Christiania: The alternative neighbourhood
An urbanism project on the prospects of freetown Christiania through inter-scalar design interventions where culture is the catalyst for urban regeneration in the city of Copenhagen
L.K. Hjerrild (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
This thesis project on Christiania in the context of Copenhagen is an account of the research being carried out during the graduation year of Urbanism, eventually resulting in a design oriented project within the ‘Design of the Urban Fabric’ Research Group.
The structure of this graduation project is divided into five chapters, respectively (1) investigating the problems, (2) searching for supportive urban theory, (3) analysing socio-spatial conditions, (4) experimenting with possible future scenarios and lastly (5) designing a spatial proposal which addresses the problems.
The problem statement outlines the urban challenges which Christiania is currently facing towards the context of the surrounding city of Copenhagen. Located in the city centre Christiania is continuously being threatened to leave behind partially or entirely its self-organisational values and instead to embrace public and private investments. Therefore a prospective Christiania poses relevant threats of population decline, physical segregation and other implications due to the governmental plan for socio-economic normalisation. On this basis, the project focuses on investigating possible future scenarios which would give answers to above mentioned issues without affecting the character of Christiania. Through an experimental study contributing to alternative ideas, this project aims at finding the balance between contemporary development challenges and Christiania’s fragile cultural identity. Applying an inter-scalar design approach the interventions unfold through network, structural and programmatic design proposals, making culture the main regenerative catalyst for Christiania.
The essential aim of this prevails the preservance of the freetown identity as an inseparable element which defines Christiania as a culturally alternative neighbourhood of Copenhagen. The ending chapter is a catalogue of visualised design interventions of culture-led regeneration and it acts as a mediating tool for the Christianites to initiate their wishes and desires for the future.