Sustainable Design

The Ultimate Complete Street Design

2011-07-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

In Copenhagen, we accidentally stumbled across a streetdesign that we have never seen before in California. The street locates on SønderBoulevard in Vesterbro, which is in between Halmtorvet and Enghavevej Stationnear the bike rental station that we all went to as a class. What caught oureyes first was the basketball court sitting in the green strip located in themiddle of the boulevard. We immediately realized that the green space in front ofus was an active urban outdoor strip park that was designed to accommodate forsports and recreation uses. We decided to sit on the benches near thebasketball court to take notes and observe the activities going around us.There was a family of five sitting at the benches and tables next us having apicnic under the tree while a game of basketball provided visual entertainment.There were also people buying food and drinks from coffee shops and taking themto eat in the garden spaces. After walking across the strip park, we came tothe conclusion that Sønder Boulevard is the street that contained all theingredients for a complete street plus more.

A complete street haspedestrian infrastructures, bicycle accommodations, traffic calming measuresand mass transit accommodations; all of these features were included on SønderBoulevard.

This section showsthe Boulevard and how it is considered a complete street. The pedestrian laneis wide and the strip park is pedestrian only zone. There were also speed bumpsat intervals of the car lane.

The strip parkattracts people of all ages because of the way the strip park is designed.There is a basketball court, soccer field, children’s playground, walks, smallgardens and seating areas.

An ocean themedplayground.

Open park space, a peaceful environment for all toenjoy.

Seating area underthe tree provide shade for a family picnic.

Girls preparing tosunbath in the open garden space.

Young teenage boys enjoying a friendly game ofbasketball.

The pedestriancrossings act as a speed bump for cars.

The Sønderstrip park allows community members to actively enjoy green space in an urbanenvironment right in middle of an otherwise traffic dominated street. Theincorporation of the strip park allows the boulevard to be more walkable,bikable and enjoyable. Not only does it have all the qualities that make it acomplete street, the strip park adds active entertainment, visual aestheticqualities and provides opportunities for people of the community to interactwith one another.

By: Nikita Choi & Ying Ying Zhong

Foot Fancy in Freiburg

2011-07-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Freiburg is a small university city but still has a lot ofvariety, not only in its architecture but in its streetscapes as well. As wewalked around we noticed many different types of cobbled stones and otherpaving materials. The city additionally includes small details within thestreetscape such as many small open canals for storm water runoff and riverwater, and has small bronze placards in the pavement to honor the Jews who wereremoved during WWII.

The most common type of pavement within the historic center iscobbled stones. These are not only consistent with the historic character butare also long lasting, attractive and permeable to rain water. However thesecan be uncomfortable to walk on and the variation in size and spacing makes itvery easy to trip, roll an ankle, or catch your bike or stroller tire.

Tarring the gaps in between the cobbled stones is alsorelatively common, especially on the busier streets. Tarring has the addedbenefit of making the surface more even and easier to walk or bike on, butunfortunately detracts from the historic character. Sealing the gaps in betweenthe cobbled stones also increases the amount of storm water runoff because itlessens the permeability of the street and thus directs more water into thecanals.

An attractive variation on cobbled stones is the use ofriver rocks that are cut in half and placed vertically in sand. This providesgreater visual stimulus in changing sizes, colors, and spacing. These riverrocks provide excellent drainage because of the gaps and the sand. They arealso more comfortable to walk on than traditional cobbled stones because theylessen the impact on feet and knees despite potentially being more unevenlyspaced. In some areas where they use smaller river rocks, the rocks are spacedfairly uniformly and are used to create patterns and mosaics. The mosaics ae infront of historic buildings and depict the former use of the buildings. The useof these local materials in general is in character with the genus loci, the spiritof the place, because the river is an important motif within the city. Anegative aspect of using river rocks is the labor intensity of laying them soprecisely, which ultimately can make them an expensive sidewalk treatment.

Like any city, Freiburg also has traditional asphalt andconcrete streets. The majority of these are outside of the historic center anddo not enhance the aesthetics. Asphalt and concrete do provide better traction,are smoother to walk on and are more durable for heavier traffic such astrucks. One major con to using asphalt and concrete is the lack ofpermeability, which creates a lot of storm water runoff.

Pavers are a good compromise to many of the pros and conspreviously discussed; they can easily combine durability with visual interestand permeability. They are generally seen in areas with less heavy automotivetraffic, such as driveways (like the one leading to our hostel) and sidewalksalong major roads. Pavers can be spaced in a particular pattern and can evenallow for vegetation to grow in between the gaps which helps enhance drainage.Pavers are also easier to place than cobbled stones or river rocks due to theiruniform dimensions. Although pavers are not always in tune with the historiccharacter of the city, they do provide visual interest and charm in the vegetationand their patterning.

The more we explore Freiburg the more we appreciate theefforts the city has undergone to make walking a pleasurable experience. Thecity has done a lot to preserve historic character and provide visual stimulus,even to the extent of providing many different pavement types. Walking inFreiburg can be just as interesting looking at your feet as looking at thebuildings.

–Chrissy Warner & Julia Mai Plotts

2011-07-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Transforming Old Parts of the City into Green Space

It is sad that in many of today's urban cities, it is difficult to find green space. Especially in American society, the world seems to revolve around money and any undeveloped land is a lost opportunity. We build and build, rarely stopping to reflect on the concrete jungle we have planted. One thing that I have noticed in Europe that is lacking in many major American cities is the myriad of green spaces dotted around the landscape. Some think that green space is a waste of space, but that is far from the truth. It is important to have open spaces available for recreation and relaxation. Studies have shown that parks near homes and offices help improve one's quality of life; and they often boost the property value of surrounding areas as well. In Amsterdam, we visited a relatively new green space called Westerpark.

The park is actually built on the location of an old gas factory that first opened in 1883. When it became obsolete in the 1960s, it was abandoned and ignored for the most part. In 1989,the old brick buildings were granted the status of industrial monuments and work was done to help preserve it. Eventually, the city cleaned up the area of any lingering hazardous material and planned a park around the area - today it is known as Westerpark.

The park is a popular spot among locals and you can often find people lounging around in the vast grass field, or sipping coffee at a nearby cafe. Trees were planted and public transit was extended to give people better access to the area. Not only does the park have a strong cultural and historical identity, it now supports a wide variety of wildlife and has become a favorite spot for picnics and sports among the locals. So next time you seea piece of old industrial land, don't be so quick to dismiss it as unusableland or wish for another boring shopping mall. A little bit of nature in theneighborhood can go a long way!

By: Ryan Shum

Cohousing and Sustainability: Munksøgaard

2011-07-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Duringour stay in Denmark, we had the opportunity to visit the Munksøgaardcohousing development located in Trekroner. Munksøgaard isa highly successful community dedicated to minimizing its ecological footprint and promoting a healthy, sustainable lifestyle for all of its residents. This ecological housing project began in the early 1990s and was completed in 2000. It now provides over 100 units for 240 residents. The community is comprised of four main housing groups that cater to different types of residents. These groups are responsible for performing specific tasks (cooking, gardening, ground maintenance, etc.) that benefit the community as a whole. In addition, Munksøgaard has implemented several environmental initiatives in efforts to reduce energy use, encourage ecological building practices, support the local food movement, and set a positive example for other communities. Some of these unique sustainable features are discussed below:

Waste Management:

Dueto its small population and relatively rural location,the Munksøgaard community is able to process most ofit’s organic, biological, and water waste onsite: food scraps and other organic wastes are composted, urine is collected by separation toilets and used as an organic fertilizer, and waste water is treated by a biological sand filter. This small eco-village also has its own recycling center to manage excess waste output. These local waste management practices help preserve the environment by reducing transportation trips and alleviating pressure on existing waste treatment facilities.

Building Materials:

Greenroofs: Munksøgaard offers a great example of how green roofs can effectively treat and mitigate the effects of stormwater runoff while providing apleasing aesthetic for the community. Essentially, green roofs work to temporarily retain excess storm water. This type of water retention helps prevent flooding and avoid water contamination that may occur from an overwhelmed wastewater collection system. The vegetation on the roofs also help insulate buildings, which can reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Munksøgaard has incorporated green roofs on severalresidential dwellings, storage units, and animal shelters.

Shellroofs: Another type of green roof is depicted below. Munksøgaardis one of the first communities to experiment with using mussel-shells as atype of stormwater management system. The shell roof functions similarly to atraditional green roof by absorbing and temporarily retaining excess waterrunoff. In addition, rather than importing traditional roofing materials fromdistant production sites, all of the mussel shells are collected from alocal fishery.

Straw Insulation: Thispicture reveals the straw insulation that supports Munksøgaard's newcommunity center. Instead of using traditional energy-intensive materials,Munksøgaard is committed to integrating organic, low-tech building materialsinto its new development projects. This innovative and effective designreflects a growing demand for eco-friendly construction materials around theglobe.

