Systematic Reclamation - A Functional Green Infrastructure for Groruddalen - Reclamation, Waterscapes, Productive Landscapes.
A successful new urban development in Groruddalen will depend on better air quality, clean soil, connections and accessibility to clean water and green space.
Stigmatized as the backyard of Oslo, Groruddalen needs a new image. An enhancement of the attractiveness and the amenities in the landscape could offer this.
We propose four strategic projects that will compose a new green infrastructure. The project actions will be located within two structures we have branded “Core Green Structure” and “Supporting Green Structure”.
By framing the projects around the threefold concept of “Reclamation, Waterscapes, Productive Landscapes” we seek to clarify the core values of the otherwise complex series of site interventions.
“Reclamation” adresses the need to reclaim the landscape of Groruddalen. The landscape of Groruddalen is under immense stresses created by the regional systems of transportation, the logistics hub and the effects of old landfills / soil pollution in general created by historical land use and the activities of today. We implement innovative technologies and strategies to reclaim the landscape from these stresses. “Reclamation” also adresses the goal to optimize the flow of the natural systems in Groruddalen for the benefit of the Oslo region.
“Waterscapes” adresses the goals of capitalizing on clean water and the experience of varied waterscapes along an environmental park that can support future urban development. Strategies for reclaiming water quality also has a potential to increase the diversity both ecologically, and in the experience of the rather monotonous and secluded waterscape of the Alna river. The water remediated within our proposed structure would improve the quality of the Oslo bay area. That again could provide amenities for the new residents in the area of transformation in the “Fjordbyen” program and the entire population of Oslo.
“Productive Landscapes” adresses that by following the logic of internal biological remediation of the soil in Groruddalen, one could create the foundations for a green industry that can produce energy from that process. “Production” also implies production of knowledge linked to research and utilization of plants in bioligical and internal reclamation of Groruddalen. Last, it activates the landscape and through that enhances the experience.
Our projects will be highly visible and iconic in their appearance, creating awareness of natural processes, making them visible for all. Our projects will also be able to act as landholders preventing unwanted development in strategic areas.
The strategic projects describe a series of bold, yet pragmatic land planning and physical design improvements that will enhance the performance of the
Groruddalen landscape. The projects are driven by:
- Ventilator/Bridging Strategy: Over-coming the segmentation and the damming-up-effect of the area created by the structures of the regional system of transportation. Thereby promoting the function of the local climatic system and finding a new connection of the green structure and the Alna river. Through large scale reclamation, these projects will be highly visible with an iconography promoting sustainable development.
- Strategic Water Remediation: For the benefit of habitats for freshwater-dependent species, increased recreational amenties locally and for Oslo city.
- Land Reclamation / Soil redistribution: By cleaning soil and reclaiming land utilizing innovative biological technologies we design diverse, productivelandscapes accross the valley bottom.Through biological reclamation processes for extracting contaminants we see the opportunities both to build an industry of producing energy and biofuel from harvested biomass and a research and development program linked to phytoremediation technologies.
- Buffers / Channels: Adressing the problems concerning air and noise pollution in Groruddalen, utilizing highway corridors, existing topography and terrainforming through contaminated soil redistribution as reclamation projects while new development happens trough time.
For more information and a full presentation of the project, see www.landscapedetectives.com