Wijkgroenplan Overvecht

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable local greenspaces - considerations in the development of a District Greenspace Plan

DRAFT DISCUSSION PAPER PREPARED BY FRANCES WELLS & ANNE BEER - MAP21 LTD - MARCH. 2001
Copyright 2001 Francis Wells/Map21Ltd/Utrecht City Council. All Rights Reserved.

"BRAINSTORMING" - DEVELOPING MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES TO THE SPACES AROUND MEDIUM AND HIGH RISE URBAN DWELLINGS IN OVERVECHT

SECTION ONE

Generating ideas for developing a more sustainable approach to the use of space around inner city dwellings

As a starting point it is useful to examine what may be particularly unsustainable about the given situation at present. On this page there is an outline analysis based on generally held knowledge about the conditions in and around medium to high rise urban dwellings in Northern Europe. This helps to identify where improvements could be made to make residential districts of this kind more sustainable. On the following pages these improvements have then been translated into suggestions for policy approaches and practical measures. Understanding the implications, potential performance and cost-benefit analyses of these ideas will require significant additional consideration involving specific technical and other expertise, so as to make informed decisions.
Note: Where ideas and notes are marked with an asterisk (*), this indicates that potential sources of information and know-how are listed in tSection 6 (reference section).

Analysis of what may be unsustainable about Overvecht's Greenspaces (not finished yet - needs additions in light of local inhabitants comments during the recent surveys)

- Insufficient high quality outdoor space for people to relax in, meet others from their local community and enjoy proper recreation

- Inadequate comfortable space for people to sit in full spectrum daylight or sunshine (too much shade from tall buildings, wind tunnels and turbulence from gullies between buildings and eddies from tall buildings)

- Insufficient outdoor space for people to take part in normal and creative outdoor activities just outside their homes, such as garden maintenance, domestic chores and DIY

- Not enough safe and enjoyable space for creative, trouble-free play for young children immediately on the doorstep of their homes - young children play everywhere all the time (more distant play areas to which young children have to be taken by an adult is no substitute). Children play in different ways at different ages - this can result in conflict: ball games v. fantasy and creativity - places which support these differing needs are lacking.

- Air quality reduced and high noise levels from heating and air conditioning systems, as well as main road traffic noise, afflict the outside environment

- Buildings lose heat easily through walls and are expensive to keep warm in cold weather - here there is also a problem with some of the buildings being damp due to construction issues

- Buildings of the type found in Overvecht can overheat in hot weather

- In wet weather flash floods appear on hard surfaces due to inadequate drainage

- Run-off from parking areas concentrates oil-based pollutants in certain drains and water courses (due to the sewage from Overvecht being brought together with the rain wash from the hard surfaces, there is an outflow of untreated sewage into the Vecht in times of flash flooding). The present waste water system needs rethinking to utilise the immense capacity within the site for water storage. The type of grey and black water cleaning adopted for Overvecht involves relatively high energy use for no immediate return.

- Potable water used for toilet flushing, landscape watering and outdoor maintenance result in an unnecessary waste of energy consumed in its purification process. In experimental high rise schemes in the Netherlands and Germany other solutions have been implemented successfully.

- There is no on site composting of biodegradable materials, instead the fertilisers used on landscapes are probably from highly unsustainable sources

- Huge amounts of domestic waste go to landfill sites or incineration (which probably emits dioxins into the atmosphere); more sorting, recycling, re-using and composting needs to be encouraged

Making Overvecht's residential areas more sustainable requires consideration of the following factors::

Lifestyle and well-being considerations

- People more in touch with natural elements and nature through contact with plants and gardens, water, clean and breathable air, natural sunlight, wildlife and pets

- Recreation spaces for people of different ages, interests and cultures

- Space for cultural and spiritual activities

- Safe and creative play space for children

- Increase exercise opportunities for physical and mental health reasons

- Provide for basic domestic needs e.g. efficient small scale outdoor drying facilities

- Address mental well-being by making links to natural diurnal and seasonal rhythms of light and dark, warmth and cold, natural cycles of growth and decay