Community Gardens:

Each residential dwelling in Munksøgaard has the opportunity to cultivate its own fruits and vegetables onsite. The elderly residents are responsible for maintaining a large garden located in the center of community. They work together to irrigate and compost the land in addition to growing and gathering produce. This cooperative gardening program provides local and organic food to residents while supporting an active, healthy lifestyle.

Car Share:

Thoughresidents are allowed to have their own car, the Munksøgaard community hasimplemented a car sharing program that aims to promote alternative energy andreduce fossil fuel dependency. The car fleet is comprised of hybrid vehicles with a newaddition of a completely electric car. In order to use one of the cars, residentssimply reserve a car online for the time and date that theyneed. Car-sharing has been proven to reduce vehicle trips and encourage other forms of transportation . For example, Munksøgaard residents rely on bicycles as their primary mode of transportation within the community and also support public transportation by using the nearby railway station when traveling to other cities.

Conclusion: Overall, our visit toMunksøgaard was very inspiring. This cohousing development is a great exampleof how simple, sustainable practices can be incorporated into daily life in away that adds value to a community. Although cooperative housing communitieshave become increasingly popular in many parts of Europe, the trend has not yetgained momentum in the United States. Despite the fact that many Americans mayfind the idea of cooperative housing unappealing, it is important to recognizethe potential environmental savings of maintaining a more ecological lifestyle.Individual communities and cities can benefit greatly from implementing simple,energy-saving measures such as green roofs or car-sharing. Collectively, thesesmall initiatives can go a long way toward creating happy, healthy, and sustainablecommunities around the world.

By: Kaitlyn Silveira

Characteristic Pavement Patterns in Freiburg, Germany

2011-07-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Matheson

As you walk around Freiburg, Germany, it is easy to notice the many paving designs throughout town. They are mostly circular in shape and usually relate to the building they are in front of. This unique urban design element that adds to Freiburg's uniqueness and helps you orient yourself in the town. Personally, I like them because it's fun to guess what the image means if it isn't obvious. Also, you can learn a little bit more about the building, which you might not know any other way.

Here is a store, and I'm not sure what they sell exactly. But you can see Storchen in the name, and here is what you see on the ground:

Another easy to understand paving design is in front of the watch store:

Another simple one is in front of a church:

These are minor additions to a city, but they add lots of character and are fun to look at.

Stige Island Landfill

2011-07-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Our biking adventure in Odense led us to the Stige Island Landfill. During the landfill closure the landfill was converted into recreational park that features picnic areas, playgrounds, mountain biking trails and track. The landfill created the perfect opportunity for a large park for the people of Odense. The wants and needs of the community were taken into consideration when the park was designed. When visiting the park the different stages of landfill conversion can be seen.

The piles of trash are compacted and covered with vegetation. As the trash decomposes it gives off greenhouse gases such as methane and nutrient loads the soil. The methane that is given off from the trash is recaptured before it can disperse into the atmosphere. Then it is sold to the industry to create electricity and heat for households in Odense. An intricate drainage collection system collects surface water before it can enter and pollute the river.

The vegetated mounds create a playful environment and vista points.

View at the top of the park which featured a play area.

(Bottom Photo) Some of the SCONES students playing tether ball.

A remote control lawn mower is used to keep the vegetation manicured.
(video to come later)

One of the slides created on a mound.

By Kathyryn Waje & Liana Ramos

What students had to say...
"From 'trash' to 'class'!" -Kathy Waje
"My favorite part was watching the lawn mower" -Kelly Matheson
"I thought it was awesome because they created a park out of garbage" - Melissa Traverso

2011-07-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

My Solo Transit Journey from Freiburg to Stuttgart, Germany

Log of my travel, observations, and comparisons to grouptravel

The first step I took was to plan out my trip! I used theEurail website to research train times and transfers I would need to make. Itspecifically showed which platforms each train would leave from so I didn’teven have to check the list at thestation.

Freiburg to Stuttgart

8:35- Leave hostel and walk to the train station

-Ofmy two options (walk or tram) I chose walking because I wanted the exercise, itwasn’t too far, and because I wasn’t familiar with the tram schedule.

8:54 – Board train

8:57- Train leaves right as scheduled

9:58- Arrive in Karlsruhe to switch trains

-Ifound the next platform easily because I had checked the platform number aheadof time on the Eurail website

10:05- Depart Karlsruhe

10:58- Arrive in Stuttgart!

On my walk to the train station:

Walk observations:

-At the early hour, the streets were completely empty.

-I felt uncomfortable while passing a place with numeroushomeless people.

-I was much more aware of my surroundings since I was not ina large group, and paid close attention to be sure I was going the right way.

On my train ride to Karlsruhe and then Stuttgart:

Successful arrival and reunion with an old friend

Train observations:

-Signs were incredibly easy to follow.

-Being alone meant staying awake so I wouldn’t miss my stop.

-Announcements were usually only done in German, so I had topay close attention to intermediate stops.

-I didn’t make seat reservations, so I had to choose seatscarefully.

-Moving from train to train was very easy and efficientwithout luggage and a large group of people.

Stuttgart to Freiburg

4:00- Train departs Stuttgart

-SinceI didn’t know the times ahead of time, I had to consult the board of departuretimes.

4:53- Train arrives in Karlsruhe

-Checkedthe departures board to see what platform to go to for my connection.

5:03- Train departs Karlsruhe (arrives and leaves 3 minuteslate)

-Thistrain was crowded, so I had to sit on the floor for the first half hour since Ididn’t have a reservation

5:59- Train arrives in Freiburg

6:45- Return to hostel after making several stops on the way

On my walk back to the hostel:

-The streets were much busier, so I felt a lot safer.

Conclusions:

-Train travel is extremely reliable and easy to understand

-Prior research isn’t really necessary, but does make it alittle easier

-Seat reservations might be a good idea, especially for longtrips

-Walking through town is more comfortable with people around

-Traveling alone is very different than with a large group:

-Easein moving quickly

-Hightentedawareness of surroundings and directions

Meredith Plant

Creative Ground Work of Stockholm, Sweden

2011-07-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

Creative Ground Work of Stockholm, Sweden

Fahhrad Schläuche (Bike Tube Dispenser)

2011-07-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

Freiburg, Germany

On Kartäuserstraβe, the same street our hostel for the week was located on, I came upon a bike tube dispenser. I have never seen a dispenser for bike accessories before and thought it was fascinating. The dispenser accommodates 6 different tube sizes for the bikes throughout Freiburg. The location was perfect because it sits in a residential area between downtown and the Dreisam river. Both places have many bike riders daily. I am assuming that because of the many nature trails along the river and within the Black Forest (less than a 10 minute bike ride away) that it is common for Freiburgers to need tube dispensers. However, I have not seen anyone use the dispenser within the 6 days that I have been in Freiburg.

By: Melissa Traverso

AMSTERDAM Prinsengracht: A Complete Street?

2011-07-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

AMSTERDAM

Prinsengracht: A Complete Street?

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A complete street is a streetfunctional for all modes of transportation, including but not restricted to:pedestrians, cyclists, public transportation, and cars. However, what makes astreet unique is how the city prioritizes it's modes of transportation and theemphasis given to each. A sustainable complete street emphasizes all modes oftransit other than personal vehicles.

We chose Prinsengracht as thesubject of our complete street case study in Amsterdam. This street is a smallerstreet off of the bustling, commercial Leidsestraat. We chose this particularstreet because of its location off of a wide and populated main street.Prinsengracht is a street cut by a canal, a feature fairly unique to Amsterdam,with shops on the ground floor and residential living above. The residentialaspect of this street was important to us because we wanted to observe arealistic view of life in Amsterdam. On Prinsengracht we caught a glimpse ofdaily life in a dense urban area, while avoiding the tourists, who stayed onLeidsestraat.

Prinsengracht contained uniqueplanning with room for improvement. There was no separate bike lane on thisstreet; bikes were required to share the road with cars. Despite this lack ofplanning there wasn't a problem because there is little car traffic onPrinsengracht. The sidewalks were narrow, with just enough room for two peoplewalking side-by-side. This was more of a problem because there were manypedestrians walking the street and stopping along outdoor cafes. Prinsengrachtalso has access to boat traffic and there are boats parked along the entirelength of the canal. There is no public transportation on Prinsengracht, butthere is a tram stop directly at the end of the street that runs alongLeidsestraat.

Prinsengracht has access to allmodes of transportation: pedestrian, bike, public transportation and car.However, none are emphasized over the other. Every form of transportation onthe street was very small and narrow, with little land allocated to each. Ifimprovements could be made to the street, we would recommend making thesidewalks wider for pedestrians. From a personal pedestrian perspective, wewould have liked to have had a safer place to walk along the street. Anotherobservation is that there are a lot of parking spaces perpendicular to thecanal, which surprised us. A suggestion would be to reduce the number ofparking spaces and making them parallel with the canal, opening up space for abike lane. Additionally, bike parking is needed on the street because therewere clumps of bicycles parked along the entire length of the street, taking upsidewalk space for pedestrians. Some of these changes will be harder toimplement than others, but have the potential to make a big difference in allmethods of transportation.

The Wonderful World of Woonerfs!

