Køge Coast
Location: Køge
Client: Køge Kyst P/S (Køge Municipality and Realdania Area development
Team: Stig L. Andersson, Helene Koch, Sofie Kjærsgaard Dybro, Flemming Rafn Thomsen, Katrine Sandstrøm
Collaborators: Atkins, Deloitte, Norconsult, Cogita, KU Life
Design phase: 2009-2010
Area: 26 ha
Køge is a historical trading city, with its development background deeply connected in its landscape.
A city`s structure has always been influenced through outer conditions; through topography, determining its location, through forest and coast, delineating further expansion, or through municipal and cadastral borders, preventing growth.
The kind of neighbourhoods, we suggest for Køge are also organised through outer influences. Here it is contaminated or soft soil, train tracks, ownership, building legislation, economy and amount of sqm housing etc. But also very different aspects as experience, amenity values and biodiversity are determinative for the city ´s structure. This last part is new. We do not know cities in Denmark, which have been developed with these aspects prioritized at the same level as infrastructure, economy and building legislation.
The governing structure, connecting the neighbourhoods, is "the commons". An elongated urban space, varying in width and content depending on which amenity values are afoot. Such as the long stretch from the beach meadow, drawn in through the district Køge Coast to the station, during which it meets the culture assembled around The Cultural Common.
The three new districts we call for Station Common, Collstrop Common and Southern Harbour.
In Southern Harbour, The Beach Meadow Common and The Cultural Common are found.
Hanko is the Japanese name for stamp; a personal stamp. One`s own signature. It has both juridical validity and expresses the owner`s identity. In connection with the new neighbourhoods and districts in Køge, one can say it is a collection of Hankos; a composition of buildings and urban spaces in a unique imprint and with individual character, identity and integration in the city of Køge.
The city structure we suggest is not defined by infrastructure or logical efficiency. It is however based on a system of different types of experiences, different spaces as the commons, local and green spaces, biodiversity, health, flora and fauna and the shared space practice in those spaces, where everyone moves.
In the new districts logical and rational management are replaced with atmosphere and sensuality. In the new neighbourhoods, people are lead from A to B through experiences, knowledge sharing, learning and social integration. The unit of measurement is quality time, not distance measured in meters. Quality time is defined by health, cultural and amenity values. The more quality time the more health, wellness and cultural integration. Of course one can also move quickly from A to B in our urban space, if necessary. Then you use other combinations of the infrastructural system or take on blinders. But having multiple and qualitative options is new and very characteristic for these types of neighbourhoods and urban development strategy that we propose in Køge.
The location and design of new roads/routes through the city stimulates creativity and ingenuity. These are two concepts the traditional city and urban development fatal lacks.
Nature's presence in the new neighbourhoods is not just lots of green. It is nature's processes, made visible through the handling of water after rain, creating attractions like water in urban spaces, mini biotopes and nourishment to the city´s many new trees. It is also nature's presence as part of a new life, which in residential districts creates a mix of urban and rural life with short distances to trade, beach and train.
Køge Coast is developed in stages in relation to activities, management of pollution, investor engagement, etc. The focus of development is to get the whole area into play in the various stages of development.
The Sustainability Tool is used to meet and assess the various needs and conditions within the economy, environment and resources, as well as social and health aspects.
