STUDY TRIP TO COPENHAGEN AND MALMO

                                                           

THE M.ARCH YEAR 1 AND 2 STUDENTS OF NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY EMBARKED ON A STUDY TRIP TO TWO OF THE WORLD'S MOST LIVABLE CITIES, COPENHAGEN IN DENMARK AND MALMO IN SWEEDEN. WE WERE ACCOMPANIED TWO TUTORS AND A VERY EFFICIENT GUIDE. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY TRIP WAS TO EXPOSE US TO NEW AND FEASIBLE URBAN DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH A WELL THOUGHT OUT PROCESS OF PLANNING INFORMED BY CRITICAL ANALYSES AND SURVEYS AS WELL AS HIGHLY EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

IN DENMARK, WE VISITED BUILDINGS IN A NEW URBAN DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS AN OUTLINE WITH A BREADTH OF JUST 600 METRES. IN THAT URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THERE WERE REMARKABLE CONCEPTS FOR HOUSING. I WAS PARTICULARLY AMAZED WITH HOW CIRCULATION FOR PEDESTRIANS HAD BEEN APPROACHED. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT JUST ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THE CRONNE PLAZA BUILDING WHERE IT COULD ALLOW FOR CYCLING ACCESS TO ALL LEVELS.

THE SECOND NOTABLE BUILDING WAS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE MOUNTAIN CAR PARK, IMPRESSIVE ADAPTIVE DESIGN WITH PARKING SPACE UNDERNEATH ENVELOPED BY PERFORATED STEEL MEMBRANES WHICH HAVE AN ARTISTIC IMPRESSION OF MOUNTAINS, THEN WITH RESIDENTIAL UNITS AT THE UPPER LEVELS WHICH ARE CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED BY DIFFERENT COLOURS.

WE VISITED A PROMINENT ARCHITECTURAL FIRM IN DENMARK AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES, GHEL ARCHITECTS. THEY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE RESHAPING OF THE URBAN QUARTER OF MAJOR SPACES IN COPENHAGEN. THE PRJECT MANAGER, LOUISE VOGLEL GAVE US A SHORT PRESENTATION ON HOW THEY APPROACHED THE DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES MOST ESPECIALLY HOW THEIR SURVEY OF NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES, BUT THE SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES INFORMED THEIR PROPOSALS. I WAS ENLIGHTENED BY THE FACT THAT SITE SURVEYS MADE SUCH A HUGE IMPACT IN RESHAPING URBAN SPACES. I GUESS ITS WORTH SAYING WE WERE ABLE TO MEET GHEL HIMSELF EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST FOR A FEW SECONDS.

WE MIGHT HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE WATER FRONT HARBOUR IN COPENHAGEN AS I HAVE USED IT AS A CASE STUDY SEVERAL TIMES, WELL IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO FINALLY BE THERE IN PERSON. EVEN THOUGH WAS NOT AS LIVELY AS IT WOULD BE DURING THE SUMMER, IT WAS STILL A BRILLIANT ATMOSPHERE AND WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN JUST WHAT IT TAKES TO SUSTAIN IT. THE ABUNDANCE OF RESTAURANT IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA MADE CONVENTIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT A DIFFICULT TASK, HOWEVER, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH BASICALLY WORKS WITH SUCTIONS AND PIPES MAKES IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER. THE SYSTEM WORKS WITH A NETWORK OF UNDERGROUND PIPES THAT DIRECT ALL THE WASTE TO ONE CONTAINER WHICH IS PERIODICALLY EMPTIED THE WASTE IS BURNT IN A FURNACE, THE HEAT GENERATED THEN IN TURN PROVIDES ENERGY FOR RE-USE. THIS WAS AMAZING TO SEE. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS SYSTEM CAN BE INCORPORATED IN THE INTERVENING IN THE CITY MODULE FOR THIS YEAR.