2011-07-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

As more and more urban communities focus on sustainable design techniques, a major concern is the phasing out of the automobile. One strategy for accomplishing this ambitious goal is the concept of a Woonerf, a street designed with the pedestrian in mind.

The concept of the Woonerfbegan in the 1960s with the Dutch architect Niek De Boer who wanted to correct twoproblems in city streets: inconvenient traffic flows as well as decaying streetscapes. A Woonerffunctions as a play street for children as well as a cut through to largerstreets while reducing the flow of traffic and forcing drivers to be aware oftheir surroundings. Characteristics of a Woonerf aredistinct gateways, benches, plants, play equipment, and parking withintermittent spacing. The key distinction of a woonerf isthe elimination of continuous curbs, placing the car and the the pedestrian onthe same level. The benches, trees, and plants serve to direct the car through the street. A woonerf is typically marked by a blue sign with a picture of a pedestrian, a child playing, a house, and a car.

On July 18, 2011, I observed a Woonerf inaction on Frederikstraat,about a fifteen minute walk from the Arco Hotel. Initially, I thought cars andpedestrians sharing a single street would prove to be difficult and result ininjured pedestrians and frustrated drivers. I observed from 2:15 to 3:00 pm.

I observed twenty-four bikers passing through the Woonerfwithin the hour, mostly on leisurely rides or running errands. Fifteencars drove through, all aware of bikers and driving very slowly. Thirtyone pedestrians walked along the street, mostly mothers with smallchildren and older couples who appeared to be tourists. Also manychildren ran through the street when no cars were around, and no accidents occurred.

The Woonerf inAmsterdam had a very pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Many pedestrians werelounging on the sidewalk, like the man above. Overall, no one seemed to beworried about getting hit by a car, and several small children were able toroam the streets freely.

Woonerfs arean innovative urban design feature that effectively reduce traffic flow inresidential sectors of cities and towns. They physically raisethe pedestrian to the same level as the automobile, empoweringthose who choose alternative modes of transportation. It eliminates excessivetraffic noise and speed, and creates community gathering spaces. A fewdrawbacks are the costs of renovating these streets, as well as the constantsmaintenance required to keep the street in good condition. Also, althoughtraffic is thinned out on one street, the mass of transit will simply moveelsewhere. Nevertheless, Woonerfs are a step in the right directionand can be improved with increased community involvement.

-Annalise Reichert

Island without Borders: Ijburg, Amsterdam

2011-07-25T04:35:00.000-07:00

The Concept

Land resources for building new housing within the City of Amsterdam are limited. Urban planners tasked with meeting the increasing housing demand have found a solution in creating new fill islands off the shores of the existing city. Ijburg, conceptualized in 1995 and built in 2000, was one such solution. Ijburg was intended to be built in two phases. However, only the first phase (9,000 housing units) has been completed to date and the second phase (13,000 additional housing units) is on hold indefinitely until the economy improves.

In addition to meeting the demand for market rate housing, Ijburg set aside 40% of the housing units for social housing for low-income and disabled citizens. Following its nickname, “Island without Borders,” Ijburg set ambitious goals for social inclusion. Planners mixed the social housing, rental units and homes for sale throughout the development. It’s not uncommon to find all three types of housing in the same building, with little differentiation between them.

A typical mixed-income residential building in Ijburg

The Reality

Mixing-incomes, while a valiant effort on behalf of the City of Amsterdam, has not come without equally significant issues. Many of the homeowners on the island of Ijburg claim that they did not know they would be sharing their living spaces with such a diverse population. Many feel that had they known, they would have chosen to live elsewhere. They also feel stuck in the situation financially, due to the unstable economy. The home buyers were the first to move in and as the City moved in immigrant populations, lower-income families and the disabled (some formerly housed in institutions), tensions grew strong.

Ijburg was designed to foster interaction between all of the residents - there are shared common spaces within the buildings and small green spaces between them. Conceptually, this seems wonderful, but when you have a high-density development with residents of all ages, noise management becomes a major issue. Children often play in the green spaces and it has irritated some of the elderly home owners.

An example of a potentially noisy courtyard in Ijburg

Connectivity

Despite the social tensions, Ijburg is an impressive example of urban design, especially on the topic of connectivity. Every mode has equal access to the island. Cars drive in over a beautiful bridge. Bikes and pedestrians have a designated path and bridge from central Amsterdam to the main street of Ijburg. There are also three tram stops along the main corridor of the island.

These resources are not only functional, but they are beautifully designed and integrated with the natural environment. See photo captions for more details.

Beginning of the serene ped/bike bridge to Ijburg (green space was formerly a landfill)

One of the lush tram stops on Ijburg’s main avenue

View of the ped/bike bridge from the edge of central Amsterdam

Retroactive Conflict Resolution

The City has not ignored the fact that social tensions are high within Ijburg and has spent the last four years experimenting with ways to help residents live happily together. A coalition of senior staff from the city, the housing developers and the service providers has been formed. This group meets regularly to discuss how to collectively approach pressing issues. These meetings are mediated by a neutral party, Stef Spigt, who also works closely with the residents to assess their needs. Spigt’s position is funding by the coalition, who understands the value (albeit financial) in fostering a happy, healthy lifestyle on Ijburg.

The wealthier residents have also taken community development matters into their own hands by forming a group called, “Ijburg Dreaming & Doing.” This leadership group generates ideas for improving the public spaces, coordinates community projects and encourages the involvement of the lower-income and disabled residents. Despite the seemingly exclusionary structure of the group, each project has a champion that is able and willing to see it through.

Integration of communities through the schools has also been a successful. Every so often, residents of Ijburg have been invited to share their cultural background with students. The hope is that encouraging acceptance amongst young people will translate into more tolerance between the adults.

Ijburg in the Future

It’s clear that if Ijburg follows through with phase two of the development, the organization of housing units will need to be modified. Currently, the plan is to continue mixing incomes within each block, but to separate housing types by building so that home owners and renters are only sharing the internal common areas with residents of a similar status.

There will also be an expansion of the social services and community programs provided. However, it’s widely accepted that mixing incomes on this scale is a very challenging task. The City of Amsterdam has not given up on their vision, but they are still working out the best plan for the future. As Spight explains, one thing planners must recognize is that “you can’t just plan for the hardware; you need the software as well.”

Castle Garden: A pocket of tranquility in the heart of a city

2011-07-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

It has been two weeks since we have started our travels through Northern Europe. So far, we have traveled through Stockholmand Malmö, Sweden and Copenhagen and Odense, Denmark. Throughout the trip, we have learned so much and have been inspired extremely. One memorable place that we went to in Malmo was Castle Garden. A wonderful example of placing a tranquil space within a heart of a city.

Castle Garden:

During our bike tour one of our last stops was The Castle Garden. The Castle garden is a charming organically managed garden that iscomprises several smaller gardens with different styles as well as different functions.

The nursery is where most of the plants for the garden are cultivated. Thereis also a pleasant café located on conveniently on site. The café has a fully organic range of bakedgoods, foods and drinks. There is also a greenhouse that you can enjoy your meal in.It is home to a numerous variety of vegetables you can add to your plate.

A Bit of Background. Castle garden was created by a group ofMalmö residents, with no professional background in gardening. They wanted anorganic garden that would be created and open to everyone. It was officiallyopened in 1998.

Upon arrival, we were pleasantly greeted by John Taylor. Taylormoved from England to Malmo in 1992 and become the master gardener for Castlegarden. He had a charminglyplayful demeanor especially when he jokingly poked fun at Landscape Architects.

What we did gather from him was that green space and gardens “help solve theworlds problems”. His love for planting and enthusiasm for nature wasinfectious. He encouraged us future designers to integrate as much green in ourdesign as possible.

After his brief talk with us, we walked through the

gardensthat were filled with beautiful perennial plants and vegetables and trellis' laced with vines. After about an hour we left Castle Garden, waving goodbye toJohn Taylor as he continued merrily along with his lawn mower.

Kristina Jesena and Elaine Palacios

Livability, Sustainability, and Resilience

2011-07-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

During our time in Copenhagen, urban designers Regitze Hess and Jeff Risom presented lectures to the class. Hess works for the Center for Public Space Research, a non profit that provides grants to projects in Denmark that are innovating urban design. Risom works for Jan Gehl Architects, a firm that designs public spaces around the world by following the principles from Ghel's books Life Between the Buildings and Cities for People. Both lecturers stressed the principle of designing cities to be livable, sustainable, and resilient, which was championed by Ghel in his books. Livability is how effective a place is here and now. Sustainability is the success of a place in the long-term and widespread sense. Resilience refers how well the city adapts during time between the present and future. In other words, one needs to design cities for extremes and build capacity for rapid change.

Hess refers to these three ideas in simple terms:
Sustainability = carrying capacity
Livability = comfort capacity
Resilience = coping capacity

After hearing both lectures and exploring the inner city of Copenhagen, we noticed ways in which the city incorporates these principles into their urban design.

Livability
We would consider Copenhagen's city center to be a very livable area, which is reflected in its bustling downtown area.

