

The redevelopment of Abandoibarra started with the opening of two

prestigious projects at the end of the 20th century: the Guggenheim

museum and the Euskalduna, a conference centre. Building work will

continue until 2010 on the master plan of Cesar Pelli for this 35-hectare

site located on the banks of the Nervion.

Launch:

Principal:Bilbao Ria 2000

Master plan:Cesar Pelli

Architects:Frank Gehry, Frederico Soriano and Dolores Palacios, Rafael Moneo,

Robert Stern, Pea Ganchegui, Ricardo and Victor Legorreta, lvaro Siza, Jos

Antonio Fernndez Ordez, Cesar Pelli, Carlos Ferrater and others.

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Abandoibarra is increasingly becoming the new cultural and business

centre of the city of Bilbao. Frank O. Gehrys Guggenheim museum has put

Bilbao in the global frame. This was the definitive step in the transforma-

tion of the citys identity, which was already well under way as a result of

the restructuring of the city centre, Norman Fosters new metro, and a

variety of smaller new projects such as Santiago Calatravas pedestrianbridge. This high profile made it possible to launch a prestigious plan for

Abandoibarra. Abandoibarra will become a varied area, hosting entertain-

ment and recreation, culture and business.

Programme:Surface area: 35 hectares

Park: approximately 20 hectares

Guggenheim: Surface area: 14,000 m11,000 m of exhibition space

19 galleries

collection of almost 10,000 works of art

Euskalduna: Surface area: 50,000 m,

height: 54 metres

main hall capacity: 2,200 visitors

Other developments: 74,000 m of offi ces, 700 flats, library,

University of Duesto: tower with surface area of 50 ,000 m


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Barcelona: Forum Forum 2004 is a new international event that will take place every


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Barcelona: Forum

The Forum area at the end of the Diagonal is thelargest restructuring area in Barcelona. The organi-sation of the Forum 2004 event (see box) was themoving force behind the transformation of this sitein the north-east of Barcelona to a lively neighbour-hood on the banks of the Mediterranean.

HistoryThe Catalonian civil engineer Ildefonso Cerd drafted an expansion plan

for Barcelona at the end of the 19th century. This plan consisted of a grid

structure traversed by a number of diagonals. The Avenida Diagonal cuts

through the city from north-east to south-west over a distance of

approximately 18 kilometres. This axis was stopped dead at the Forum site

by industrial and harbour areas. In the 1990s, after the organisation of the

Olympic Games in Barcelona, there was hardly any more room for

expansion, except on the site of the water treatment and power stations.

RedevelopmentThe organisation of Forum 2004 triggered the redevelopment of the

Forum area. In the mid-1990s, the city authorities established a project

agency to organise the development of the Forum area and the vicinity.

three years from 2004 onwards in a different city. During the

Forum, there will be discussions about cultural and social issues

such as cultural diversity, world peace and sustainable development.

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The existing stations needed to be renovated and assimilated. The central

component of the master plan was the extension of the Diagonal as far as

the sea. Large projects included the conference and exhibition centre of

Mateo and the blue triangular conference hall of Herzog & De Meuron.

In addition to the projects for the Forum, some projects have already been

completed on American lines. They include the Parc Diagonal Mar, with

1400 homes, and the largest shopping centre of Barcelona. It is expected

that this will be the last city development project in Barcelona within the

ring road.

Creative densificationBarcelona has a long tradition in transforming abandoned locations into

appealing public spaces. Usually, these redevelopments were triggered by

major events such as the World Exhibition or Olympic Games. The trigger

for the Forum area was Forum 2004, which resulted in a major concentra-

tion of conference and exhibition centres. Completing the Diagonal and

accentuating it with the construction of a new tramline over its entire

Launch:2000

Principal for Diagonal Mar:The American project developer, Hines

Principal for Forum 2004:city project agency Infrastructures del Llevante de

Barcelona S.A.