- Address mental well-being issues by providing opportunities for raising self-esteem: e.g. through ability to carry out skilled or valuable work, ability to look after children satisfactorily, development of social skills through social contact, contact with nature, etc

Community cohesiveness and capacity building

- Reduce conflicts of user needs in multi-functional outdoor spaces

- Make a clear distinction between "private" (which can include community space as well as private gardens) and "public" outdoor space - both greenspace and the parking areas - to engender a sense of belonging and ownership; a sense that the individual has the right to challenge the presence of those perceived as outsiders in the "private community spaces"

- Improve accessibility to every day facilities such as good quality, fair priced shops within walking distance (up to 400m of every house)

- Involvement of the local community in strategy and policy making for redevelopment, and more particularly involvement in developing regenerative design solutions for "their" open spaces

- Community have an increased say about complete or partial ownership of the on-going regeneration and maintenance of local "doorstep" landscape (those within 400m of their homes) and other facilities

- Reduce fear of crime by encouraging more people to make use of the outdoors at all times of day

- Reduce opportunities for crime

Enhanced local natural resources

- Enhanced biodiversity

- Improved air quality

- Improved quality in local standing and running water

- Reduce energy requirements to run buildings by means of insulation and local climate control of the land immedately adjacent

- Reduce waste output from residential areas by minimising waste sources and maximising re-using and recycling of the waste generated within the area

- Reduce the need for people to travel by powered vehicles, especially private vehicles, by enhancing use of cycles, buses and trains

- Provide enough water to nurture a vibrant landscape that increases air humidity in summer

- Examine possibilities for use of waste water

- Cut out use of harmful (eg toxic) and unsustainable materials and compounds in construction and maintenance of any new facilities

- Planting to improve comfort through control of the microclimate

- Sustainable planting by reference to sound horticultural and ecological know-how

- Consider local conditions as the basis of landscape and planting design so that plant material thrives

Local economic welfare

- Explore opportunities for local employment - especially for local people providing services for the local community in ways that reduce the use of natural and non-renewable resources and make high quality services available at reasonable prices

- Encourage community education initiatives relating to greenspaces and sustainable housing environments, as well as a range of community-level regeneration possibilities

- Encourage and facilitate "working from home", whether as self-employed, small-scale local businesses, or working for a distant employer but based mainly in the home

- Explore the possibility of establishing very local "Community Work Rooms" (in empty flats or buildings, or in newly constructed buildings). Places with IT facilities - where local people can book a workspace for a specific work period (such local Work Centres could overcome the isolation felt by some when they work from home rather than spend time in a work place).

- Encourage green businesses - such as starting a local plant nursery to grow trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants for use in the regeneration of Overvecht (not in competition with the local private Garden Centres but specialising in a range of native plants for use locally). If successful, such a business should be able to sell to other regeneration schemes in Utrecht. Use young unemployed and provide good training schemes.

- Explore the potential to involve the local fit retired people in part-time work linked to greenspace regeneration - use some of the money available for greenspace regeneration to involve this group in improving their own local spaces - this gives them extra money while at the same time increasing their sense of control over their home environment

- Explore the possibility of the different ethnic groups being interested in growing specific vegetables and herbs in local greenhouses, heated using sustainable means (waste heat from adjacent buildings)

Other considerations in residential areas - materials, roofs, energy

· Specify sustainable landscape and construction materials and methods of construction and maintenance - see Dunnett and Clayden in Benson and Roe, Spon Press, 2000.*

· Design green roofs on any new structures (such as garages in parking areas). Roof gardens could be considered in some new developments where very private outdoor spaces are needed: if they are accessible, such spaces make valuable, relatively quiet green space; they need wind shelter and edge protection for safety, but suffer less from shade problems. In areas with large extents of sealed surfaces they help to improve local air quality and increase humidity, and act as valuable insulation against heat and cold in the building below.* See Johnston and Newton, London Ecology Unit, 1996.