Public spaces contain shops, exhibits, and entertainment, making the space between the buildings inviting and inhabited.
Many of the streets are 'complete streets', meaning they are designed with equal access for pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and buses. Each mode of transit has its own distinct space that provides a safe area and sense of security.

Complete street cross-section

Residents make use of public spaces and seem to take pleasure in the design of their city.

Rosenborg Palace Garden

Sustainability
Sustainability is at the forefront of the city's agenda thus many elements of sustainability are incorporated throughout the city.

A majority of Copenhagen's energy comes from renewable sources. Numerous wind turbines are visible from the city center. Waste incineration plants are used to convert the city's trash into heat for district heating and electricity generation.

Wind turbines on the perimeter of the city

The city focuses on getting people out of their cars. This effort has resulted in an extensive public transit system and cycling infrastructure. Since 1947 the city has been organized using a five finger system to condense development along transit lines. 35% of inhabitants get to work or school by bicycle because it is faster and easier than traveling by car.

The original finger plan

Inner-city Copenhagen is high density with 60-80 building units per acre compared to 6-8 building units per acre that is characteristic of a city like Davis, CA. Many old industrial buildings have been reused to create architecturally interesting high density mixed-use and residential areas.

Grain silos which have been converted into apartment buildings

Resilience
Both the infrastructure and residents of Copenhagen cope with constant construction taking place throughout the city. However, unanticipated events have the potential to overwhelm the city.

The city works hard to ensure construction does not impact the day-to-day routines of residents. Bike paths and pedestrian walkways are rerouted around construction using signs and temporary ramps.

Signage for temporary pathways during construction near Copenhagen's busiest intersection

Protected bike lane remains intact during road construction

Buildings constructed in the city are designed with high quality materials and require little maintenance.
One week before we arrived in Copenhagen, a cloud-burst dropped 6 inches of water in one hour on the city. The 100-year storm event inundated the city's sewer system, flooding the city and cutting electricity and hot water delivery to tens of thousands of residents for days. This shows a lack of planning for infrequent disasters.

Copenhagen is a great example of designing a city to be livable, sustainable, and resilient. The United States could realistically follow Copenhagen's example by creating more complete streets, expanding renewable energy sources, and ensuring construction makes accommodations to maintain residents' day-to-day routines.

by: Jessie Lett and Daniel Sheeter, UC Davis

Bioswales, canals, and drainage, oh my!

2011-07-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

Hej hej from Malmö, Sweden!

While exploring a city, do you ever think, "Where does the water go?" Next time you're walking down the street, take a look around you. Hopefully you'll notice some cool drains, like the ones we noticed while exploring Malmö's most famous eco-neighborhoods, Augustenborg and Bo01 Western Harbour. While the drainage in both neighborhoods is functional, their design and aesthetic values differ significantly. These two neighborhoods provided a great point of comparison, as Augustenborg is a retrofitted neighborhood originally constructed in the late 1940s while Bo01 is only a decade old. The timing of the retrofitting of Augustenborg and the construction of Bo01 coincided, thus allowing similar sustainable planning principles to be applied. While the timing may be the same, the final results differ significantly. Below we describe the systems implemented in each neighborhood.

Augustenborg

The process:

1. Green roofs catch approximately 30% of rainwater; the remaining rainwater trickles into a traditional gutter.

2. Rainwater caught in gutters drains down. Rather than draining directly onto the sidewalk or into a storm drain, the rainwater drains into a bioswale or sloped divet instead.

3. In the case of the bioswale

a. Rainwater is diverted into vegetation that takes up the excess water.

b. Ideally, there is no standing water as there is enough vegetation to absorb the rainwater. When standing water does develop, it continues into a larger canal or body of water.

When the bioswale is oversaturated, it overflows into a canal

c. Absorption by vegetation cleanses the water and recharges the groundwater.

4. In the case of the sloped divet

a. Rainwater moves down a canal with rocks that divert and swirl the water. This movement gives the water a chance to evaporate and the swirling motion collects leaves and other debris for easy removal.

b. At the end of the canal, the remaining water in this case enters the stream to the large body of water.

Bo01 Western Harbour

The process:

1. Rainwater is caught from the roof and trickles down a pipe into a small, open canal.

Instead of having a traditional drain, water trickles through rocks into a pipe into the canal

2. The canal catches leaves and debris while the water slowly evaporates. This evaporation process is aided by having the canal open for the majority of its length.

3. The water then goes to either

a. A bioswale where vegetation takes up the water and cleanses it or

Each bioswale can be designed to create a space with a water feature and vegetation

b. A larger canal which travels underneath pathways before entering the North Sea.

Looking at these two neighborhoods’ drainage, many similarities exist. For instance, in both designs the drainage process is generally visible, serving three main purposes. First, this open canal system allows for evaporation, limiting the rainwater that enters the storm drainage system. Second, this system allows people to view how storm water travels through drainage systems and thus people can see how their actions affect their water resources. Third, open canal systems allow for water features and vegetation as opposed to large concrete expanses. Aesthetically, both neighborhoods have pros and cons. In our opinion, Bo01 Western Harbour is more aesthetically pleasing due to the lack of constraints the planners faced when designing the system. This allowed for medieval style streets where open canals could be integrated into the design process for the entire neighborhood. In Augustenborg the buildings were retrofitted for sustainability, leading to more constraints on the placement of open canals and bioswales. This dictated the scale of the canal system in Augustenborg. Both are functional and pleasing to the eye, but Bo01 created a more subtle and seamlessly integrated system.

Special attention should be given to drainage systems in the planning process. The success of Bo01 proves that sustainable drainage can be implemented in both a functional and aesthetically pleasing manner.

-Alyssa Black and Amy Martin, UC Davis

P.S. Drainage rules!

2011-07-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia and capital of Sweden with a population around 850,000 (2010) and growing. Located on Sweden’s south-central, eastern coast, the city is the meeting point of the largest lake in Sweden (Lake Mularen) and the Baltic Sea. Stockholm is composed of 14 islands that offer quick relief from the crowded streets by having an incorporated system of 30% waterways and 30% green space.

Stockholm is a great example of an active urban city that flaunts their appreciation for water and nature.
This sustainable city provides an array of activities and accomdations from museums to amusement parks to skateparks and children play areas while allowing almost all inhabitants to enjoy quick access to open parks, walkways, swimming areas, hilltop views and historical plazas. These easily accessable activities allow people to escape the vibrant city lifestyle without having to drive in an automobile or even leave their own neighborhoods. Just ask IIona Lindbald, a professional sea kayaker who moved here from Malmo because of the vast and scenic waterways. Thomas Astrom and Calle Roose moved back from England because of their love for the many parks and open spaces that allow for picnics and socializing. Hanna Hellstrom, born and raised in Stockholm and a practicing musician loves using the green space to practice with friends or gain inspiration for songwriting from the beautiful, scenic waterways. Fregquently used by old, young, couples and independents, the blue and green of Stockholm is something this city greatly appreciates no matter what your purpose may be. While touring through the city you may notice people are happy to enjoy the simple things in life and will understand while this sustainable city is a role model for our big urban centers of the world to reduce environmental degradation to the planet. While having a large and growing population Stockholm will remain to capture the esscense and tranquility of the things many people enjoy most; our blue waterways and natural green spaces.

Stockholm: well-planned density.

2011-07-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Stockholm!

We are the 2011 class of Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe with the University of California, Davis Summer Abroad program. We landed in Stockholm, Sweden almost one week ago but we are just getting started. Stockholm is just the first stop on our month tour. Through this trip, we will be observing the planning, urban design, architecture, and policies of each of our destinations as they relate to sustainability. From our time in Stockholm, one of the key characteristics of the city that we have noticed is density

But what exactly is density?

Urban density is a term used in urban planning and urban design to refer to the number of people inhabiting a given urbanized area. Urban density is considered an important factor in understanding how cities function. Research related to urban density takes places across diverse areas, including economics, health, psychology, geography, and of course sustainability.

It is commonly asserted that higher density cities are more sustainable than low-density cities, this is greatly linked to the fact that low-density, dispersed cities are automobile dependent.

Surprisingly enough, Los Angeles is one of the densest cities in the United States when considering the entire metropolitan area in terms of person per acre (LA is actually denser than New York or San Francisco), yet its dependence on the automobile makes it a very unsustainable city. LA’s density does not really “work” and should not be the type of density that cities strive for. Los Angeles is known worldwide as the poster child of urban sprawl. Stockholm, on the other hand, is much more dense and that density is very well-planned. Everything in Stockholm is closer together, making urban life functional and attractive. Comprehensive public transportation, pedestrian and bike paths are the backbone of this city’s near-sustainable urban fabric. Residents of Stockholm have a broad range of choices of how to get around the city, including driving cars. This makes it an inclusive and vibrant city.

An admirable characteristic of Stockholm, and perhaps Sweden as a whole, is its citizens’ ability to think and plan for the long term future. Here, people understand the necessity to plan with foresight and flexibility for environmental, social, and economic changes. In this course, we have learned that the expansion of Swedish urban areas has closely tracked urban population growth. Stockholm, as well as other European cities, has grown more compactly, at higher densities, and with greater emphasis on the redevelopment and reuse of land within its existing urbanized spaces, this is also referred to as infill development.

