With our project Kringlugarður, we aimed to keep our focus in line with the group manifesto and began our process by looking at sustainable community living.
We then mostly focused on increased accessibility, for walking, cycling and pedestrian movement, as well as decreased traffic for the benefit of both the pedestrian and the environment.
The aim became to make our area healthy, sunny, sheltered, family friendly and lively while keeping it safe. And to offer amenities such as schools, medical care, elder care, grocery and cultural activities and easy access to the rest of the city via public transport.
To illustrate our concept in more visual detail. First we have a sketch that really helped to realize what we wanted to capture on the border of what is below and what is elevated.
An overview of the park, residential and business areas. Highlighting green spaces and the connections between them.
Section A has been located to show how the park both breaks up the masses in the area and serves as a connection between different functions, while B and C show parallel lines through the center of the area. One in which connections from the ground to what is elevated are more apparent, and one that shows the ground from the south-west to north-east of the area.
How might we experience this from eye level? The red and blue points in Section B show two locations in which the next two images are envisioned. First one from in the park looking south towards Borgarleikhúsið. And the latter on the upper level looking into the courtyard of a residential building.
And finally - a closeup of the north-western corner of the park, looking towards the culture house and two residential blocks.
The Kringlugarður proposal works to move the area into the future by shifting focus from cars to pedestrians. To open the area up both inward for visitors and outwards for residents through readily accessible public transport. And mostly to reinforce the strength of what’s already there which is this central location of the area and its potential for reclaiming nature.
Thank you.
Urban Lab - Design Agency