· Roof top conservatories can also offer quality space with an outdoor feel for most of the year - particularly useful for older people if heated in winter. They can be heated with waste heat from the building below - or by a rooftop array of photo-voltaic (PV) panels (either plugged into the grid or stand-alone*).

· If roof gardens are not possible or space is extensive, use roof tops to generate electricity using PV panels - probably plugged into the national grid - and offset energy costs in the buildings and landscape*

· Consider roof top passive solar heating of water for heating and domestic use if PV panels not possible*

· Add-on sun balconies to outside of dwellings to give private outdoor space and localised opportunities for enjoying plants. The design of any enclosed balconies needs to be handled sensitively, but they can be attractive "sun rooms in winter and spring" and can reduce heating costs and therefore power consumption within the dwelling.

· Biological treatment of hard surface run-off through ornamental and other wetland systems; pumping by solar or wind pump* to provide irrigation water and non-potable domestic water

· PV powered outdoor and security lighting in the greenspaces, particularly the pedestrian routes and parks and play areas. Link with sensors to come on and off as people move through the area.*

· Community green houses, built independently or as lean-to structures against outside blind or corridor walls of buildings: heated with PV generated electricity or recirculating waste heat from the buildings (as demonstrated successfully in Gothenberg)

· Communal outdoor vegetable plots for greater self-sufficiency and better quality food (as demonstrated successfully in medium rise housing near Amsterdam, NL) - perhaps of particular success with ethnic groups interested in growing specific vegetables

· Where appropriate consider create outdoor drying areas for domestic washing - this can reduce power consumption

Consider provision of indoor (could be semi-permanent) and outdoor space for community-owned laundry business and/or nappy laundering service

· Well placed, well laid out and partially screened "Waste Station" with access for service vehicles and provision of water (preferably roof run-off pumped by solar or wind pump) for sluicing to keep the station fresh. This should include facilities for sorting and recycling and temporary storage of materials for re-use (ideally to be removed by community salvage company for processing elsewhere). Run as a business - could link to car cleaning service.

· Composting area for biodegradable domestic and landscape waste

· More places to store and park bicycles safely

· Workshop areas for greater community and individual self reliance (domestic maintenance, etc) - places to keep tools for community gardening activities and from which they can be hired out to other community groups ( a small business opportunity)

· Easy walking and cycling links from dwellings to walking and cycling networks across the whole area and access to public transport stops. Add good signposting.

· Easy walking and cycling links between dwelling blocks with lots of small sitting areas where peole can stop and have a chat - to promote neighbourhood links and make diversity of facility provision across a wider area possible

· Instigate a Local Traffic Plan for the whole area . Talk to NOVEM (Netherlands Agency for Energy and Environment ) which models a sustainable hierarchy of provision of space for different transport modes: walking, cycling, public transport, private transport.

· Consider setting up community car pool scheme - again a small business possibility

· High quality green spaces of human scale and high amenity value - see separate lists

· Use of plant material and light structures to create a comfortable, healthy, energy efficient microclimate - see separate lists*

· Employ water saving planting methods and irrigation techniques: attractive mulches to stop evaporation, spot watering and leaky pipe installations - link to local collection and composting of biodegradable waste - another small business opportunity which could be stimulated by the money available to enhance the local greenspaces

· Outdoor seasonal planting areas for community members to grow their own plants and flowers for purely recreational purposes

· Take active steps to encourage wildlife by choice and location of plants, correctly placed bird and bat boxes, bird feeding tables, etc - if desired and culturally acceptable to residents

· Green corridor links to assist movement of wildlife between green spaces in the wider neighbourhood. These can also be sustainable transport ways for residents: green paths and waterways.

· Involve local community in measuring performance standards of the buildings and the associated greenspaces and hard paved spaces against a set of locally agreed indicators

SECTION TWO

Creating diversity and complexity in the landscape

Human scale spaces and amenity with distinctive character

Ideas:

· Places for social gatherings: community events, extended family events, child play and games

Barbecue areas

Outdoor tables and chairs - robust but moveable for flexibility of use

Small-scale, semi-enclosed areas - grass, sand (provided dogs can be excluded), near the entrace to the home where people can sit in the sun and wait for or chat to friends. Meeting and getting to know neighbours increases awareness of "who belongs in an area" and therefore who can be challenged as a stranger.