One example of such infill development would be the Hammarby Sjöstad district. We recently visited Hammarby and the entire class was rather impressed. Hammarby is basically a collection of medium-density apartment buildings clustered together with public parks and mixed-use streets. The area is transit-oriented and very walkable. The density of the units is relieved by the public spaces around them often frequented by children and their parents. Most of the residents are actually families who consider Hammarby a great, safe place to raise children. This is an interesting comparison to the prevailing attitude in the U.S. that suburbs are the best place to raise kids.

The reason that we find Stockholm’s density so fascinating and inspiring is because we see density as a great way to speed up our process towards sustainability in the U.S. Well planned density goes hand in hand with having transportation choices such as public transit, walkable and bikeable paths, as well as car and pedestrian friendly streets. Although most Americans are not yet interested in compact, dense living environments, Stockholm shows us how density can be functional, attractive, and economically desirable. Hopefully, we can learn to think about the long term future of our cities, their place in our planet, and their relation to natural resources. We have plenty of opportunities to retrofit and revitalize our communities through well planned density and comprehensive transportation systems. To the future!!!

Alejandra Cano, UC Berkeley

Thomas Muchnick, UC Berkeley

Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe Tour: Ærø, Denmark

2010-07-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

For college students, 5:30 AM is an ungodly hour to wake up for. Yet, we'll make exceptions for special occasions, and our class day trip to the island Ærø was well worth it. Like many of the smaller towns we have visited in Scandinavia during this class, we'd never heard of Ærø before visiting it. We had arrived in Odense, Denmark for a little bit of rest and relaxation, to tour the city’s extensive bike infrastructure and to experience the serene and extensive parks and green spaces. Despite all the amenities of Odense, we felt that Ærø stole the show with its historical quaintness and natural beauty, but also because of its far-reaching success with building power and district heating infrastructure that utilizes the latest in renewable energy technology.

Located in the South of Funen Archipelago, Ærø Island is roughly 30 km and up to 8 km wide. About 6,500-7,000 inhabitants live on the island permanently and about a third of them are 65 years or older. According to the island’s tourist website, they see around 300,000 visitors every year. After an hour-long ferry ride, we arrived at Ærø, where were greeted in the sailboat and yacht filled harbor by the island’s civil planning director. The first sign that this island was serious about environmentally friendly means of transportation were the three Norwegian built electric cars parked near the entrance of the harbor. Apparantly, the island was given a grant by the energy ministry of Denmark to purchase the vehicles and there are plans for more on the way. We were given a tour around the second largest city on the island, Ærøkobing where we learned about the very strict requirements for the buildings on the island. Essentially any renovation that may change the exterior of the structure, from the windows to the front door, must be approved by a committee that attempts to keep the look of each building as it did when it was originally built. Since many of these buildings were built between 1700 and 1900, you can see how this process may be somewhat complex. The result, though, is an absolute fairytale and charming feeling throughout the entire island.

After our walking tour, we were escorted onto a bus waiting to bring us to another side of the island. Along the way we passed through stunning rolling hills and plains of grass, cornfields and strawberry fields. Small cottages and farm houses dotted the countryside. The bus took us to the site of 3 massive wind turbines which provide 65% of the island’s electricity needs throughout most of the year. One of Ærø's energy engineers gave us a brief tour of the turbine. He even took us inside and powered it off by adjusting the pitch of the 30 story tall propellers. What a show! Apparantly, the island is well situated for optimal wind turbine capacity due to the slight level of variation in the island’s height. This pushes the wind upwards and faster over the surface over the island, creating steady breezes in almost every season.

Our last stops on the bus tour took us to two of the three district heating facilities on the island. The first one we visited was a solar water heating plant that provided more than half of one of the city’s hot water and heating needs through very clever means. There were three types of solar heat collectors; one main simple design that was used the most in this facility piped water through narrow tubes and used the ultra violet heat collecting capacity of the color black to heat the water inside to around 80 degrees Celsius. This water was then pumped into a heat exchanger to extract heat from the water, turn it into steam and distribute it throughout the network. Another method used parabolic mirrors angled around a thin tube to produce steam directly from the sun’s rays. While this method is innovative, the island does not see enough direct sunlight for most of the year to be truly cost effective. The final design was similar to the first design except that the entire set-up was enclosed inside a vacuum tube to maximize efficiency (because, ironically, the solar heat collectors work best when they are not super hot).

The final district heating facility we visited used waste wood scraps from the lumber milling industry that they turned into pellets and burned for steam. Another boiler they installed utilized straw grown on the island itself to create steam. For the instances where the demand was too great that the wood boiler and straw boilers couldn’t keep up, they had an oil burning boiler as well. We finished our trip with a visit to the local grocery store for lunch and a stop at the beach before heading back on the ferry to the mainland In all, Ærø was the perfect ending to our stay in Denmark.

-Megan Kirkaldie and Jason Daniel, UC Santa Cruz

-Darwin Moosavi and Debs Schrimmer, UC Davis

2010-07-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

In Malmo, Sweden, we looked at Vastra Hamnen, a relatively new development on the coast, and rated the neighborhood on part of the new LEED Neighborhood Development scale. The slide show can be viewed below.

Mariatorget - Urban Design Qualities Inventory

2010-07-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Mariatorget is a plaza that is situated in Stockholm, Sweden in a busy shopping district near Slussen Station. There are several design elements that make this plaza quite successful in terms of sustainable urban design.

Below are our observations and assessments of this particular plaza:

COMFORT
- Adequate Seating. There is a wide variety of seating choices from lawn space to benches to suit individual or group activities. People can be found eating food from the local vendors on the lawns, reading a newspaper or novel on the bench, or just conversing with friends by the fountain.
- Shade/Access to Light. Trees line the entire area to provide shade from the long hours of sunlight during the summer season. There is adequate access to sunlight along the central north-south axis of the plaza as well.
- Sense of Safety. The plaza is relatively safe due to the narrower, less trafficked streets that surround the east, west and south sides of the plaza. There are barriers implemented that provide protection from vehicles (sidewalks/fences).
- Access to Services/Facilities. Services such as cafes, pubs, street vendors and restrooms are in relatively close proximity.

URBAN DESIGN APPEAL
- Access to Transportation. Mass transit (bus stops) and bike parking are along the perimeter of the plaza.
- Noise Reduction. The plaza utilizes the surrounding buildings and lanes to create a wide range of areas (quieter to more social environments).
- Suitable for Users of All Ages. Children-friendly areas (playgrounds) are located away from heavy automobile traffic for safety reasons. Variety of seating opportunities can accommodate those of all ages.
- Cost-Effectiveness. Little maintenance of public displays and vegetation is required.
- Accommodation for Activities. Grassy lawns can be used for multiple purposes (outdoor play areas, or just for lounging).
- Waste Disposal. Trashcans are strategically placed throughout the plaza for convenience.
- Accessibility. The plaza does not slope and is handicap accessible. There are no stairs to enter/exit the plaza.
- Connectivity. Within a short distance, there are other plazas (three blocks away).

WALK-ABILITY
- Wide Central Lane. The plaza design provides for easy access to all areas of the public space. There is a wide central lane to accommodate pedestrian traffic and the occasional bicyclist.
- Open Space. The plaza is not closed off/gated. Fences are built low enough to allow individuals to enter the plaza from any side, creating multiple pathways.

VISUAL APPEAL
- Use of Axis to Direct Views. There is an axis to draw individuals to the center of the plaza where the fountain is the main attraction. This place acts as a central gathering point.
- Public Art Displays. Outdoor sculptures are placed near seating areas. Seating is arranged for varying views of the plaza (trees, fountain, or surrounding street views).
- Well-Maintained Landscape. Vegetation as well as outdoor sculptures/displays provide a scenic view throughout all areas of the plaza.
- Use of Water. The element of water in the fountain is calming/soothing.
- Cleanliness. Waste disposal bins are placed strategically near local vendors or near seating areas to reduce litter, which creates a sense of cleanliness.

CHANGES TO MARIATORGET
- Moveable Chairs. The use of moveable chairs can create more group interaction in the plaza. Current seating (benches) may not be able to accommodate large groups.
- Recycling Bins in the Area. Along with waste bins, recycling bins can create a more sustainable environment.

APPLICABILITY TO THE UNITED STATES
Mariatorget is a prime example of a successful plaza that has been integrated into the urban landscape. It is a well designed plaza that offers a transitional space from the busy city life to a quieter, calmer environment. A common mistake in the United States is that plazas are not in close proximity to other green spaces, or local transit options. Many plazas are also built much too large. Consequently, the space becomes underutilized due to its expansiveness. Therefore, the use and features of these smaller plazas in connection to other smaller plazas can be applicable.

Posted by: Melody Wu, Bernadette Rosero Dugtong and Matt Ichinose

The Streets of Copenhagen!

