Gellerup

Gellerup and Toveshøj has long been considered one of the most socially challenged urban housing areas in Denmark. It is currently undergoing a large-scale transformation process, which is opening up and merging the mono-functional, modernistic housing area into the surrounding urban environment.

A large part of the effort is Dortesvej Kvarteret, which transforms the area through densification. Like many other post-war housing areas, Gellerup and Toveshøj consists of large, monolithic housing blocks, with oversized outdoor spaces in between them. These spaces do not invite or encourage human activity. A densification strategy and diverse housing typologies have created urban spaces on a human scale and a broader demographic composition.

The strategy consists of nine rules, specifically designed for the needs, requirements and challenges in Dortesvej Kvarteret. The rules seek to:

1. Create a new road system that eliminates dead ends and oversized parking areas
2. Densify with new building volumes
3. Introduce the human scale in the urban spaces
4. Diversify with new housing typologies
5. Define outdoor urban spaces
6. Implement a secondary pedestrian and bicycle path
7. Create more urban spaces
8. Model the existing terrain to make it more accessible
9. Create development with commercial and retail functions together with the housing.

The goal is to create a new diverse urban neighborhood where the physical environment and social composition increase livability while encouraging a sense of community.

Program: Masterplan, Housing and urban spaces
Size: +100.000 m2
Location: Brabrand, Aarhus, Denmark
Client: Brabrand Boligforening and Aarhus Kommune
Year: 2015
Type: Parallel assignment
Collaborators: WE architecture
Role: Architectural and landscape advisor
Status: Ongoing
Team JAJA: Jakob Christensen, Kathrin Gimmel, Jan Tanaka, Stephen Dietz-Hodgson, Sam De Boever, Emil Meyer, Erlend Lindstad, Julie Madsen

GELLERUP TODAY

Gellerup and Toveshøj is relatively separated from the surrounding city and is often regarded as an introverted neighborhood. Despite its large green outdoor areas, it is largely devoid of human activity resulting in a feeling of isolation.

The area is opened up, it invites people in and it creates an urban environment that is inclusive, diverse and encourages the sense of community.

The question is, how do you transform while respecting the modernistic development plan? How do you respect history while completely reinventing it?

GELLERUP TODAY

Gellerup and Toveshøj is relatively separated from the surrounding city and is often regarded as an introverted neighborhood. Despite its large green outdoor areas, it is largely devoid of human activity resulting in a feeling of isolation.

The area is opened up, it invites people in and it creates an urban environment that is inclusive, diverse and encourages the sense of community.

The question is, how do you transform while respecting the modernistic development plan? How do you respect history while completely reinventing it?

NINE RULES

New building volumes and urban spaces were introduced, while still maintaining the overall plan layout. These introduced spaces and volumes have inherent spatial qualities that relate to the human scale.

The Nine rules are a guide to the further development of the grand masterplan for Gellerup-Toveshøj, and specifically tailored for Dortesvej Kvarteret. Conceived in the early planning phases, they will serve as the design principles throughout further development.

NINE RULES

New building volumes and urban spaces were introduced, while still maintaining the overall plan layout. These introduced spaces and volumes have inherent spatial qualities that relate to the human scale.

The Nine rules are a guide to the further development of the grand masterplan for Gellerup-Toveshøj, and specifically tailored for Dortesvej Kvarteret. Conceived in the early planning phases, they will serve as the design principles throughout further development.

HUMAN SCALE

The existing horizontal housing blocks appear immense it scale. The human scale is introduced by moving the main entrances towards the street and introducing private gardens to ground floor apartments, breaking up the existing blocks. Life on the ground floor encourages an experience that feels safe and inviting.

HUMAN SCALE

The existing horizontal housing blocks appear immense it scale. The human scale is introduced by moving the main entrances towards the street and introducing private gardens to ground floor apartments, breaking up the existing blocks. Life on the ground floor encourages an experience that feels safe and inviting.

DENSIFICATION

The sectional profiles of Dortesvej Kvarteret are varied to ensure as differentiated and diverse spatial experiences. These differences give a sense of identity to each urban space, and provides an alternative to the generic appearance of many modernistic developments.

DENSIFICATION

The sectional profiles of Dortesvej Kvarteret are varied to ensure as differentiated and diverse spatial experiences. These differences give a sense of identity to each urban space, and provides an alternative to the generic appearance of many modernistic developments.

Program: Masterplan, Housing and urban spaces
Size: +100.000 m2
Location: Brabrand, Aarhus, Denmark
Client: Brabrand Boligforening and Aarhus Kommune
Year: 2015
Type: Parallel assignment
Collaborators: WE architecture
Role: Architectural and landscape advisor
Status: Ongoing
Team JAJA: Jakob Christensen, Kathrin Gimmel, Jan Tanaka, Stephen Dietz-Hodgson, Sam De Boever, Emil Meyer, Erlend Lindstad, Julie Madsen