Suburbs: Twin Cities vs Munich

Woodbury - 10 miles to downtown St. Paul, 20 miles to Minneapolis

Vaterstetten - 12 miles to downtown Munich (the scales on these two maps are the same)

The colors show transit ways: freeways and major roadways in Woodbury, and in Vaterstetten the green is the train and yellow is the only "major" roadway (the Autobahn is in the upper left corner). Every home on the Vaterstetten map is a walkable or bikeable distance from an S-Bahn (train) station, which is a 20-minute ride into downtown Munich. The suburb of Woodbury was built around automobiles - any one of the houses is likely only accessible by car, a 25-minute drive to downtown Minneapolis without traffic.   

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Munich - darker lines show S-Bahn and U-Bahn (subway) routes, situated like spokes on a bicycle wheel to support sustainable growth and development along corridors 

Twin Cities - two new light rail systems travel between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul (2014) and from Minneapolis to the MSP International Airport and Mall of America (2004). The last ~50 years of growth and development that took place in the Twin Cities and Region was planned around the car versus a mass transit system, in the fashion of laying separate blankets (individual cities) of sparse residential areas next to each other.

Urban Growth and Development in Copenhagen

In an outing with a local guy (my Danish host dad!) I hit a couple pockets of Copenhagen that are the focus of the most recent developments to the city. Nothing beats local knowledge!

In most cases a photograph cannot capture what we are able to take in and observe with our eyes and other senses. But pictures are better than nothing, and will help do a lot of the talking. Before bringing you on an adventure with my own photos, take a look at the following slides that give a general overview of way the City of Copenhagen is managing its growth and development. The two areas of development I explored are identified on the second slide - Ørestad and Eastern Amager.

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Click on image to enlarge

The Metro - serves as the subway system as you get closer to the downtown area.

High density along a transit line

A place to hang out by the water

More green than gravel

Elevated Metro, street for cars, walkway for peds, and water flow seamlessly together

The thick line of trees through the middle of the picture depicts the junction of old and new.

The older mostly single-family housing is separated by the newer, high density and diverse housing, by a bike and pedestrian-only pathway along a small stream.

Another view of the water-ped-bike-way.

Who needs a car garage when you have a bike garage?

The apartment building to the left was designed by Danish architecture group BIG - see Nov. 3 post.

The building even has a name - "Mountain Dwellings"

No mountains in flat Copenhagen? Okay, we'll build one.

"Nothing is not a process" -Shannon Judd

The next series of pictures features "8 House" - a mixed use building shaped like an eight.

Similar to the "Mountain Dwelling" building, the figure building also starts from high points at the "top" and "middle" of the large 8, and then angles downward from there. The 8 is positioned for views, sunlight and fresh air.

Green roof on one of the sides coming down. In this picture I'm standing at the "bottom" of the 8.

Layers of grass in one of the 2 courtyards.

I notice details like this: a convex line of bricks leading to a drain. Since the walkway here is uneven, I imagine it may get slippery when wet; a drainage path moves water more efficiently. Smart.

No need to drive your kids to kindergarten when you can drop them off at the one downstairs!

The full courtyard near the ground level

From above

The second courtyard gives a different experience

Each unit has an outdoor area

View from the top looking south to the parkland

The preferred mode of transportation for many Copenhageners

More living spaces to the west

And east

Eastern Amager - New apartment building

360 degree wrap-around porch (each floor is split into 2 residences)

Bike park - believe the bikes will come with the residents

View from the top

There are 2 additional things to point out about the "Mountain Dwelling" apartment building that I did not capture great photos of: 2 of the 4 facades of the building actually resemble a mountain - a giant mural of the Himalayan peaks, Mount Everest among them. And second, underneath the 80 penthouses (yes, each residence is technically a penthouse), there is room for 480 cars. But one would never suspect that the building was also designed as a car park - space-saving shelter for cars without the eye-sore! More photos and info here.

More about 8 House

Ørestad Website - "Invest in Copenhagen's New Neighborhood"


Source:
City of Copenhagen, World Bank

"Cities of the Future should be Designed with Well Being in Mind"

An article from December 2012 in the Guardian states "perhaps the key challenge of the 21st century is to improve our well being - to ensure we are happy as well as healthy. After all, what is the point of living a long life if we do not enjoy it?" I believe she is right.

Currently, a majority of the world's population lives in urban areas. This percentage is expected to grow, as economic incentives pull people into urban areas. Cities must figure out how to accommodate a growing population without sacrificing fundamentals to a healthy and happy life. I also want to argue that one of the most important factors in growing urban areas is being able to maintain a place's unique sense of identity, allowing the creation or build-upon a community feel.

New models for the future are starting to develop. Well-designed urban villages, homes, and spaces that create and help build a sense of community incorporate some of the following features:

• pedestrian-oriented
• "high quality environments" - inclusion of shops, restaurants and other local facilities
• homes with space for family members to eat and relax together
• natural light
• green views
• "right" proximity to neighbors
• safe streets
• neighborhoods with destinations
• unique places with their own identities

We should focus on making better use of our existing spaces. We do not need to take advantage of the fact that space is not a limiting factor in the United States. The issue seems to be with the quality and character of the space, not the amount. 

"Imagine a world where homes, streets and neighbourhoods make you feel good about yourself, help you reach your potential, keep you healthy and safe, and support you in making good relationships. This is my vision for the housing of the future - the pursuit of well being and creation of spaces that help us to flourish." This quote from the author of the Guardian article, Elizabeth Burton, who is a professor of sustainable building design and well being at the University of Warwick, captures it all.

I like to imagine places that simply make you feel good. My intention with this blog is to explore what some of those contributing factors might be.

Source:
The Guardian

Check out the 2014 United Nations World Urbanization Prospects:
http://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/Highlights/WUP2014-Highlights.pdf