2010-07-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

These streets - based on the mideval layouts yet so effective, so efficient. A radial system, not a grid system, is surprizingly easy to navigate. All this talk about being such a green city, but still, it's a city thus lots of cars. They flood the street, less so than New York City. This flood is rushing because everything about the streets are efficient. The stops, the starts, everything is fast paced. Pedestrians have their own lane. Bikers have their own lane. Sometimes buses have their own lane (sometimes taxies are able to join this bus fast lane). There are lights for cars, lights for pedestrians, and lights for bikers. Fast, fast, fast. Everyone is on the move. Biking is one third of the transportation in Copenhagen, so improvements on efficiency are constantly being implemented. On busy roads, blue painted strips indicated that cars yeild to bikers and to be aware of high bike traffic. When the light is green, lights flash on the ground on the way to the intersection as to prevent bikes from stopping when there is no need to. One thing I learned but have not seen is red crosses where people have died biking so that cars and bikes alike know to be extremely careful. As an experienced biker of Copenhagen, I can say that it is the perfect big city to ride your bike in. You can't ask for much more, but there is still more that is going to be added such as expanded bike lanes for a fast and a slow lane. One problem I did run into was bike parking. There is a lack of bike parking in the city which makes it difficult to increase the bike usage even further. I ended up just locking my bike in front of buildings or whereever there was space that was out of the way. That of course can imped on the sidewalks. Speaking of sidewalks, walking around Copenhagen is amazing. Though it seems like a big city, it's extremely small and compact. You can walk anywhere at anytime and get there quick, safely, and able to enjoy green spaces, plazas, water fronts, and amazing architecture and old buildings. I can not say anything about the buses or taxies as I did not ride either, there was no need to. Similar to that, cars. One reason people have cars is because they live in rural areas around the city because the city rent is expensive (well, the whole city from eatting to clothes is SOOOOOO EXPENSIVE!). To stop the small travels in cars with a campaign called the Ridiculous Driver. If someone drives less than 2 or 3 miles, you can call them a ridiculous driver. I can recommend this for the United States! DON'T BE A RIDICULOUS DRIVER!

Endnote: rolemodel for roads around the world.

Storstockholms Lokaltrafik

2010-07-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

History of Stockholm Transit:

While we could not read the signs and labels at the transit museum (as they were all in Swedish), our trip to the Sparvagsmuseet (transit museum) made it evident that Stockholm has a rich public transit tradition. The first public transportation to take form was the Rowing Madams. It makes sense that Stockholm’s first public transportation centered around boats and using waterways that connected the numerous islands of the city.
Stockholm, like many other cities in the 18th and 19th centuries went through the transition of horse trams, to steam powered trams and finally to electric rail. In 1933, Stockholm built their first underground tram, which became the foundation of the extensive Tunnelbana (T-bana) system which dominates Stockholm’s transit landscape today.
Public transportation in Stockholm has transitioned through numerous companies and organizational structures. At one point in time public transportation was owned an operated by private companies. There was one company that operated the transit in the Northern part of the city and one company that operated the transit in the Southern part of the city. In the 1920’s the companies were converted to a public agency, known as Stockholms Sparvgar (SS). In the 1967 SS became Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, and became Sweden’s first county-wide public transportation company. The T-bana now consists of approximately 67 miles of track and 100 stations and has an average ridership of 700,000 passengers per day. The T-bana is also interconnected with numerous commuter rail, regional trams, buses and the airport train, creating an expansive public transportation network.

Design and Aesthetics:

Within the last ten years, SL has switched to C20 technology making their metro trains 94% recyclable and extremely quiet, consuming one-fifth less energy than its predecessor. Additionally their bus fleet is completely fueled by biogas produced locally. SL tends to keep their trams and busses extremely clean and tidy. The trains sit at the same level as the platform for easy loading and unloading of strollers or wheelchairs. Seats are of a comfortable size and often face each other for increased sociability. They have been designed to accommodate the elderly and the disabled particularly in busses where riders have direct access to buttons for requesting stops or assistance.
SL allocates a substantial amount of funds each year in support of public art and requires that a percentage of each new construction project be devoted to enhancing the station with art. The emphasis SL places on aesthetics makes the station an attraction in itself and makes traveling via public transit a more enjoyable experience.

Trip Documentation:

In order to test the efficiency and ease of use of the public transportation in Stockholm, Sweden we travelled from City Hall to the Sparvagsmuseet (Transport Museum) through walking, T-Bana, and Bus #2. The entirety of our journey took 27 minutes and 10 seconds. It began with a short walk from City Hall to T-Centralen, which took us 7 minutes. From there we entered the station and waited 1 minute for the T-Bana headed towards Hagastra, in order to get to Slussen. Once on the T-bana it took us 3 minutes to arrive at Slussen. We walked outside to the bus stop and the wait for the #2 bus was 6 minutes. Once on the bus it took us 10 minutes to arrive at our destination, which was located right in front of the bus stop.
The trip itself was a pleasant one. It was easy to navigate where we needed to go, aside from the complexity at T-Centralen, which is to be expected from a station of that size. As tourists, we felt that safety was never a concern. With a large number of people from all walks of life travelling on public transportation, safety hardly seemed a concern for the Stockholmers themselves.

T-bana versus Muni (San Francisco):

Both Stockholm and San Francisco are comparable in population, 815,000 for San Francisco, and 830,000 in Stockholm. While Stockholm is larger in area at 72.6 square miles, San Francisco is not too far behind at 46.7 square miles. One of the differences we noticed between T-bana and Muni was the allowance of bikes on public transit. With the understanding that Stockholm prides itself on its sustainability and impressive public transportation network, it was surprising to see a lack of bikes on the various forms of public transit. San Francisco Muni, on the other hand, is generally open to allowing bikes depending on space and available bike racks. Stockholm allows bikes on buses between the months of May through September, but not during rush hour, and capping total bikes to two on a first come first serve basis.
Both T-bana and Muni provide a flat rate price for transportation, which means that distance does not play a role in determining how much it costs to get from Point A to Point B. Yet another difference between T-bana and Muni concerns aesthetics and cleanliness. While Muni does not allow food on board, it is generally not a very well-kept travel experience. However, the T-bana allows food and is much cleaner considering the potential this creates for an increase in trash.
Stockholm is known for its attention to aesthetics within the stations. Various art installations and murals create an inviting atmosphere while travelling on public transportation. This attention to detail is much appreciated in creating a pleasant experience. San Francisco, comparatively, does not emphasis art, or even aesthetics, in its station design. They act purely as functional transit hubs, rather than avenues for art.

Stockholm: Thoughts on a Walkable City

2010-07-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

What is walkability?

Walkability is seeing long distances on a map become short distances in practice. It is the act of drawing an individual into a place so well that he or she no longer considers the implications of transit, but views the journey to be just as invigorating and exciting an experience as the act of reaching the intended destination itself.

Across our stay here in Stockholm I find myself able to thoroughly enjoy the process of getting from place to place. I am able to leave the tension and stress of transit far behind me, and simply linger upon the many nuances of this great city's layout. Here are just a few.

The smallest of details feel very considered. If they aren't newly added -- such as these cobble stones -- then they are exceedingly well maintained, so that they prove charming rather than distracting, blending in with the rest of the city until one pauses to pay attention to them.

Rhythms or patterns arise across the many resources that line the waterways. Restaurants and food carts are consistently available, providing breaks in the longer stretches of walkway. Again, the small details are taken into account, be it cushions on restaurant steps or reclined chairs, adding a level of built in comfort the environment that is unique to every stop.

The color scheme of the buildings and walkways is vibrant yet far from garish or excessive. The palette of oranges, reds, beiges, and other warm hues comprises the majority of city structures, with the exception of newer constructions of metal and glass, proving to be neutral complements to their colorful counterparts.

Contrasting the golden demeanor of the structural environment, greenery is prevalent throughout the city landscape, and not merely in the form of the occasional tree in a planter. Whole parks emerge over the course of a walk. Without even trying, without having entered the day with thoughts or plans of relaxing in a park, one can seamlessly transition from the hustle and bustle of everyday life into a tranquil street picnic.

The balance between buildings and green spaces propels me through the city streets. I find that I don't even need a specific destination to persuade me to walk about the buildings. The city has effectively become a destination unto itself, with its own momentum, and its own purpose, so that I no longer feel the need for a precise excuse in order to enter it.

Photos and text by Peter Alfred Hess

Peter is currently a student of Architecture studying at UC Berkeley

For more photographs and other works by PAH visit http://PeterAlfredHess.com

2010-07-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

Back to Europe! It is now July 2010 and we have returned to Stockholm to begin out tour with the Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe class 2010 ("SCONES IV" 2010). We have been very busy already so have been remiss in not posting new material, but our blogging activity will pickup greatly over the next couple weeks.

Like last year, there are 28 students, and two instructors (one teacher and one coordinator). We have been in Stockholm since July 1, seeing many things: city streets, plazas, parks, trains, trams and buses, architectural interests, museums (of all types), and getting lectures on new neighborhoods like Hammarby Sjostad and the Stockholm Royal Sea Port, and various sustainable infrastructure systems like materials recycling, energy systems and transit.