Master plan for Diagonal Mar: TD& Assoc. and Robert A.M.Stern

Master plan for Forum: Barcelona city development departmentArchitects:Robert A.M. Stern, CommArts y Sereland, Enric Miralles - Benedetta

Tagliabue and EDAW, BST and KM+P / Tusquets, Daz y Asociados o T, D + A, Clotet i

Paricio, i Muoz + Albin, Alonso i Balaguer Arquitectes Assoc and Carlos Ferrat,

MAP Architects- Josep Lluis Mateo, Torres & Lapena, Herzog de Meuron


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length strengthened the relationship with the rest of the city. The theme

of the Forum has resulted in sustainability in many locations, as with the

integration of the existing stations, preventing the creation of a new

marginal zone on the periphery.

Programme:Surface area of development: approximately 320 hectares.

Functions: conference centre, 11 hotels, and three office buildings

Surface area of Diagonal Mar, approximately 15 Cerda blocks

Diagonal Mar: Number of homes: 1,400 luxury flats

Other facilities: hotels and offices in a park setting.

Park: approximately 10 hectares

Shopping Diagonal Mar: shops and a cinema

CCIB conference centre: 120,000 m (15,000 visitors) surmounted by high-rise offices:

16,000 m gross floor area and the AC hotel: 30,000 m (304 rooms)

Forum 2004 area:

Auditorium: 3,200 seatsEsplanade: 15 hectares

Photovoltaic panels: 11 hectares

A park and a yacht harbour (146,000 m built facilities)

Investments: Forum area approximately 1.7 billion

Diagonal Mar: 450 million

Conclusion


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The study shows that creative densification is not straightforward and that

there are numerous aspects to creativity. Creative densification is therefore

always site-specific. Each site has its own processes and spatial solutions,

but there are also similarities. Case studies are pre-eminently suitable for

good knowledge exchange between projects.

The case studies concentrate primarily on projects for unique, large

locations in the cities themselves. This is the result of two tendencies. Many

European cities will, in the future, be primarily shrinking cities. Their core

areas in particular will face declining populations. European cities in the

future will face increasing competition. Quality impulses are therefore

indispensable.They will virtually always involve creative urban densification.

Western economies are changing in nature. The emphasis will shift from

the service economy to the information economy, changing patterns of

movement and therefore the structure of the city. This will also require

creative solutions for combining living and working, and the smarter use

of facilities, leisure, etc.

The role of government is different in each country covered by the case

studies. In Paris, Lyon, Barcelona and Bilbao, government has a considera-

ble influence. The programme, the phasing, the budget and the organisa-

tion are determined precisely in advance, and the plans themselves are

worked out in considerable detail. For example, a model of the develop-

ment area is included in the plan at an early stage. Plan development in

these cities can be described as blueprint planning. In London, Amster-

dam, Stockholm, Malm and Zurich, the government is more involved in

creating conditions, and the approach closely resembles urban enginee-

ring. It is difficult to describe the various planning approaches since they

are strongly determined by culture and politics. A striking feature is the

efficiency of the approach in southern Europe. In general, people there

stick to the timetable.

The question is what role government will play in creative densification

processes in the future. Given the considerable complexity of these

processes, strong control is required. It will have to be in the hands of a

player that can manage a major financial risk, and that is virtually always

government. A good example here is the French approach, in which a

Socit Economie Mixte (SEM) is always established for large-scale

complex projects. The parties concerned participate in the company by

buying shares. By law, the government always has a majority holding that

exceeds 50%. The organisation consists of people from the participating

parties who are contracted out for the duration of the project.

The agreement entered into by the parties includes a programme, a

budget, phasing and task distribution. The organisation is mandated for

the duration of the project.


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The project organisation needs to know the potential of the location well

so that it does not impose impossible requirements or agree too quickly to

one-sided developments. In essence, it will (with the government as the

main party) aim to guide master planning in the form of urban engineering.

