Design assignment
The Intense City
Three types of location
Sustainability
Historical examples
Design assignment
‘Design houses with their own exterior area by means of which we can make the best possible use of unexploited locations in the city.’ That was the assignment, stunningly concise, that the Municipality of Groningen issued for the Intense Low-Rise manifestation. Architects, project developers and housing associations subsequently picked up the challenge.
It had to concentrate on low-rise and each house had to have its own exterior space, such as a garden, roof garden or a loggia, an exterior space in the apartment itself. The houses had to have an entrance at ground level or at a higher surface level if appropriate. In this context, one can think of a new apartment above an existing house. Whatever the case, the available ground had to be used smartly and sparingly. At ground level, space could be used for working at home if required. The municipality did not impose a maximum on the number of storeys.
Houses with their own exterior area, yet an intensive use of the ground: the city requested intense low-rise. Low-rise was chosen because a house with a garden or another exterior area is a much-desired residential form, also in the city of Groningen. And it had to be ‘intense’ because Groningen wishes to remain a compact city. The scarce space in the city must be consumed as efficiently as possible. Only in this way can the city remain lively and attractive, and Groningen will not have to build so many houses on the city periphery.
After the Intense City presentation (2004), Groningen again manifests itself with Intense Low-Rise, initiated in May 2008, as a principal who wishes to stimulate thought and idea-forming on the densification of the city. Groningen wishes to make intensive and sustainable use of its limited amount of space. Accordingly, the assignment to the architects, property developers and housing associations was: research whether or not we in Groningen can develop new kinds of typically urban ground-oriented houses, houses whose storeys connect to ground level, with an entrance at street level or at a higher surface level if appropriate, with their own exterior space.
The Intense City
The Intense Low-Rise manifestation is a sequel to the housing construction campaign entitled The Intense City which began in 2004. Then, too, the Municipality wished to build on unused locations in the existing city. But in contrast to Intense Low-Rise, the first manifestation was primarily concerned with high-rise and the stacking of functions. The Palladium apartment block in the sixties neighbourhood of Vinkhuizen, which was the first realized design of The Intense City, is an excellent example of this. The building of Trefpunt Siersteen had to make way for this slender apartment block designed by the German architect Johannes Kappler. But the Trefpunt returned in the Palladium apartment block flat, so that this block accommodates two functions: ‘living’ and ‘social meeting’.
Three types of location
Intense Low-Rise is not a theoretical study. Buildings can be erected at most of the locations. Housing associations and property developers have sought enthusiastically for suitable sites. That has produced 50 designs for 30 locations. There are three types of location:
- municipal locations
- locations of housing associations and property developers
- study locations
In the case of the Municipal locations and the locations of the associations and developers, the architects had the task of dealing with a concrete building assignment. The basis of this building assignment was a limited Municipal ‘brief’, two A4 pages with preconditions. For the Municipal locations, the Municipality consistently issued a multiple assignment and three architects were requested to formulate a plan.
Architects and developers could propose study locations at their own initiative. These were locations where building cannot take place immediately, because of the zoning plan, for example. In this framework, the architects had completely free rein.
Sustainability
Groningen wishes to become the more sustainable city in the Netherlands. Intense low-rise can contribute to this, by using sustainable materials and by designing energy-saving houses. Moreover, compact construction in the existing city can contribute to a reduction in car traffic.
Historical examples
Intense low-rise is not a 21st-century invention. For example, the Groningen almshouses Pelstergasthuis and Pepergasthuis are medieval examples of intense low-rise. The Oosterpoort neighbourhood, built at the end of the nineteenth century, and the new neighbourhood of De Linie, currently under construction, are good examples of dense, low and intense construction.
Intense low-rise is thus part of a tradition. The fifty designs demonstrate how Groningen can renew its own tradition. In addition, with our Intense Low-Rise manifestation, we hope to inspire others.