This year we will have the students do most of the blog posts, so I will do very few other than the occasional comment. So, expect them to be more creative and inspired than last year!

Kerry and I started our Europe trip in Iceland, spending time in the capital, Reykjavik, and getting out to see volcanic terrain, geysers, hot springs, geothermal energy plants, fishing villages, fault zones, glaciers, glacial rivers, waterfalls, etc. Amazing place! One of the fun factoids we learned was that there are two common english words that originate in the complex and somewhat ancient language of Icelandic: geyser (which is spelled geysir sir in Icelandic). It took us awhile to adjust to the all day-all night light. Iceland is a magical place. The landscape is so stark, and rough and new - it is truly the start of the earth, since Iceland sits on the mid-Atlantic rift, and new volcanic materials are being created daily. The new island, Surtsey, rose from the sea back in the 1960's. As our friends and guides, Trausti Valsson and Orri Gunnarson pointed out, all people in Iceland become amateur geologists because you see it all around you. They are also incredibly connected to their Viking past; it seems that everyone of the 330,000 Icelanders can date their heritage back to 874 when the first Nordic settlers arrived and stayed. Great thanks to Trausti and Orri for showing us around. Both are faculty at the University of Iceland and live in Reykjavik.

OK, that is all the intro and travel log stuff for now. The weather in Stockholm has been extraordinary - bright sun and warm for a week! Not always that way. The next posting will be from Peter Hess one of our architecture students from UC Berkeley on his impressions of Stockholm.

Back Home

2009-08-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

Our Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe class has ended (except for me grading their final research papers), and we have all returned home or scattered across Europe for more travel before school kicks in. It was a wonderful trip. Not only did we all learn a great deal about Europe, a great deal about traveling, and about sustainable urban ideas, but also about ourselves. The students were amazing; I dragged them from train to train to city to city, and from hostel to hostel and neighborhood to neighborhood; and they kept their energy up, their good humor and spirit, their curiosity, and their generous natures. As a teacher, you can’t ask for more.

There are some specific thank yous in order. First and foremost, is my wife, Kerry. She was our trip coordinator extraordinaire, but far more. She was friend, nurse, doctor, mother, big sister, and counselor for all of the students, and there for me every step of the way. I also want to thank our three fabulous grad students: Sasha Wisotsky, Jessica DeLora and Alex Harker. They helped with nearly every blog entry, deftly driving around the computer program, finding the great pictures and making sure we had something to say. For the last few blog entries, the rest of the class also put together the material, photos and ideas. At the risk of embarrassing them all, thank you to the 2009 SCONERS (that is; “Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe in the Rain” – since it rained a lot!):

Cindy and Jenny Bailey, Gary Bladen, Alex Byrne, Dasha Davidenko, Jessica DeLora, Gabrielle Donoff (aka Canada), Ryan Doyle (aka “to Doyle”), Cassie Freitas, Alex Harker, Lynn Hiel, Bryan Hull, Maggie Jacoby, Janice Lau, Alex Lemberg, Kelly Lier, Ryan McCarter, Carmut Me, Marjorie Phan, Adam Rubin, Toni Shapovalova, Gil Valencia, Emmanuel Villegas, Laura Weinstein, Beth Williams, Sasha Wisotsky, Ruth Xochihua, and Joanne Yee.

This will be the last blog for a while. Thanks to those who noticed us; I hope it was interesting, maybe even enlightening, or at least fun. We may pick up the thread and do some blogs about sustainability over the course of the next few months. We may also try to put some of our best video segments of the tour up on the site. So, pop in occasionally and see what we have added and what we are up to. By the way, the group photos (so far) include one shot of the whole class at the European Parliment in Strasbourg, standing where all the dignitaries get their phot shoot; a shot of some class members enjoying the castle at Egiskov near Odense, Denmark; and a shot of some of the class enjoying the sunset at the Slossberg, overlooking Freiburg, Germany.

Cheers!

Freiburg on Foot

2009-08-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Our weary legs may be an indication of how walkable (or not walkable!) our latest ‘home’ city of Freiburg is. In the past four days, we have been exploring the city on foot and discovering how pedestrian friendly Freiburg truly is.

The compact and high density core creates a center which meets local and tourist needs. People of all ages venture out on foot to reach cafes, shops, markets and other services within a short radius of their starting point. With no automobiles allowed within the core, the tram system is heavily relied on to further explore Freiburg. The central train station is right next to the core, bringing travelers directly in to the city.

The walking surface itself is to be admired- the entire core is cobble stone, pattered to divide pedestrians and cyclists, and mimic the river which flows through the city. The stones themselves are split river stones that provide a more uniform surface than traditional cobblestone. Despite all there is to see between the beautiful landscape and buildings, it is worth keeping your eyes to the ground to catch the mosaic markers in front of commercial spaces. Traditionally, these mosaics matched the goods sold inside, for example scissors for a tailor or a pretzel for the bakery.

For those who need to escape the bustling city, the Dreisam river is easily accessible due to its multi-use paths and many crossing bridges. The Black Forest also borders the city and is connected with nature trails and trams.

Thanks to all this walking, I think we deserve some Black Forest cake!

Freiburg: A River Runs Through It

2009-08-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Dreisam is a river that runs straight through a large portion of the city and is diverted around town for a variety of purposes. The river, which has been artificially constructed away from its original flow in the late 1800’s is surrounded by greenery and excellent bicycle and pedestrian pathways. The city has an unusual system of gutters (called Bächle) that run throughout its centre. These Bächle, once used to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock, are constantly flowing with water diverted from the Dreisam. These Bächle were never used for sewage, as such usage could lead to harsh penalties, even in the Middle Ages. During the summer, the running water provides natural cooling of the air, and offers a pleasant, gurgling sound. It is said that if you fall or step accidentally into a Bächle, you will marry a Freiburger, dor 'Bobbele'.

Uses:
The river contributes to drainage for the city helping the water flow through parts of the city easily (no flooding due to diversion)
People along side the river use it for irrigating their plants, crops, and gardens
There are many areas for recreation such as swimming, biking, walking, exercise for people and their pets, and a calm place to sit
It is also a prime area for artists to perform graffiti and “rock art” giving them creative spots away from buildings and downtown
Not much of a use but it is aesthetically pleasing to view in downtown areas
Another possible use although I did not see any might be fishing

Accessibility:
Frequent access points make the river accessible from many places along it.
A paved path on one side eases in bike, roller blade and wheel chair use, making pedestrian traffic safer on the unpaved side.
All stairways on the paved side are equipped with ramps to facilitate wheeled travelers.
Clear signage makes it clear where bikes and mopeds are allowed and forbidden.
A variety of vehicles and travelers were seen, including different kinds of bicycles, mopeds, Nordic skiers and service vehicles.
The river itself was easy to access from the paths, and many people were seen sticking their feet in, rinsing their hands, and wading to their ankles.
Although there were a few benches along the way, there could have been more places to sit.

Public Art In Underpasses & Connection To Biodiversity:
Along and inside the river, it is easy to spot formal and informal art installations. From sculptures to graffiti, there is evidence that the Dreisam incorporates art into public spaces.
In the core of the city, the sculptures emerge midstream in the Bächle or punctuate the end of a Bächle path. See pictures of the crocodile and hands & feet in the slideshow for examples of this.
Alongside the river, train tracks and road overpasses are host to a variety of murals and graffiti pieces. These walls are thickened by an unknown number of paint layers beneath the current (and temporary graffiti) murals at the surface. We learned that the City of Freiburg issues graffiti permits to some artists, allowing graffiti in certain areas of the city. Some of the graffiti pieces are more artistic and sophisticated than others, but at minimum, the use of color in all of the graffiti provides a pleasing compliment to the interplay of natural and urban landscape.
Some murals seem to reflect on the uses of the river, with one saying, “Keep it Cool,” perhaps referencing the river’s ability to act as a natural cooling system for the city.

Physical/Social/Psychological Benefit:
The Dreisam river not only contributes to the aesthetics of the community, but to the physical, psychological, and social health of the citizens as well. One can find individuals strolling, sitting, and splashing around in the river at all hours.

Physical health:
Contributes to an active life style
Walking (alone, with a friend, dog)
Jogging

The soothing rushing of the river allows individuals to unwind and relax. There are numerous benches conveniently dispersed along the river bank; giving people a place to sit and meditate.

Psychological benefit
Relax, unwind, meditate (after day of work)
Quick getaway: free, close in distance.
Reconnect with self/personal growth

The river bank is also a great place to hangout with friends and family, contributing to the social health of the city's citizens.

Social benefit
A place to come together with friends/relatives and chat/hangout
Reconnect
Nurture relationships

Comparison of Rieselfeld and Vauban

2009-08-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Vauban and Rieselfeld are new districts of the City of Freiburg, Germany. As of 2008 there are 6,500 residents in Rieselfeld compared to the 5,000 residents in Vauban. Both districts were planned to be sustainable urban developments along tramlines. Despite their similarities it is amazing how site locations and decisions made during the planning resulted in two very different developments.

