A park made for everyone
This page is about how we designed the park that we believe makes the best use of the space on the deck, from brainstorming to the final 3D model.
This page is about how we designed the park that we believe makes the best use of the space on the deck, from brainstorming to the final 3D model.
The overhead structure is unattractive and not a particularly pleasant place to spend time. Essentially, it will be a very large and wide concrete bridge over the road. Therefore, it would also be unnecessary not to utilize all the space that becomes available. We must determine which elements should be prioritized and ultimately what should be built on the overhead structure.
Issues arise regarding how we handle things like noise, which will be a significant concern with the location; after all, it's situated over a highway. Therefore, we also need to work on eliminating the feeling of being in an industrial area or similar. We need to come up with ideas on how to conceal the noise barrier, if there are other ways the barrier can serve a purpose, or if we can find a completely different solution.
When we first encountered this project, it was difficult to know what we wanted to do. It's a large space, so there's room for quite a bit, simply put. We started by determining our USP, the unique selling point of our solution. Initially, we wanted to create an environment where people could meet, socialize, and have fun. What that entailed, we were not yet entirely sure.
The project will not only be costly but also result in significant carbon dioxide emissions. Another question we should ask ourselves is how we can design the site to mitigate emissions while contributing to Nacka's nature reserve vision. Planting large quantities of trees might be challenging, but we can plan for bushes and other smaller plants.
In the tunnels, mineral wool is used as sound insulation for noise protection. To further reduce noise, we also utilize grass installation and noise barriers along the areas of the overhead structure facing the highway. Vegetation adorns large parts of the park, making it more aesthetically pleasing while simultaneously reducing noise (through grass installation) and mitigating some of the carbon dioxide emissions. The park offers many enjoyable activities such as mini-golf and beach volleyball. In the evenings and during winter, the park is illuminated by warm streetlights to enhance safety.
To make the park enjoyable, it can serve as a meeting place above all traffic. People can gather before reaching the subway or bus stations and visit, among other things, a shopping mall where they can eat or simply stroll around. The park also features restaurants where visitors can dine.
The overhead structure is utilized to provide quick and easy access from the outer areas of Nacka, such as Vikdalen or Jarlaberg, to central parts like Nacka Forum via walkways. Gravel paths are adorned with tree-lined alleys and plants to enhance the park's aesthetics and utilize the ample space. Additionally, traffic and bike lanes can be constructed to ensure smooth access for everyone to the city center.
When we first encountered this project, it was challenging to determine our direction. With such a vast space, there was ample room for various possibilities. We began by pinpointing our Unique Selling Proposition (USP), the distinctive feature of our solution. Initially, we aimed to establish an environment where people could gather, socialize, and enjoy themselves. However, the specifics of what that entailed were still uncertain to us at that time.
Then we began brainstorming. We wanted a place to dine – a shopping mall, a restaurant, or perhaps just a café. We envisioned bike rental stations and basketball courts; playgrounds with swings and climbing structures. Since the area is quite spacious, there is room for a lot, and therefore, we haven't seen any problem with implementing all the ideas that we believe should have a place on the overhead structure.
After thoroughly considering all the solutions, we concluded that our initial solution was the best option. The use of greenery and vegetation is highly effective as it helps address many issues simultaneously. The vegetation, grass coverage, and natural elements assist in mitigating some of the noise and carbon dioxide emissions, while also significantly enhancing the park's appeal.
Including fun activities like mini-golf and beach volleyball also enhances the park's appeal. The first solution blends better with nature, which was one of our goals for the park. This solution is also easier to implement and yields a better end result since it's simpler to decorate the park with bushes, grass, and flowerbeds than with tree-lined alleys, as in the third solution. Planting trees requires both a significant amount of time and a financially demanding layer of soil for the trees' roots to spread.
The park also becomes more pleasant with large, open green spaces combined with enjoyable activities and warm lighting, rather than solely using it as a simple thoroughfare from one place to another. The first solution counters the feeling of being on a highway, whereas the third solution contributes to even more noise and generates additional traffic. The latter heavily relies on trees, and because their roots are extensive, it becomes too heavy to support the overhead structure.
The finished model.
The solution is quite environmentally friendly. Although concrete production is costly and causes a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions, the solution does its best to counteract this with vegetation and greenery. In this way, the project is as sustainable as possible, but from an ecological perspective, it may not be the best use of Nacka's resources. However, this sentiment can be applied to most urban development and general urbanization. Nevertheless, we have done our best to increase the amount of vegetation in the area.
This project is, of course, very expensive, as the overhead structure, which includes concrete production and labor costs, is quite costly. It's essential to consider that the overhead structure is necessary as traffic in Nacka develops.
The overhead structure has a positive impact on social sustainability as the park becomes a place where people can socialize and connect with one another. The park is enjoyable to spend time in and offers many fun activities. Additionally, the park is safe, which is crucial for it to be socially sustainable.
We've been working on this project for several weeks now, and it's been quite enjoyable. The most challenging part was probably getting started and understanding what we needed and what we were supposed to do. Once we got going and the project gained momentum, there was certainly a lot to do, but it was a very interesting task. We've had to think and plan from various sustainability perspectives and turn these ideas into reality. In the end, we're reasonably satisfied with our performance and our creation, which ultimately is what matters.