Surveillance seating around children's play - lots of little cosy corners (sun traps for winter - and in shade for summer)

Encourage even more creative play in the existing supervised "adventure" play-areas: space to build temporary structures and climb and swing safely. Keep open for longer hours

· Places for strolling, sitting, contemplation and story telling

Sheltered seating - in full sun, dapple and shade; away from draughts; some on through-ways, some on byways; never exposed, but never completely enclosed

Gridshell structures (made from green wood) to grow plants on and sit under (small business opportunity)

Pergolas, etc, that are semi-permanent: support plants, emphasise pathways, create courtyards within courtyards

Climbing sculptures

Sunken or raised garden areas and/or play areas

Temporary structures: willow sculptures, tents (ethnic or otherwise)

· Places for individual and community activity

Greenhouses - using waste heat from the buildings - with space allocated to residents

Garden maintenance area with space for compost and storage of community-owned tools

Indoor and outdoor workshop space with storage for tools and small-scale materials: to be used for people to learn DIY and craft skills and as part of a community-led maintenance enterprise (NB Not to be used for vehicle maintenance).

Outdoor art and craft workshop area for children of all ages: tables of different heights, space to build sculptures, etc

Distinctive features

Small to medium sculptural water features - movement of water powered by solar (PV) or wind pump to provide visual interest and natural sound

Water play features for children: flow forms, spatial water games, spouts, Archimedes screw, etc - pump powered by renewable energy (e.g. nearby PV panel) - water flow only switched on when adult community surveillance available

Larger pools and wetland areas: as at the Bijmermeer estate in Amsterdam where reed fringed pools are safely and sensibly accessible by wooden platforms*. Note, however, that a wetland area large enough to be functioning as a waste water treatment facility may take up more room than residents wish to spare in the immediate vicinity of their homes. Consider enlarging the lake in Park de Gagel and making more naturalistic.

In Park de Watertoren consider smaller wetland areas such as a series of linked bog gardens (with a gentle gradient to allow gravitational flow of water slowly through the sequence). This would give interest, colour (in the case of bog plants), may attract wildlife and could serve to clean run-off water from nearby hard surfaces or roofs. By being deliberately designed as attractive bog gardens, this should overcome the present problems with wet-boggy grass areas in that park.

Earth sculpting, combined with structures made from natural materials such as gridshells and fast growing creepers and climbers, can create special landscape character reminiscent of woodland in a very short space of time - as demonstrated in the 'forest gardens' at the Earth Centre, UK

Keeping in touch with the outside world and the seasons

Edible plant growing areas: outdoors or in greenhouses (using waste heat from buildings); consider such plants as vines and espalliered fruiting plants

Wind vanes (e.g. on the roof)

Wind power generators* along the road (why not consider locating to north of the site in the Norder Park area)

An example for Overvecht - lessons from city courtyard development in Copenhagen

Taken from: Courtyards for Living, Landscape Design, September 1997 by Nigel Dunnett and Andrew Clayden (University of Sheffield - Department of Landscape )

Context

A regeneration programme dating from the 1960s and 7190s in a run-down urban area of densely packed urban dwellings. Included renovating some existing buildings, demolishing other decaying buildings around the main facades of established streets and establishing better quality housing stock and new common open spaces between buildings. A number of courtyards were established as part of a central concept of giving residents immediate access to open space.

This article analyses the results as seen in the late 1990s and draws out valuable principles and observations that may be applied elsewhere.

Common principles

These were underlying a pattern of great variation between individual courtyards -presumably so each has its own distinctive character and identity, but all have a common level of quality and amenity.

· Space prioritised and reserved for relaxing and playing

· Soft landscape elements take priority over hard landscape and other hard features

· Vehicle access is limited to service vehicles

· Provision made for safe bicycle parking/storage

· Planned provision for recycling facilities and waste stations

· Provision made for exchange of community information

Continued

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Latest update : 13 March 2001