Rieselfeld felt underdeveloped despite having a higher density than Vauban. There are several explanations for this. Rieselfeld has a past as a sewage leach field. For this reason, there were no existing trees and hence all vegetation is new and almost insignificant in comparison to the built structures. It is anticipated that once the trees mature they will fill many of the currently vacant feeling areas. Less pedestrian oriented, Rieselfeld is too large to be a comfortable human scale. Over the next two years approx 1,000 more units will be added, so the additional units might ultimately change the feeling of the space.

Vauban is a former military area for the Nazi and then French army. Much of the existing vegetation, including mature trees, has been preserved and the residents have been proactive about planting. Even the main street along which the tram line runs is carpeted with grass. The grass provides a practical solution for reducing up to 50 percent of the noise from the tram line. The result is a lushly vegetated district.

A Rieselfeld generic and homogeneous architecture has led to a sterile environment. A primary reason that Vauban is characterized by more diverse spaces and architecture is because of what Germans refer to as “construction groups.” Construction groups offer an alternative to standard developments. Babette Köhler, the Director of Urban Development for the City of Freiburg, explains construction groups as follows. If a group wants to develop they make a contract between each other and then present themselves to the city to request a site. Such groups get priority and the city tries to meet any special needs they might have. After the land is purchased from the city they are free to build. At Rieselfeld the buildings are 20 percent construction groups and 80 percent developer based versus the reverse at Vauban. A comparison of Vauban and Rieselfeld shows how construction group based housing can lead to a more architecturally diverse district.

The disadvantage to construction groups is apparent in terms of social housing. When developers build social housing, they get financial support from the city. Construction groups are less likely to incorporate social housing. There is about 10 percent social housing in Rieselfeld and less in Vauban.

At Rieselfeld there are a lot of parking under structures. It is required that there be one parking spot per household according to the residential contract. At Vauban, the contract was written so that 40 percent of people agreed not to have cars, and so no parking had to be built for them. These Vauban residents were possibly motivated by the $40,000 cost of buying a parking space.

It is apparent that there are many young families in both districts. Green space and reduction of car traffic has lead to children appropriating more areas as play space. As one Rieselfeld mother commented, parents feel safe letting their kids run around. Both had swales for storm water management. According to Wulf Dasseking, the Planning Director of Freiberg, the primary motivation for on site infiltration is to reduce flooding in local creeks. Both districts have standards for energy consumption with a focus on energy savings. Both developments provide a refreshing alternative to standard suburban developments.

Vauban

Rieselfeld

Solar Energy Use in Freiburg, Germany

2009-07-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

As the need for sustainable technologies increases, Freiburg, Germany is
emerging as an important city that greatly contributes to solar research and development.

Germany’s policy programs are designed to increase demand for solar
technologies. Consequently, there will be lower production costs and an increase the price effectiveness of solar energy. In order to encourage the adoption of solar technology, Germany has passed a law rewarding those using renewable energy sources. The Renewable Energy Law requires power companies to pay a specified price per kWh produced at the peak rate, guaranteed for twenty years, to individuals who have installed PV’s on their own private buildings. On average, the payback period to recuperate one’s initial investment is ten years. After this period, all energy generated by the solar array can be considered profit. This program has proved successful as demonstrated by the prevalence of solar technology in Vauban, a small neighborhood in Southern Germany.

Vaauban is a new innovative neighborhood that has demonstrated significant solar technology. With more than 1800 hours of sunshine each year Freiburg has an annual radiation intensity of 1117 kilowatts per square meter, it is one of the sunniest cities in Germany. The pilot building for this innovative neighborhood was the Heliotrope, a rotating solar tree house which follows the movements of the sun. Vauban quickly expanded as architects from all over the world exhibited their most cutting edge building designs that incorporated highly efficient and aesthetically integrated solar technologies. Solar arrays are not only installed on residential homes, but also form a long sound barrier to shield the noise from the adjacent freeway.

The experimental community demonstrates the benefits of solar energy in terms of climate protection, economy, and urban development and continues to inspire the next generation of architects, engineers, planners, designers, students, and citizens.

As a class we visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg, Germany. It has been instrumental to the development of solar technology. On our class tour of the institute on July 28th, 2009, the hallway was lined with numerous solar technology inventions. For example, a press statement was released recently announcing a 99% efficient inverter.

Other ISE innovations draw their inspiration from nature. A solar hot water heater piping system is modeled after human blood vessels, which have the most efficient heat transfer. In addition, the institute has developed an anti-reflective material that imitates the light intensity mechanism in a moth’s eyes.

Odense: Bike City Denmark?

2009-07-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

We visit Odense each year on our sustainability tour, not so much because of their sustainable technologies or new developments, but because they have transformed their transportation infrastructure into a bike-first system, and for the gracious, inter-connected system of green spaces, parks, rivers and creeks that dot the city-scape. Each year, the city plays host to 30 of us, lending us their city bikes (which are of great quality), and leading us on a wonderful bike tour in and around the city. This year’s tour included all of the bike system facilities (various parking options, different types of on street and off street paths, cycle lighting and signage, cycle signals, cycle counters, air pumps, stairway ramps and other conveniences), plus many highlights of the park system including the river, and a new landfill park at the edge of the city along its port/canal. The landfill park is particularly impressive as one of the first of its kind in Denmark and a place for mountain biking, hiking, sledding (in summer!), picnics, walking, kids play areas and wildlife observation. We were hosted this year by Nanna Enriques and Dora of the city, who were generous, helpful, and very knowledgeable about how the city promotes and facilitates bike travel for all of its citizens, young and old. They even brought us coffee, tea and cakes to the landfill park as we relaxed during our bike ride.

The key elements in a bicycle system that goes beyond novelty and beyond recreation are: (1) a land use pattern and densities that make bike travel possible; (2) an inter-connected system of facilities that really think through origins and destinations; (3) facilities that overcome perceived or actual obstacles (like train tracks and highways); (4) convenience, safety and clear routes and signage; and (5) marketing and promotion that educates the residents and visitors about biking and makes it fun and important to ride to work, school or play.

The Odense bike system and park system may not be the best in the world (or maybe not even the best in Denmark – just ask the bike planners in Copenhagen!), but for this modest sized city without a lot of new development or new economic activity, it is impressive and keeps us coming back to learn, enjoy a bike ride, and appreciate the kindness and generous spirit of the city.

Aero Island in Denmark: Behind the Times or Way Ahead?

2009-07-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

Aero is a small, idyllic island off the coast of Svenborg. To many people it is a quaint, historic relic, clinging to its past architectural and economic heritage. But, for us, their impressive ability to preserve and restore historical buildings, sites and landscapes, and their unique form of using renewable energy for most of the island’s needs is really quite progressive and certainly sustainable. Aero’s economy is mostly agricultural and tourism based; the island has three small towns (as a result of dividing up the original island land holding amongst three brothers); and it boasts one of the highest levels of renewable energy in the world, all based on local resources and design ingenuity. Our host for our day on Aero was Jess Heinemann, the community’s engineer involved in renewable energy as well as historic preservation. In fact, there seems to be little that Jess is not involved with. He lives in a restored historic house in Aeroskobing, the first town you encounter as you depart the ferry.

Aeroskobing remains as it has for hundreds of years with narrow cobblestone streets, historic houses and shops, and intimate plazas and public spaces. Their regulations for preserving history are strict and exacting, leaving little room for change and growth. Even windows and doors must conform to historic requirements. While this may seem limiting, it is designed to fulfill the community’s vision and serves to give the island its charm and tourist appeal. Preserving and reusing older buildings is a sustainable activity for various reasons: (1) retains the embodied energy of a built structure; (2) does not require new energy for construction; and (3) maintains physical scale and character at a time when auto use did not exist. They make provisions to upgrade buildings for energy efficiency, insulation and improved lighting and heating. Still, for many, the restrictions are too onerous and creativity in design reduced.

The most surprising thing about this small isolated island is the long track record with renewable energy, something in which Jess has certainly played a major role. The island boasts three massive wind turbines that generate a good bit of their electricity, modern in every way and based on our up close and personal look, quite quiet. They would have more, but residents were concerned about too many turbines changing the views. The island also has a series of small district heating plants, all based in large measure on renewable sources. Each of them uses an ingenious and fairly low tech solar thermal system including the one at Marstal, the largest of its kind in the world. Each of them also uses various bio-fuels to add to the mix in winter. In one, the primary fuel is wood pellets from waste from the Danish furniture industry. In another, they use crop waste from local farming, and also some vegetable oils like rape seed. Each has a unique mix and a unique sizing and design connected to what resources are available. Over half of the island is connected to these district heating facilities (in the towns), while the houses and farms in the countryside must fashion their own solutions. Some have so. We visited two homes (one a working farm, the other a beautifully restored farm building and leisure garden). One used heat pump technology, and solar thermal, while the farm ran mostly on bio-fuels.

Aero might look quaint as if the world and time has passed it by, but, maybe they are just a bit ahead of their time.