This is the only framework of agreements that does justice to both

functional and spatial qualities.

This master plan must also cover aspects such as architecture, the reuse of

existing buildings and sustainability. Matters such as public transport and

city branding will also be included in the framework of agreements. It is

only by arriving at agreements about these matters at an early stage that

the desired quality can be achieved in the area of creative densification.

The search for synergy between the seven different densification indices,

together with the eighth in the form of sustainability, will be a useful

exercise for those involved. This exercise should take place during the

process so that it is guided by objectives and results.

This balancing of the densification indices, supported by a master plan

that takes architecture, the reuse of existing buildings, good public space

and sustainability into account, will result in an improvement in planning

quality.

Public transport and infrastructureGood accessibility is essential for the success of new area developments.

Most of the projects described are associated with efficient underground

and light-rail systems. Often, several lines are built to link new develop-

ments to the rest of the city.

Canary Wharf in London demonstrates that the link with the city and the

presence of good public transport can make or break a project.

The development of the second phase started when the Jubilee Line was

extended from the centre to Canary Wharf. It was only then that the area

truly began to flourish. In Berlin, a metro line is being built precisely under

Paris Square in order to emphasise the central function of the location.

Bilbao has just built two parallel metro lines on either side of the Nervin

as far as the sea harbour. Lyon extended the metro to the Presqle and

introduced a new tram service. There are two new fully automatic metro

lines from Seine Rive Gauche in Paris. In Barcelona, there is a new tram

service to the Forum area and the metro has been extended. Additional

shuttle coaches are also used for special events.

In all these cases, public transport is not just a necessary facility but also

an integral part of the quality goals. Often, it is in itself a quality impulse

(take the Bilbao metro line with small metro stations designed by Norman

Foster, the Fosteritos).


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Urban master planA master plan translates ideas into a coherent and structured plan,

including the outlines of a spatial design. The status of master plans

fluctuates between blueprint master planning, in which an unswerving

presentation of future structures is stated in normative terms, and urban

engineering, which grants a central role to making the complexity of

urban processes manageable through strategic planning. A master plan is

extremely important in terms of opportunities for creative densification.

The case studies vary widely in terms of plan flexibility. In Canary Wharf,

for example, there was no detailed master plan at all. It was deliberately

decided not to introduce detailed lot descriptions with an associated

programme. The project included a limited description of the existing

situation, with the new infrastructural plans and a few civil-engineering

works. It was precisely this almost complete absence of rules and

regulations that provided developers with a lot of latitude for the

realisation of their plans. Of course, this has an effect on the ultimate

quality of the buildings and public space, which varies considerably.This was not the case in Zurich. There, the master plan described the lots,

with meticulous records of everything that had to be preserved. The parts

of the plan involving new development, including the measures for public

space and a fairly detailed programme, were included in the master plan.

The approach to Forum 2004 in Barcelona was even stricter. Here, a highly

elaborated plan, including models, served as the basis for all subsequent

plans. For example, by providing precise plans for the integration of the

existing water treatment and power plants in the master plan for Forum

2004, Barcelona ensured that they need not be moved and that a new

peripheral area of large-scale plants would not be created.


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Photocredits

All map material: Metropolis Architecten

Photography:

Amsterdam: Meyer en van Schooten Architecten bv

London: Aerial photo: Folio Photography, other photos: Metropolis Architecten

Stockholm: equator architecten Stockholm

Malm: Malm City Planning Office

Berlijn: Aerial photo: arturimages, other photos: Metropolis ArchitectenZrich: Aerial photo unknown, other photos: Reinout Crince

Parijs: Aerial photo, unknown, other photos: Metropolis Architecten

Lyon: Metropolis Architecten

Bilbao: Reinout Crince, Bilbao Ria 2000

Barcelona: Aerial photo, unknown, other photos: Barbara Luns


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Documents

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