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SÄVEÅN
Säveån is a comparatively small river in the urban context of Gothenburg, with a diverse character signified by contrasting conditions of the surroundings. The river outlet into Göta Älv is a historic marshland now occupied by industry and infrastructure prone to flooding. Upstream, the conditions change from urbanized centers to alternating industrial and fallow land. Partial renaturation efforts are taking place. Såveän has previously been polluted, pushed back and neglected, waiting to reclaim it’s potential and a valid space in Gothenburg’s cityscape.
NEW URBAN LANDSCAPES | ACE 495
Splitting the Stream
Felix Krafeld
In an effort to push the boundaries of urban river renaturalisation, the project occupies a part of Säveån river valley, significant for its convergence of different environmental and social challenges. The area has historically been developed for industry, but contemporary demands require an interweaving of public infrastructure, biosphere and resource management. As a counterpoint to a progressing reduction of the local ecosystem, a strategy is employed that redesignates a maximum of space to nature and sets in motion the rehabilitation of biosphere through natural processes.
Marieholm's wetland
Aleksandra Suszczak
As a result of analyses of the Säveån river corridor and application of designed strategies, the Marieholm's wetland project emerged. It is a nod towards what this, now heavily industrialised and filled with infrastructure, area used to be. Marieholm is coming back to its roots as a wetland, at the same tackling the massive flood risks and air pollution. The project's aspiration is to become a new oasis for biodiversity, neighbouring an industrial area and proposing a reimagination of what an urban wetland is with the presence of the humans as respectful spectators.
URBAN PROTOTYPES | ACE 465
GAMLESTADSBRON
Culture of Mycoremediation & Urban voids
Alonso Francisco Martinez Diaz
The project proposed is an urban prototype that attends the cleansing of soil by bioremediation strategies and also functions as a public space that can strengthen social bonds and common interactions, the intervention proposes spaces for education, learning, leisure, exploration, production of mycelium/mushrooms and preservation of local biodiversity.
Shelf cells
Robert Wibeck
Gamlestadstorget comes across as a very barren landscape, despite the semblance of biodiversity in its soil and water. In order to bridge the gap between the grown and the built environment, shelf cells are proposed. They are large blocks that form smaller positive spaces when put together, giving nature the opportunity to get closer to humans. This is all demonstrated in the production of a theoretical pavilion, partially underground next to Säveån. The goal is that plants and small animals can find homes in the gaps in the walls.
KVIBERS BROVÄG
Adapting bridge for bat habitats
Ani Tsikoridze
Transforming urban landscapes with an ecological touch, the project reimagines existing structures by incorporating a bat habitat beneath a bridge. Beyond fostering biodiversity, the prototype seamlessly integrates a bat house, visitor-friendly viewing point, and hanging planters, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. Bat guano fertilizes plants, attracting insects, a food source for bats. A self-watering wick system sustains the flora. The design respects bat sensitivity to light and noise pollution, offering a harmonious space where nature and urban life coexist.
Göteborg Batteri - the energy park
Gessica Gallinari
The prototype consists of a walkway placed on an unused area equipped for a mixture of leisure and energy production; people are directly involved in this interactive path and can play, workout, or rest together in a comfortable space, provided for big or small amounts of visitors. Through the use of soil batteries, solar panels, piezoelectric flooring, and mechanical movement, energy can be harvested and used to charge small vehicles or to lighten the path. Sensitisation and awareness of green energy production is the main goal for the definition of this multisensory experience.
Säve the birds
Gustav Erlandsson
Säveån has been appointed to the status Natura 2000 because of its high animal and bird life. In order to further develop and preserve the high status, the prototype Säve the birds has been established. The prototype is divided into three parts: the birdwatcher's tower, the education center and the green boxes. The goal has been to create a place where people and birds can meet under conditions that do not disturb each other. Furthermore, the development of the prototype will be to let the green boxes spread along the Säveån and establish new towers in other places where there are good conditions for bird watching.
KVIBERG
RailPark
Axel Grampp
The railyard south of Säveån creates a large urban gap where space for both human and nature takes last priority behind logistics and industrial activity. In a future where consumption and the demand for transporting new goods simply isn't as large, the partially empty railyard becomes a site of untapped potential. Using spare train carriages, polluted soil can be carried from all previously industrial areas of the greater Gothenburg area and stored here. The carriages are filled with plants and trees, over time cleansing the soil using phytoremediation. Meanwhile, they become part of a larger, entierly new park typology that opens the area up for nature, humans and leisure.
Growing GridScapes
Linnéa Johansson
Here cultivation acts as a binding force, connecting residents, strengthening their relation to nature and fostering a hands-on understanding of nature. As the community of Kviberg expands, reflecting the ongoing development of Gothenburg, the prototype is able to grow organically, mirroring the needs and wants of the community. Consisting of multiple components, with a variety of functions it allows extended seasonal use and considers the possibilities and issues of the site. Growing GridScapes embrace the opportunities of community-centric architecture, where the structure and its cultivation become the motivation.
Urban Host
Maria Vasconcelos
The main goal is to address some of the natural problems that exist in the area, such as floods, landslides, and loss of biodiversity. Additionally, there is a social problem Social problem due to two separate worlds. The main purpose of the prototype is to create a physical and visual connection between these two worlds, providing a shared space that people can use to enjoy and connect with the river and the surrounding environment having also the opportunity to decide what we want the structure to give us, and individually what do I want to do with the mesh As the name says, it is a structure that can be placed anywhere for an unlimited time without needing special conditions the purpose is to treat and take advantage of the main problems there like a host.
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